#eris has too many dogs

[seihdacalling]

Eris 🤭

Still a WIP, but I’m shelving it for now

[daydreaming-nerd]

Young Love and Old Money (Cassian x Female! Reader) Part 3

Young Love and Old Money Masterlist

AN: Sorry these are taking longer than normal, after the 25th I'm a free fuckin' agent and if you check my updated masterlist you will see I have so many things in the works.

Summary: She was the most beautiful woman in Prythian, sister to the High Lord of Night, and now she is the soon-to-be wife of Eris Vanserra. Despite her many titles and her aura of unattainability, Cassian can't help but fall deeply in love with the princess of the Night Court. But will it be enough to stop her impending wedding to a man who is sure to destroy her from the inside out?

Warnings: Sexisim, trauma from under the mountain, alcohol, SA

Word Count: 4,189

Another week had come and gone. A week full of tight corsets, uncomfortable shoes, trips to the Autumn Court and of course, snide comments from Eris.

As of late I had begun having nightmares. The kind that left me screaming in bed with no one to hear me. The kind that had me waking up in a pool of my own sweat. It was the same every time, I was the dog in the back of Eris’ kennels. Scared, alone and caged. I would scour the entire cage for a way out, my finger with that giant wedding ring on it scouring the straw covered floors, never once finding an escape. Eris would come in and bend me over like an animal and sometimes I would wake up before he used me and sometimes I would wake up after. 

Regardless I was left unable to sleep. So I had taken to my dear brother's liquor cabinet to procure my own sleeping tonic, whiskey. For a few nights it has worked to put me to sleep, but not tonight. 

I swirled the last little bit of whiskey around the bottom of the bottle before slugging it all down. I had been slowly nursing the bottle the past two nights knowing that tonight might be my only night to procure a new bottle without anyone seeing. Tonight was boys night at Rita’s meaning that Cassian and Azriel were out with my brother and no one was home to fuss over my new drinking habits. 

I toss the empty bottle off the side of my bed and slowly but surely get up, wrapping myself in my silk night robe. My feet wobble beneath me as I make my way to the door, thankfully I know the way to the kitchen like the back of my hand. The only real obstacle being the long dark hallway, but even that’s a straight shot.  

I close the door of my bedroom quietly behind me in case there are any maids wandering about the dark hallway that I can’t see. I walk in as straight a line as I can and it isn’t long until I run smack into a wall. When the hell did that get there? 

“Princess? ” Cassian hiccuped

It takes me a second to realize the wall I ran into was Cassian, and I start to feel a little better, that is until I start to wobble again. 

“Are you drunk?” Cassian hiccups again and I feel his hands on my arms stabilizing me. The smell of cedar, leather and whiskey floating over to me.

“Yeah, but you are too,” I pointed out, pushing a finger into his rock hard chest for emphasis. My eyes adjust to the dark lighting and I can see his face peering down at me. That sculpted, beautiful face that they should really write sonnets about. 

“Have to drown my sorrows somehow,”  Cassian shrugs, letting go of my arms, stumbling back on his feet. 

“Pfft, like you have any sorrows general,”  I scoff, starting to move past him. I trip on his foot and nearly fall over, the only thing keeping me from getting an awful rug burn is Cassian catching me by my upper arm. 

“Shit princess I can barely walk but let me get you a glass of water,” he says, putting me back on my two feet again. 

My heart flutters at his kindness, “You would do that?” I smile drunkenly. 

“I’d do anything for you y/n,” Cassian replies and I can tell by the expression on his face that he regrets the words the moment they come out of his drunken mouth. It dawns on me that I’ve never heard Cassian call me by my name before, and I quite like the sound of it. 

“W-would you really?” I stumble letting my drunk mind do the talking. 

“As long as you’ll let me, I’ll do anything for you princess,” he reiterates and I don’t miss how he switches back to my formal title once more. 

“Cassian,” I breathe, unable to say anything more. 

“Anything, just tell me what you want,” he says quietly. 

My mind swirls with all the things that I want him to do. Get me a glass of water, take me away from here, kiss me. But all those lead to one common bad ending…

“Eris,” I whisper, realizing how close Cassian is to me. 

“Don’t marry him,”  Cassian slurs, wobbling a bit as he places his hands on my hips. The feeling of his hands on me, and knowing that the only thing separating his skin from mine is a thin silk robe. He seems to realize it too as his glassed over eyes look me up and down. It’s enough to sober up my mind and realize what’s going on. 

“You shouldn’t touch me,” I say. “I belong to Eris now.” 

“Not yet you don’t,” he hiccups for the third time. “Please, don’t marry him,” he says, getting even closer to me. 

I push Cassian off me and he stumbles back, “You’re drunk Cassian and I am too. We should both go to bed, we have a big day tomorrow.” I say stumbling back as best I can towards my bedroom. 

The general doesn’t say anything, doesn’t protest or beg and as I step into my bedroom I don’t miss the curse he mutters to himself before waltzing into his own. 

The next morning I wake with a raging headache that has me in bed until it’s time for me to attend dinner at the Autumn Court. If it wasn’t for my ladies maids I never would’ve left the warm cocoon of my covers. But I did, and in place of soft sheets was a death grip of a corset and I swore it was tighter than the last one. I looked in the mirror and realized that they had been choosing more and more revealing dresses for me, this one I was sure I had never seen before now. 

I made my way into the foyer where I knew Cassian would be waiting dutifully and sure enough the second I walked in his eyes turned to me. I searched for a sign of regret or awkwardness in his eyes given the events of last night, but all I found was Cassian. Handsome, strong, loyal and wonderful Cassian, and a part of me sighed in relief knowing I wouldn’t lose the one life line I had when I was in Eris’ territory. 

“You ready to go?” He asks me as he always does. 

“I think so,” I answer walking over to him so he can scoop me up. 

We take off into the air and the second we are airborne I feel a chill run up my spine. We don’t normally head to the Autumn Court so late in the day, and without the sun to warm my skin the cold seeps in. A cold that has me curling into Cassian more and I swear I feel his arms tighten around me. 

“So dinner with the potential, future in-laws tonight?” he asks. 

“I suppose so,” I sigh. 

“You’ll do great, don't worry,” he smiles trying to lift my mood.

“And what if I don’t want to do great? What if I want things to go so terribly that Eris breaks off the engagement and starts a fight?” I bluster, half joking. 

“Then I’ll hold while you punch Princess,” Cassian laughs and the vibrations roll through my body. 

“Good dog,” I joke and Cassian erupts in a fit of laughter that warms my soul. 

By the time we get there the Autumn Court is lit up with fae lights and the way they illuminate the colors of the autumn trees is breathtaking. Even in the distance I see and feel Eris’ presence like a dark cloud looming over me. Cassian touches down on the front steps and places me on the ground like I’m made of porcelain. 

“Good evening my little flame,” Eris greets me, allowing his hands to fall to my waist pulling me in for a kiss. This past week he has gotten more comfortable with affection, but thankfully he had never repeated what happened under the willow tree. 

“Good evening Eris,” I give a fake smile as he takes my hands in his. It was my last visit that Eris insisted that I dropped the formalities of calling him Prince Eris, something I felt was off character.

“I have a gift for you,” he smiles, pulling a long black box out from behind his back. He opens it revealing a necklace made up of large rubies. No doubt part of the crown jewels of the Autumn Court. 

“Oh Eris! It’s beautiful,” I smile, running my hand over the large gems. I hated to admit it but they were truly breathtaking. Something I would’ve asked my brother to gift me for solstice. “You didn’t have to do that.”  

Eris plucks the necklace from the velvet box and motions me to turn around so he can put it on. “I might’ve had ulterior motives,” he smirks, placing the jewels over my neck and clasping them on. 

“Well thank you, I really do love it,” I say, running my hands over the large jewels one last time. 

It isn’t until I feel the weight of the necklace and hear his words that I realize that ulterior motive. This isn’t just a gift, or a necklace, or even a family heirloom. It's a collar. One meant to show that I belong to him. The weight of it suddenly becomes burdensome and doubles as Eris stands back to admire the necklace now that I’m wearing it. 

 “It looks perfect on that beautiful little neck,” he smirks, offering me his arm that I take politely. “My family is very eager to meet you. Especially my brothers who have only ever heard stories of your beauty.” he says leading me inside.

“Well I hope that I can live up to my reputation then,” I smile as my heels clack along the marble floors. 

“In that dress little flame,” Eris says, looking me up and down, eyes lingering on the cleavage the neckline showed off. “You will be like a walking temptation.” 

We make our way to the large dining room and my eyes scan the table. Mounds and mounds of food and wine are littered all over it, enough for the whole court I presume. Everything from duck to boar, no doubt from Eris’ hunts. My mind flashes to the hounds in the kennel and I actively push the thought away. 

 On one side of the table sits Eris’ six brothers, all of them alike in age. At the head of each end sits Beron Vanserra and his wife. I look for an empty chair, and only find two. 

“It’s wonderful to see you again princess,” Beron booms as Eris pulls my chair out for me. 

“And you as well High Lord,” I smile bowing to him. 

I’m thankful for the chair that now supports me from beneath as I feel my knees start to wobble. I look around at the table once more now that I’m seated, and the plethora of red hair and piercing eyes is enough to make me feel like I’m a lamb shoved in a wolf's den. I feel Cassian taking up space by the door and my heart breaks knowing he must be hungry too. 

“Excuse me High Lord,” I ask, pulling Beron’s attention. “But I wonder if you might procure a seat for my guard so that he might enjoy this divine meal as well.” 

“Bastards are not allowed to sit at this table,” Beron says with a cool, calm, authority that I almost envy. My blood boils at his words, and tears nearly brim my eyes. Cassian was so much more than a ‘bastard’. Gods, one Cassian was worth more than everyone at this table combined. But to say that would mean my head on a platter. 

“Of course my Lord, I don’t know what came over me,” I apologize, bowing my head in submissal. 

“Darling you simply must try the wine,” Eris says pouring me a glass.

I swirl the red liquid around and give it a sniff. The strong scent of dark, ripe berries hits my nose. I take a sip and though I hate to admit it, it tastes like heaven. Or perhaps my body is aware that the effects of this wine are the only things that will help me get through this dinner. 

“It’s amazing,” I beam looking at my glass. “I love bold reds.”

“From our vineyards here in the Autumn Court,” Beron says proudly. “I’ll be sure to send a case to your brother for you both to enjoy.”

“We would love that, thank you.” I smile while taking another sip. 

The table falls into a comfortable conversation and I do my best to keep my head down like Beron's wife, as whatever behavior she portrays will likely be what’s expected of me. So far her etiquette imitates what Eris so crudely said to me just a few days ago…Wives are meant to be seen and not heard, except for in bed of course. Men do love the little whimpers of pain women emit when they are deflowered…   

I suppress a shudder at the remembrance of those words, and even though the comment that floats to my ears is another bit of sexist garbage, I’m sadly grateful for the distraction. 

“By the gods she is perfect,” one of Eris' brothers says quietly to the other. 

I try to hide my blush with another sip of wine, followed by another chunk of potato. Doing everything I can to pretend that I can’t hear the conversation the three brothers in front of me are quietly having. 

“Look at her tits,” another one rasps his eyes not so subtly glazing over me, the other brother in the conversation doing the same. I suddenly feel like I’m a piece of livestock up for auction. 

“How is it that Eris gets to have the Jewel?” the third one asks quietly, but not quiet enough to escape Eris’ ears.   

“Because I am the eldest!” Eris shouts, slamming his fists on the table, and the only person who doesn’t jump from his outburst is Beron. “And you’d do well to hold your tongue in front of the potential mother to the heir of the throne you’ll never inherit.” 

I can see the other side of the table debating whether to fight back or not, but it’s Beron who breaks the silence with the ease only a High Lord could do. “I assume that you and your brother will be attending our ball celebrating our fall solstice later this week princess?” Beron asks me. 

“Yes of course,” I tell him, setting down my glass of wine. 

“Wonderful! We’re quite excited to have you both in attendance. It is our fist ball since our time under the mountain,” he explains. 

“Who else will be attending?” I ask, swirling my wine around in its glass. 

“All the High Lords and the most trusted members of their courts,” Beron answers and it takes everything in me not to laugh. 

My mind flickered back to the months before my family locked me away, months where every High Lord would fall to his feet and beg for my hand in marriage. No doubt Eris would now play the role of fighting them all off and the image of him being an angry and frustrated toddler brought me joy.   

“Then I hope your son isn’t a jealous man,” I smile while sipping my wine. “Helion is a good friend, but he’s been asking my brother for my hand for years. Rhys practically had to beat him off with a stick.” I laugh, the effects of the wine taking over. 

What’s meant to be a lighthearted joke turns sour as I see the flames dance in Eris’ eyes, “Jealousy is a weak emotion, princess, But rest assured, I have no intention of allowing any man to lay claim to what is rightfully mine,” he starts and leans into my ear so only I can hear him. “And if Helion continues to pursue you, I’ll just have to deflower you right in front of his very eyes.” 

I want to come up with a witty response. I want to yell or scream or defend myself for the love of gods, but I can’t. All I can do is swallow the fear within me with another sip of wine and hope this den of wolves doesn't scent my fear. 

The rest of dinner is quiet and uneventful, I let the men converse, keeping note of the many glasses of wine Eris consumes. I turn my attention to the only other female at the table and I try to study her every move. Beron's wife says nothing, and I note that it’s my job to do the same. A pretty little wall ornament indeed. 

“If you’ll excuse us father,” Eris says standing up. “I would like to take the princess on a little stroll.” 

“Very well my son you are excused,” Beron nods to Eris. “I look forward to seeing you later this week my dear.” Beron says to me. 

I nod, trying to keep the illusion of submission up and Eris leads me out of the dining hall and down a dark hall. The chattering voices no doubt talking about me drifting off behind us. As we get further and further away from the dining room, I start to feel my stomach drop. Something is wrong, something is terribly wrong. But like usual, I don’t have the voice to say anything. We come across another dark hall, one so pitch black I would think it’s an endless void if it wasn’t for  the light at the far end.

“Sit and stay bastard,” Eris growls towards Cassian like he’s one of his hounds. “I require a private moment with the Jewel.” 

Cassian grumbles but allows Eris to lead me further into the shadows, the only way he could see us at this point is the faelight at the other end of the hall that would cast our silhouettes onto the floor. I try to throw him a frightened glance, but just like many times before, Eris seems to have found a way to keep me from doing so. 

“The general seems quite attached to you, it’s nice to finally have some time alone,” Eris says as he leads me through the long dark hallway. I swear I’d bump into a rouge chaise or grandfather clock lining the wall if it wasn’t his arm in mine. 

“Cassian has my best interest at heart, he wants to keep me safe,” I reply, trying to keep my voice from sounding confrontational.

“And he believes that I couldn’t keep you safe?” Eris retorts and I nearly scoff. 

“It’s not that, I think he believes you might take certain…shall I say, liberties with me,” I mumble trying to keep my head low. 

Eris' body tenses next to mine and I know I’ve made a grave mistake. “You’re mine, I can take whatever liberties I wish to.” he growls and before I know it my back is against a wall. “If he thinks I’ll marry you without trying you out he’s more of a simple minded bastard than I thought.” 

“Eris please,” I breathe trying to rip my wrists from his grasp but it’s no use. 

“Are you fighting or begging, little flame?” he muses, wine scented breath brushing my neck. “Either way it makes my cock hard.” he smiles, pressing his lips to my neck. 

His body is flush to mine and I can feel one hand pinning my wrists to the wall in a way that will leave bruises while the other explores my body. His lips are hot and wet on my neck and chest wandering dangerously low. 

“This isn’t proper,” I protest and try to wiggle out of his grasp for emphasis but I only succeed in grinding myself into him more. 

“Then I’ll make it fucking proper!” Eris seethes gripping my chin to make my gaze meet his. Those amber eyes are somehow darker and more intimidating in the low light.  “Now be a good girl and let me kiss you,” he smirks before pressing his lips to mine. 

For what it was worth Eris hadn’t made any advances on me since the first time under the willow. But tonight, with the copious amounts of wine flowing through his veins? Well it must’ve been just enough for his resolve to snap.  His lips still taste like venom, everything about him all wrong. It takes everything in me not to get sick all over his perfectly tailored jacket. 

“Eris stop it!” I whine pushing him away further. 

“I must have you my little flame,” he groans and I feel his hands grip my skirt. 

My heart starts to race even more, and if I wasn’t going to be sick before I surely was going to be now.  His mouth resumed its assault on my neck, messy and needy just like earlier. Large hands bunch up the layers of fabric and tulle until the cold air hits my bare legs.  

“ERIS STOP!” I screamed pushing him off me with all my strength and it was enough to make him stumble. 

A dark shadow appears before us as if it was transported there, “Eris that’s enough! It’s time for the princess to go home.” Cassian roars. 

“Stay in your place bastard!” Eris seethes. “She belongs to me. I can use her however I like!” 

“She belongs to no one! You have no right to compromise her virtue before you wed her. Rhysand won’t allow it.” Cassian continues, the voice of a general coming through. One so demanding even I would lower my weapons for him, apparently not Eris. 

“Ha!” Eris laughs, thrusting a hand out to grab me by my neck. His grip is like a vice, a collar that burns hotter than one he already gave me. “Didn’t you hear her little begs? I think she might want to be deflowered before the ceremony. Wouldn’t you pet?”

Cassian’s hand strikes, grabbing Eris’ wrist. The one connected to the hand wrapped around my throat, “All I have to do is squeeze and that hand won’t hold a bow for months and I have the authority to do so. Get your fucking hands off her before I shatter your entire arm,” he growls and even I feel fear from his tone.    

The deafening ringing of the clocktower bells chime throughout the palace like the voice of the gods dampening the tension in the air. The seven chimes signal it’s time for me to return home once more. Eris releases me, and against my better judgment Cassian releases Eris. But it doesn’t stop them from staring daggers into one another, if Cassian jumps now it’ll be his head on a pike and I’d rather die than allow that to happen. 

“Cassian is right,” I say to Eris standing between the two of them. “It’s better if we wait. If you choose to marry me, imagine how amazing our wedding night will be.” I smile at Eris, pulling him for a passionate kiss, hiding every ounce of disgust I feel. 

“That’s more like it, my pet,” he smirks, glancing up at Cassian in a challenge. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“Until then,” I smile, letting Cassian lead me away.  

The second we are around the corner that shields us from Eris’ view we both begin walking much faster. As if the eldest son of autumn is a monster at our heels and we have limited time to get out of this gods forsaken palace. When the crisp air of Autumn hits my skin Cassian doesn’t even ask if I’m ready before picking me up and shooting me into the sky.  

“We need to go talk to Rhys and tell him what happened,” Cassian said, his wings pounding with a new urgency. 

“No!” I protest. “We can’t tell him. I don’t want him to have an even more guilty conscience than he has from the last fifty years.” 

“Princess you saw what just happened back there! Eris was going to take advantage of you. Rhys deserves to know.” he argues. 

“If Rhys knows he’ll call off the courtship and if he calls off the courtship then I can’t marry Eris which means I can’t save my court,” I explain. 

“This has gotten out of hand princess, we have to tell your brother,” Cassian grumbles. 

“Cassian please, don’t take my choices away from me. I love my court and I love my family. If this is how I can help all of you in the war I want to,” I shrill. “I can take ‘the sky is falling’ from just about everyone but you. I need you to support me Cassian.” 

I look into Cassian’s eyes and I can see them still burning with unmatched fury. I let my own eyes plead to his, trying to convey how badly I needed him to stay quiet about what had happened. How badly I needed him to let me do this, to trust me. His eyes softened and his gaze fixed itself on the flight before us. 

“Fine,” he shook his head. “But if he pulls a stunt like that again I won’t stand by and watch this time.” 

“Of course not general,” I smile, watching the wind whip the stray hairs from his face. “I’ll hold while you punch.” 

Though he tries to hide his amusement at my joke, Cassian’s mouth can’t help but turn up into a half smile.

Part 4

Taglist: @crystalferret202 , @nickishadow139 ,  @graceshifts , @writeroutoftime, @heyyitsnat21,  @stinkinstuffie , @lilah-asteria , @12358

[erisweekofficial]

Today we're celebrating @theladyofbloodshed!

If you love Neris, Chelsea has you covered. She wrote the quintessential Neris fic A Court of Tangled Flames! Seriously, please give this fic a read. It's a fantastic slow-burn romance, and will leave you begging for more. The good news is that Chelsea has so many other fics to read too.

Maybe you want a modern AU Neris fic taking place on halloween? Or is a hallmark movie au more your jam? Or even better, check out all her fics to find your next favorite.

Seriously, Chelsea has done so much for the Neris community so please go send her some love today! 🧡

What drew you to Eris Vanserra as a character?

I like that he dances around the truth and words are his weapons. He’s an enigma. How did he catch Azriel - the shadowsinging spymaster? What truth does he allude to that Mor hides? He’s one of the characters who seems more “fae” than others. I love this quote: “Amid the pink and white blossoms, the cold-faced Autumn Court heir looked truly faerie—as if he’d stepped out of the tree, and his one and only master was the earth itself.” That and there’s fire in his blood.

What do you think are Eris's greatest weaknesses?

I think Lucien is a big weakness for him. At the end of ACOWAR, we can see him look at Lucien with longing as his brother ignores him. For me, Lucien and their mother are probably the reasons why Eris hasn’t acted against Beron openly because they’re not worth the risk of gambling.

Can you give me a name for one of Eris's brothers? And also for one of his dogs?

I’ve named his brothers in past fics as Phelan (meaning wolf), Uther (meaning terrible), and Dolos (meaning deceit). And for his smokehounds: Adja, Vytor, and Safera.

Which SJM series would you give Eris to read and why?

Crescent City so he can empathise with Ruhn and Bryce about an autumnal ruling dad who is just as bad as his own.

[scorpioriesling]

Too Hot To Handle - Episode 4

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *

Characters featured: Reader, Feyre, Morrigan, Gwyn, Elain, Emerie, Amren, Cassian, Lucien, Eris, Tarquin, Rhysand, Helion, Azriel, & Tamlin

Warning(s): Nothing real crazy.

SR’s Note: Wine? Check. Cozy blanket? Check. Dog on my lap? Check. Alright... *cracks knuckles* let's get to it, then! Tags: @velarisdusk @lilah-asteria @starlightazriel @panther-girl-124

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *

"Anybody have a makeup wipe?"

Elain's hand reaches out, towelette in hand from the makeup mirror beside you. You take it from her, meeting her apologetic stare.

"Thanks," you mutter, and wipe at the gentle fallout of your eyeshadow beneath your eyes. From your other side, Feyre sighs, gazing at your reflection in your mirror from her seat. She sounds as dejected as you feel right about now.

"Damn, mami!" Morrigan's rich voice fills the bathroom, and you glance toward the doorway as she strides in, clad in the skimpiest of red bikinis as she raises her martini glass above her head. "No wonder Lucien has been sweating it out all day, huh!" She flashes you an only-joking, award winning smile as she strides over to you, many of the other girls engrossed in their own conversations to take in the one unfolding before them.

"No, Mor, he's been sweating it out because Rhys has been keeping him pre-occupied at the outdoor gym all day," Feyre says, her brows furrowing slightly as Mor leans over your shoulder to inspect her own makeup in your mirror. You shoot Feyre a thankful glance.

"Has he seen this number yet?" Mor's fingers hook under the strap of your simple black dress, her brows wiggling as she stares at you in the mirror. You roll your eyes.

"No, no he hasn't." You say with a say. "I actually haven't seen him... all day..." you shrug sorrowfully. After learning last night that you were chosen by the newcomer for the date tonight, Lucien had been acting strange.

"Oh my," Elain sighs from your side. "He might be... upset." She says thoughtfully. Feyre and Mor turn their heads to her, seemingly just realizing she was a part of this conversation too.

"I mean, I'd be pretty pissed if someone with a name like Azriel was trying to bag my lady," Mor says. You unscrew your mascara, opening your eyes wide to apply it to your lashes. "He sounds sexy as hell already."

"Well, I don't even know him yet," you clip. "And, yeah, maybe his name makes him sound suave, but... I really, really like Lucien, guys. I don't know if one date with a new guy is going to change that." You shrug, moving to work on your other eye. "And besides, I'm not Lucien's "lady", I mean, not officially, anyway."

"So, you're not a couple?" Elain asks. Feyre leans forward, peering at her around you.

"I think what she means is, we've only been here a little while, usually people become official after they leave the retreat," she explains, looking up at you. "Right?"

"I dunno," Morrigan drawls. "He seems pretty attached to me."

You blush slightly at her words, realizing just how close you and Lucien had gotten. Spending so much time together, getting to know one another, and you hadn't even cost the group money yet!

But, now you were being whisked away to a beachside picnic with another male.

"Is he really your type though?" Elain prods, and Mor looks at her quizzically. You continue with your makeup.

"I mean, not typically, no," You reason. "But, that doesn't really matter now, I mean... I met him, I like him. It's not something that really bothers me."

At some point, you hadn't realized Elain stood up until Morrigan plopped down in the chair she had been sitting in. You only took a few more minutes to fuss over your hair, remembering Lucien's request not to look "too good" from last night. He said it with a light heart, but you could tell from his avoidance today that he was uncomfortable. Elain was right, he probably was upset.

"Good evening, ladies."

Every head turns to the light up cone, responding simultaneously with one another.

"Good evening, Y/N. Are you ready for your date with Azriel tonight?" Lana asks. You feel multiple eyes on you -- all the girl groups in their respective huddles as they finished getting ready for dinner.

You gulp. "Um, yes."

"Good. Please make your way to the beach, everything is set up already, and the new member is ready to meet you."

Feyre and Mor walk you out, reassuring you everything will be fine. You look between them, hoping to convey that everything is in fact not fine.

"If you see Lucien... just tell him it'll be alright, please?" Feyre places a comforting hand on your shoulder, giving you a light squeeze.

"You can tell him when you return," she says, winking at you. Mor brushes your hair back one last time before you wave to your friends, walking across the concrete path toward the beach. You spotted Eris and Helion in the pool, but glancing toward the gym -- it was dark.

Where was he?

You didn't have time now to find out.

Continuing toward the beach, your adrenaline started flowing when the dusty white sand invaded the flats of the cute Tory Burch sandals you were wearing. Your speed slowed, and you looked out at the dusk filled sky, the calming sound of waves lapping at the shore.

That's when you spotted it.

Well, him, rather.

And, oh boy... did Lana do you dirty.

･ﾟ: *

"Hello," you say, your voice coming out quieter than you'd hoped. You almost thought he didn't hear you at first, but he turns to fully face you, a wide smile spanning across his face as he sees you approaching.

"Hello there, gorgeous," he stands, extending a hand to you. You politely take it, and he presses a featherlight kiss to the back of it with his... very, soft lips.

"Please," he motions, guiding you to the blanket laid out on the soft ground. He only lets go when you've sat, taking in the array of fruits, cheeses, and wine laid before you.

"My name is Azriel," he says, and you meet his gaze. You smile, hating the tiny bit of excitement in your stomach at the tenor of his voice.

"Very nice to meet you, Azriel," you say, and he chuckles. "I'm Y/N."

"My name sounds lovely on your lips," he says, and you blush. How did Lana know you had a history with men just like this? The smooth-talking, dark-haired, handsome kind...

"You're quite adorable, you have to know that," he continues, reaching for the wine before you as well as the bottle opener.

"Isn't that why you picked me for the date?" You lull, trying to keep up with his level of suave. Mor was right... this would be harder than you thought.

"Oh, without a doubt," he says, shaking his head as he screws the metal into the cork. Clad in a loose, navy silk button down, you can see the way his biceps flex as he works against the bottle's tight hole.

....Gods, don't even go there.

"Well, what drew you to this retreat?" You ask, trying to keep your tone even. You smoothed out the stretchy fabric of your mini dress as the cork came out with a soft pop.

"I saw the application out for a mid-season arrival," he begins, making to grab both wine glasses and balance them between his fingers in one hand. You gulp nervously, watching the clear liquid flow into the glasses as his long digits held the bases securely.

"...and, I haven't had much luck with women in the past, so I figured why not try it out this way?" He continues. He hands your glass to you, a tiny tingle passing through you as your fingers brush his for a moment. You raise an eyebrow, taking a swig from the glass before looking at him once more.

"You? Have had trouble, with women?" You ask. He shrugs, tipping his glass back and swallowing hard. You unashamedly watch the apple of his throat bob with the action, and bite your lip nervously.

"You're surprised?" He asks, holding the glass lazily as his arm drapes over his knee. He scans the plates, finding a cheese cube and popping it into his mouth.

"I mean... yeah, I guess so. You're... well, I mean you're really attractive, so I just kind of figured..." You trail off, not really sure what to say. He chews slowly, peering at you with his beautiful hazel eyes sidelong.

You grab a cracker, nibbling on it to avoid getting too caught up.

"I'll take the compliment from the pretty girl," he chuckles, and your cheeks flush again. "But, I can't say I'm surprised that someone has already coupled up with you." He says, grabbing an apple slice this time.

"I mean," you swallow your cracker, and take another sip of your wine. "We're in couples, but, nothing is really like, official yet-" You say, reaching for another Ritz and stuffing it into your mouth to avoid saying something you'd regret.

"Oh? So, you're not really... tied-down, is it?" He asks seductively, and you cough, nearly choking on the dry cracker you're praying works itself down your esophagus. He laughs, and you can't help but enjoy the lovely sound.

"I... no, I, uh... what I meant, is, the guy I'm in a relationship with, we're not like... labelled, or anything..." You explain, gulping down more wine. You begin to feel a light buzz -- how much wine did he put in these glasses?

"So... it would be alright if we took advantage of the rule-free conditions on this date, then?" He asks, suddenly a bit closer than before. His natural oak scent fills the air, his hand resting casually atop yours on the blanket. You gaze up into his hazelhalf-lidded eyes, the last remnants of daylight highlighting the various colors in them. He's so close... you can spot every freckle on his cheeks... his hair is practically tickling your forehead...

He reaches to take your wine glass from you, and though the thought was there, both of your hands glance toward it when some sloshes out at the contact and runs down the side of the glass, dribbling onto his fingers.

He chuckles, setting it down behind him. "Little sticky, but, I can overlook it." He smiles genuinely.

Suddenly, a memory flashes through your mind. The boat taking off on the first day; the lovely embrace of those strong hands around you when you stumbled; the gorgeous smile, handsome male that was there from the start, already making you laugh from the second you'd laid your eyes on him.

He was yours. He was your sticky fingers. Not Azriel.

You return to the present, your hand lightly splaying across Azriel's smooth chest, slightly exposed from the few undone buttons of his shirt. He halts his forward inching, his hand tucking your hair behind your ear stopping mid-motion.

"Azriel, I... can't."

His eyes search yours, the only sounds coming from the waves crashing against the moonlit-shore. The small beach lanterns have kicked on, illuminating the space, creating the perfect date for two under the stars.

But, this wasn't who you wanted to share it with.

"Alright," he says after a few silent moments, a look of defeat crossing his face at your rejection. He moves back, his hand retreating from yours, as he runs a hand through his hair. "I mean... I tried, right?" He grins lopsided at you, and you smile warmly at him once more, taking his hand in yours.

"I'm flattered that you chose me," you say, eyes roaming over his handsome face once more. "I truly, didn't think I'd be picked. This was a very nice date, and a nice night that I spent meeting you," you continue. He chews on his lip, his eyes still raking over you and closing softly when you lean in.

You press a small kiss to his smooth cheek. "But, I think you're meant for someone else, maybe you'll meet them when we get back. And, I think I'm meant for someone else too."

･ﾟ: *

Walking back from your date with Azriel was quite pleasant, actually. He asked you about what brought you to the retreat, and you indulged him in a little preview of what to expect when he got to the villa. He seemed excited, especially at the mention of a few of the single girls still looking for someone.

What was not so pleasant, was seeing the group divided when you got back.

Around the firepit, you passed the group of guys first. You felt safe meeting the eyes of Rhysand, Tarquin, Helion even -- but looking around, your eyes never met the heterochromial pair that you'd adored so much.

"Hey guys," you say, and Rhysand stands to greet you with an embrace.

"Hey!" He says cheerfully, others standing to greet the newcomer. Azriel looks from person to person, sticking his hand out and introducing himself with a smile.

"Where's-" You begin, and Rhys lets you go to look at you directly.

"I honestly, have not seen him since the gym earlier. He skipped dinner," he says, hands up in surrender. Your face falls, and Rhys only smiles lightly at you.

"So, I take it the date didn't change anything?" He asks, and you shake your head. You watch his eyes as they linger just over your shoulder, and he jerks his chin to the cabana across the pool deck behind you.

"He'll turn up, but, I think the girls are waiting on a "full report" or somethin'... that's what Feyre was saying earlier anyways." You nod silently, chewing on your lip before meeting Azriel's eye.

"You good if I leave you to fend for yourself?" You joke half-heartedly, and Cassian claps the newest villa member on the shoulder.

"Oh, he'll fit in just fine. Go on, I'm sure the other ladies are waiting to talk with you!" Cassian smiles, and you return it, stopping only when Rhys catches your shoulder before you walk off.

"Hey," he says calmly. "...take a deep breath, okay?" You do, the tension in your shoulders dissipating as you realize how uptight you'd been all day.

"Everything will be fine, I'm sure he'll come back around later, alright?" He winks, and you grin at him hopefully before making way toward the girls.

･ﾟ: *

"Was he kind?"

"Did he try to kiss you?"

"Is he really that handsome up close?"

The rapid fire questions from all of the girls was starting to feel more like a cross-examination, and less like a recap of your date with Azriel.

"Guyssss, guys, chillax," Mor drawls, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Giving me a damn headache, I can only imagine being Y/N right now." She squeezes her eyes shut, and you take a deep breath.

"Listen, guys, the date was lovely, and yes, he truly is handsome," you say, meeting all of their intrigued gazes. "...but he just isn't the one for me, I was just thinking of Lucien, and that wasn't fair to do to Azriel. Maybe he will meet one of you and just, know." You shrug, getting a few awws from the girls.

"Did he say who he was sharing a bed with tonight?" Gwyn asks quietly, and you meet her turquoise irises with a look of realization. You hadn't even thought about that aspect yet.

"No," you respond, and make to stand. Looking around, not all of the girls were actually here.

"I really need to find Lucien, do you guys know... where...?" You trail off, a few of the girls shaking their heads. You sigh, waving your goodbye to the group and making way toward the bedroom inside. Feyre follows you in, and sits on the bed you and Lucien share. She toys nervously with the end of her braid, chewing on the inside of her lip. You're slipping into more comfortable clothing when you halt, noticing her shift in behavior.

"What's... going on?" You ask timidly. Feyre fidgets on the matress, looking everywhere but you. She stands, walking over to look in the bathroom, closets, everywhere before sitting close on the bed with you again.

"Y/N... I need to tell you about something I heard today." She says, her crystal eyes wide in seriousness. You cross your legs beside her, prepared to listen.

"I... I heard Elain today. At dinner." She stammers. You nod for her to continue, and she starts picking at her braid again.

"She was... talking to Amren, I don't think she knew I could hear her, but she was... she was saying she was going to move in on Lucien. Tonight." Your eyes grow wide in fear, and Feyre rests a hand over yours.

"Now, we both know Lucien, I don't think he'd simply-"

"Feyre, I need to find him. Now."

You spring up from the bed, slipping on your Birkenstocks before making for the door. Feyre follows you, and you run past the group of girls still at the cabana. Feyre stops chasing after you when she reaches them.

You recieve many confused shouts, a few of the guys staring from the other side of the pool. You run, as fast as you can, around every corner of the villa, looking past every bush. Where would she have taken him?

You round the final corner, a little too quickly and the edge of your rubber show catches on the tiled wall, sending you flying toward the ground. You cry out, your knees hitting the pavement as you skid forward, the palms of your hands screaming in pain at the impact. You turn your head to the side, blinking back tears as your gaze comes back into focus.

That's when you see it.

Lucien, the male you'd ached for all day. He was there, right before you -- holding Elain against the wall, his hands pinning hers beside her head. You look between the two of them, and Elain meets your eye, smiling cruelly at you before giggling and biting her lip, Lucien's face so close to hers.

He finally catches sight of you in a heap on the ground, the tears running down your cheek as you gawk at the scene before you silently. Immediately dropping her hands, he rushes over to you.

"Oh my Gods, Y/N-"

"Don't," you bite out. He rears back, a pained look on his usually so joyous face. "You... just, don't touch me." You glare at him, and his eyes lower painfully.

"Y/N... it's not what it looks like, I swear-"

"It was, exactly, what it looked like," Elain strides over, smirking as she looks down at you. You stare hatefully up at her, and she only shrugs, stepping over you and making her way back to the villa.

"My bed will be empty later!" she calls over her shoulder. Your eyes focus on the ground before you, small drops staining the concrete wet with your tears.

After a few long silent moments, Lucien clears his throat. "Y/N, you have to trust me, it really wasn't-"

"Wasn't what, Lucien? You holding another girl in a private alley against a wall, inches from breaking a rule with her when you're already with me?" You ask, another stream falling down your cheek. He kneels beside you, and you back up a few inches.

"Y/N, I promise I was just trying to get her off of me, she wouldn't stop; all night, she's been on and on about how you told her I'm not even your type, and we..." he huffs, his brow furrowing. "She said you told her we weren't actually a couple."

You scoff. "Oh don't turn this back on me, right now. Why would you believe any of that, Lucien? Have you ever, ever seen me talk to that girl anyway?" You ask, and he sits back on his hands, thinking quietly for a moment.

"No. No, I guess not-"

"So what. She overheard me before the date earlier saying that yes, you're not my typical type." Hurt flashes in his eyes, and he looks down. "I don't care, Lucien -- I like you, a lot." Your voice cracks on the last word, and he sits up straight, placing his hand on your knee.

"Y/N..."

"Well, I did, anyway," you sniff, wiping your nose with the sweatshirt sleeve closed around your fist. "Until I saw you pinning another girl against the wall." You shake your head.

"I promise it wasn't like that..."

"Whatever. Most relationships don't actually make it out of places like these, anyways." You scoff, and Lucien stands, grabbing your wrists and tugging you up with him. You stand, his eyes boring into yours as his hands wrap strongly around the small of your back.

"Y/N, please don't talk like that... I want to make it out of here with you, truly!" He pleads, and for a moment you just might believe him. "I promise, what you saw tonight was me attempting to remove a handsy female from me," he continues, holding you close to his chest. His familiar scent brings you comfort in a way that has your eyes welling up with tears again, and his hand cradles the back of your head, petting it lovingly.

"I promise you, the only female I want, is you." He says, and you pull back to meet his eyes again, a fresh wave of tears free-falling down your cheeks at the sight of him, being so open and honest before you.

"I know how it looked, Y/N... and I'm sorry I avoided you all day, I just... I really struggled knowing you were going on a date with someone who could just, take you right from me," he chokes out, his eyes lining with silver. You reach your hand up, wiping the corner of his eye and allowing your fingers to lightly trail down his cheek. You knew you were in deep -- you'd been so good, doing everything by the books and trying your best with Lucien this whole time.

But right now, you didn't really give a fuck what the rule books told you to do.

"No one is taking me from you." You say confidently, and his hand slides to cup your cheek. "Not tonight, not..." He pulls you so close, backing you up a few inches until your back meets the wall of the villa, his hard chest pushing into yours.

"Good. I really, really don't think I could let you go." He whispers. You pull him closest, closing the gap between the two of you in a passion-filled kiss. You sighed, tasting the lovely delicacy that was Lucien, all Lucien — body against yours, lips devouring you like you were his last meal. Heavily breathing, his hands roaming down your back, gripping your ass and lifting you up -- so much, you wrap your legs around his torso, groaning as he pushed you against the tile. His teeth toyed with your lower lip, halting just to slip his tongue in, battling for dominance with yours as he continued to relish in your delicious taste. His hands ran over your curves, respectfully staying above your clothes. Gods, how you wished they were off...

He pulls back, gasping for breath with you as your hands cling to the toned muscles of his back. He stares as you intently, every emotion and feeling flowing between the two of you as fresh as the tear trails down your cheeks. Then, he smiles at you, grinning and chuckling in the most handsome way.

"What?" You ask, your own smile failing to be surpressed. His hands hold your waist as his eyes scan your face.

"I... I've been waiting for that, since... that day, on the boat." He says, smiling at the memory. "I knew then, that I'd do anything just to get to know you, and..." he kisses the bridge of your nose. "Well, thank Gods I did."

You blush at his words, unhooking your legs from him and making to stand once more. His hands hold your face as you continue to hold him close to you.

"You mean... you thought about our first kiss?" You ask, and he rolls his eyes. Now its his turn to blush.

"Yeah, yeah, sticky fingers, I did." You chuckle, kissing his cheek. His fingers slide through your hair, all the emotion in your heart not able to be conveyed in this moment through words alone.

"I bet it was exactly like this, wasn't it?" You ask, raising an eyebrow. "Me in my cutest outfit... only a sweatshirt and sport shorts would do, right?" You laugh, and he chuckles before kissing the top of your head.

"You know I wouldn't have it any other way."

･ﾟ: *

[theladyofbloodshed]

@nerisweek Day 6 - Future

Nesta covered her eyes and braced herself against the tree trunk, the bark rough beneath her fingers. The gentle breeze of autumn whispered through the trees, rustling the branches. She made out the hurried steps through the undergrowth, of branches snapping and breaking beneath their boots, the soft giggles and shushing. 

‘One, two, three, where are you?’

Another giggle. Another shush. 

‘One, two, three, we’re over here.’

Nesta made a show of searching behind spindly saplings and through bulky bushes. ‘Where could they be?’

Her voice carried on the wind and was met with another laugh. 

Safera bounded over, tail swishing in joy despite her old years. Nesta ran a hand across her glossy, grey coat before the dog turned and sniffed the ground hunting for Eris. 

Nesta took great steps through the forest so her boots would cause the most noise. She grew closer to the target judging by the frequent shushes for quiet and laughter. 

‘Aha!’

Eris had his back pressed to a particularly wide oak tree. He held up his hands in recognition that he’d been caught. But there was no little person hiding behind his legs or behind the bush nearby. 

‘Where is our son?’

Eris smiled in that lazy way of his. His smiles were more frequent since he became high lord. ‘That would be cheating.’

‘Safera,’ called Nesta.

‘Smokehounds are also cheating.’

A rupturing laugh sounded above their heads. 

‘You put our son in a tree,’ she stated. 

Above their heads, Sebastian could not contain his glee any longer. His little hand clutched the branch whilst he sat on another, legs dangling down. His auburn hair curled at the back of his neck, long enough to need a cut but Nesta could not bear to see it cut yet. He was growing too quickly. He was as wild and as free as the magic that was rife in the land. 

‘Jump,’ called Eris, opening his arms. 

The boy was already as reckless and uncaring about danger as his father. He had less than three years to his name but he’d already attended court functions and meetings on Eris’ lap. Where Eris went, Bastian followed. 

Nesta had to close her eyes as their son leapt. He had full trust in his father. A far cry from their own fathers, but in this regard, Nesta was glad things were different. 

‘Did I win?’

‘Mama found you,’ pointed out Eris as he lifted the boy onto his shoulders. 

There were few similarities to Nesta in her son. He was boisterous and loud, with russet eyes and curling red hair. A little of Eris in his personality and his nose. The rest of him was all Lucien. That had been a surprise. He shared his uncle’s expressions and mannerisms - the laughter and tricks especially. 

‘You were last to be found though,’ she placated before a tantrum could begin - or a declaration for them to play again. For the ninth time that morning. 

They made their way to the clearing where Orla was on a blanket with one of the smokehounds sleeping beside her. Niamh had joined her whilst they were playing and held their daughter, Wren. 

‘I like this one the most,’ she called. ‘She doesn’t smell like Bash does.’

From Eris’ shoulders, Sebastian made a harrumph but his eyes were bright at the sight of Niamh. She taught him just as many tricks as Lucien, perhaps more. And was always ready to wrestle with him. Niamh was like an extra child. 

‘Luc has just woken up,’ said Orla.

Never in her wildest dreams did Nesta anticipate that she would live a life beyond the Wall, much less be the lady of the Autumn Court. There were parts of her mortal life that she kept; the decision to have a child so quickly after their wedding was one. They were advised not to get disappointed as fae pregnancies were rare and could take decades. Without a son, Eris was without a true heir too. Sebastian had arrived swiftly before the year was out to everybody’s surprise. They had been so careful afterwards in that tired, fugue-like state of new parents. They had barely any energy to kiss each other, let alone more. Eris was overjoyed at Nesta’s decision not to pass their son off to wet nurses and governesses, and instead raise him with the affection her mother had not given her. But the court still needed them so their time and energy was stretched thin. On one foolish night when Orla and Baran had offered to watch Sebastian so they could spend time alone, Nesta’s plans had been only to sleep uninterrupted but Eris had offered a massage with his warm hands. 

The healers found it fascinating. Twins. And so soon after the first.

Nesta had asked Eris how much he’d paid the healer to say it, but her husband had gone so pale he’d practically turned translucent. 

Wren was Eris’ double. Her red hair was as soft as silk, her amber eyes a shade darker. She didn’t like to be held for long, preferring to crawl or pull herself up on objects to stand and watch. Wren loved to watch her older brother. She was just as loud as he was too - but a loud child was a safe child, one who wasn't afraid to be loud. She just wished they didn't yell and squeal at all hours of the day.

Nesta wasn’t bitter at all that two of her children – whom she had carried for months, endured sickness and swelling with - were nothing like her. Not at all.

Their youngest, Luc, had been deemed fussy. He didn’t like to be held by anybody except Nesta. He was quiet and cuddly, but only for her. Even in Eris’ arms, Luc would cry and curve his spine to get away. He was also the only one that looked anything like her too. Nesta swept a hand against his sandy coloured hair as she gathered him to her. 

With Bash, she’d been unsure and relied heavily upon her mother-in-law’s guidance. Nursing made her self-conscious so she always did it in a private room with only maybe Eris there for company. Since the arrival of the twins, her breasts were in high demand. For their close circle, seeing Nesta covered up was change from routine; it had become commonplace for one of the babies to be hanging on her bare chest. Even in council meetings, she worked on a rotation while the stiff-lipped elder members of the council huffed their disapproval and pointedly looked at the ceiling while she fed her children. The youngest two were being weaned onto soft foods, thank goodness. When Eris declared that he couldn’t wait to have her breasts to himself again, she shot him down and countered that he’d be lucky if she went near him again. In truth, she was glad for her children. As tired and stretched thin as she felt.

They couldn’t have done it without their friends. Orla, as always, was a steadfast help. The healer soothed Nesta’s worries as a new mother and provided her with a friend to talk to as well as helping with the babies. Niamh was… Well, she was Niamh. She was surprisingly useful with her iron-stomach and when Wren exploded all over herself for the first time, it was Niamh who stepped in to clear the mess without gagging as the rest of them did. Thanks to Niamh, Nesta saw Emerie often. Rhysand had tried to put a stop to the spy’s visits to his court then discovered it only bolstered Niamh who circumvented his rules and found new ways to infiltrate his wards around Illyria. Her visits to Illyria were only to see a certain shopkeeper, but often Emerie would visit the Autumn Court too. Gwyn’s visits were less frequent and carefully orchestrated with the help of Lucien, but they were valued all the same.

Two figures approached them.

‘Don’t you two have a court to run?’

Lucien’s smooth voice carried to them – and the sound of it had Sebastian scrambling from the blanket to run at his uncle. They were two peas in a pod.

Her sister walked beside him, a glow upon her cheeks. Elain’s visits to the Autumn Court had also become more frequent. She said it was to spend time in the beautiful gardens that Eliška cultivated and to share seeds or cuttings between the courts.

Nesta glanced to Eris with a warning in her eyes.

They did not speak of the bond. Whilst Elain and Lucien had not accepted it – still – they had not rejected it either. They were in a strange purgatory where they spent time together as close companions travelling between courts but never quite reaching romance. Both seemed happy though. Eris tried to push them together often hence the warning look. He couldn’t help himself from meddling. The High Lord of matchmaking was Baran’s name for him. It was an impulse of his to scheme in any way – bloodshed or love.

‘We have news,’ said Elain as she found a space on the crowded blanket.

Lucien joined them too, careful to sweep Elain’s skirts towards her shins so he didn’t sit on them. She could feel Eris’ all knowing look on her face which she met with her own “don’t you dare” stare.  

Elain held out an envelope.

‘Oh, the high lord can read it,’ said Nesta.

In truth, Nesta was nervous about the reply. It was silly really. Their previous two invitations had been declined after a long waiting period.

As was Autumn tradition, they had hosted the high lord and his delegates from each court since Eris’ assumption to the mantle. Every court had visited thus far except one. When the Day Court had visited, Eris and Lucien had practically been glued to their mother’s side – and the other brothers had blockaded Helion from seeing her alone. The Summer Court had visited four times with a fifth visit on the horizon; Tarquin was innovative with a sense of humour that Nesta adored. She teased Eris that she’d have married him if he had been the one to rescue her from Illyria. Even Tamlin had come twice. Once with a sour mood then – after meeting a healer with the kindest heart of all – he’d been softer. The alliance with Spring was becoming stronger and they had even received an invitation to visit Tamlin's manor.   

The Night Court was elusive.

After three years, it was becoming embarrassing. To spurn the invitation twice already was a mark of shame. If they rejected a third invitation, they would not receive a fourth.

Eris claimed that three years was nothing to the fae – that he was still new to the role. But in three years, they had married and had three children. Two of those children had not officially been announced. They were waiting until a year had passed as was custom for children after the first-born.

‘They will attend,’ Eris announced in a grave voice.

It didn’t alleviate anything in Nesta’s heart. She missed her sister. After the initial gratitude that Orla had saved Feyre’s life, their relationship dried up again. Feyre was loyal to her mate and court; Nesta was loyal to her husband. They had exchanged letters through Elain or Lucien. They spoke of Elin often, of the niece that Nesta would not see grow up. When Sebastian’s birth was announced in Prythian, a gift had come. But their letters grew scant. Nesta had not told Feyre she was expecting twins – it was kept secret from most due to the headache of succession. In truth, Nesta had been in denial that she was having two more babies so soon after the first too.

Her husband looked to her. ‘They will bring Elin.’

She wondered if her niece would look like them or her cousins.

‘And Cassian.’

Her blood ran cold.

‘What?’

Eris pursed his lips as he read the letter again. ‘No Amren or Morrigan is the compromise. Cassian is part of their delegate as the general of their armies. Further, he provides protection to the High Lady and her daughter in enemy territory.’

‘I am going to kill that male,’ declared Niamh.

‘No talk of murder in front of my children, thank you,’ replied Eris.

They had been backed into a corner. To refuse Cassian was to refuse the entire party which meant the onus was on them for rejecting the Night Court. It was a political headache.

‘Fine,’ she said, holding Luc a little tighter. ‘What else can we do? This is our court and he must follow our rules.’

‘I hope he steps out of line so I can slice-’

‘Niamh,’ they all chorused to silence her.

They wanted to protect their children from the violence that Eris had experienced. As much as the court was changing, so too was their father. Eris was shedding skins, transforming into something new, someone better. That part of him that she’d fallen in love with was no longer hidden away. He no longer needed to wear masks to protect himself from his own father. The Autumn Court was better for it.

‘They will arrive tomorrow,’ said Eris.  

That was the cue for him and Niamh to jump to their feet to ensure that everything would go smoothly.

Nesta did not see Eris again until night had fallen. All three children were asleep in the room adjoining theirs. Elain was staying the night – as was Lucien, in separate but adjacent rooms – to be a familiar face to the Night Court when they arrived and to possibly assuage any unpleasantries.

Eris slipped his arms around her and gave a tired groan against the skin of her neck.

‘Long day?’

‘Niamh.’

There was a bloodthirstiness in that female that couldn’t be quenched.

‘You will like this,’ he continued. ‘We had a letter from Tamlin inviting us to the Spring Court to observe its growth. He has apparently found a wraith with a rare illness that perhaps Orla could take a look at.’ Eris gave a laugh. ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he has cursed the poor wraith as an excuse to invite Orla there.’

‘We are not all as calculating as you, my darling.’

He released her to begin undressing for bed. ‘It has been many years since Saban’s death. Orla deserves to be loved. She’s capable of taming the beast. Perhaps they can heal together.’ He shrugged. ‘But I will not interfere.’

That made Nesta laugh. She cocked an eyebrow at her husband. ‘Truly?’

Eris flopped onto the bed with his shirt gaping open. ‘It’s killing me to stay out of it. All these shy smiles and batting eyelashes.’ He threw back his head so his chin jutted upwards. ‘All of them. Orla and Tamlin. Lucien and Elain. Niamh and Emerie. Do not get me started on Gwyneth and the shadowsinger.’

‘They ought to get married first then fall in love, like we did.’

‘Exactly!’ Eris removed the last of his clothes and stretched out on the bed. ‘Did you know I was such a romantic?’

‘Nosy is the word that I would use, Eris.’

Her husband pulled her down onto the bed and curled around her. His warm hand covered her stomach, making her tense.

‘Am I still beautiful to you?’

‘Devastatingly.’

Nesta traced her fingers across his knuckles. Being a mother was her greatest joy but she could also lament the destruction it had wreaked on her body. Her body was a far cry from the emaciated wraith she had been, but her new-found soft parts still took some getting used to. Once cleared by Orla, Nesta had taken up riding again but beyond that, she no longer trained, having no desire to. Her time was better spent furthering the court or with her children. Some days, she’d look at her body in the mirror and vow to begin training again then Eris would arrive with sweet treats and her plans were thrown into disarray. Three years was a long time not to see her sister and the changes which had been gradual to those close to Nesta would only be that much starker to the Night Court.

‘All will be well tomorrow,’ murmured Eris in a slow drawl as sleep tried to steal him from her. ‘I promise you.’

***

‘I will break every single one of your fingers if you gloat.’

Eris folded his arms across his chest then leaned against the wall. ‘You sound like your sister.’

Orla’s nostrils flared. She could be just as fearsome as Niamh, perhaps more so. The healer would attend the evening’s dinner in the hope that the memory of Orla’s heroics in saving Rhysand’s family would prevent tension. Truly, Eris was anticipating every possible outcome. He’d even sent a last-minute invitation to Helion who was still good friends with Rhysand in case things turned south. He didn’t like dangling his mother in front of the High Lord of Day, but to keep his wife safe, Eris would take the necessary path. Helion would put a stop to any violence from Cassian if he felt Eliška was in danger.

‘Who says I would gloat?’

Orla levelled a stare at him.

It had been Cassian’s heavy-handedness that had driven Nesta away. His commitment to Rhysand over her was the wedge that could never be overcome. He had to thank the male, really, for pushing Nesta away – although he hated what had been done to his wife. Hated how they had tried to break her. Tried to mould her into their pet.

‘If you mean because I married his beautiful, kind mate and have three children with her, I would never dream of it.’

‘Eris.’ Orla took a tea towel from a hook beside her oven and whipped him on the leg. Being high lord did not change his friends’ attitudes. ‘How is Nesta?’

‘She’s worried. More for the children. Nervous to see Feyre too, but Cassian is the big worry.’

The healer nodded with understanding. Mates were rare things. Those individuals who had broken mating bonds were rarer still. Their paths did not cross often. It had been three years since Helion had severed the bond between Nesta and Cassian – and she had not spoken of it since that day.

‘You’re not worried that seeing him might spark feelings in her?’

Eris blinked at her. ‘Have you met me?’ He gestured to himself. ‘Handsome. Clever. Great sense of fashion.’

The truth was he had not considered that there might be lingering feelings there, particularly after an absence. To the wider world, there was little to compare; Cassian was a base born Illyrian whilst he was a high lord. Yet those were things that did not matter to his wife. Although she had studied the differences between fae types, the same prejudices held by the high fae didn’t run in Nesta’s blood. Being Illyrian didn’t make Cassian an inferior choice as others would perceive him. They had been lovers. She had wanted a life with him for a brief time. A lost love would always stir up emotions – hence why his brother still sat on the fence with Elain.

‘Sometimes, Orla, your words can be deadlier than your sister’s.’

‘We have to think of everything, Eris.’ She sighed. ‘And we should go or we will be late.’

They winnowed directly to the Forest House where Nesta was already pacing.

‘Niamh and Baran have the twins. They’ll join us after dinner if Luc doesn’t spend the whole time crying for me. Sebastian and Lucien went for a walk and have not returned yet. If your brother brings my son back and his clothes have even a speck of dirt-’

Eris placed his hands on his wife’s shoulders. He smiled at her which was dangerous given her mood. Silver flames wended through his fingers in warning, but he released his own fire so the flames tangled together.

‘All will be well.’

‘Really?’ Nesta inhaled. ‘I’m glad you are in a good mood.’

‘Why shouldn’t I be, my love?’

He had everything he wanted.

Nesta smiled at him. It was full of fakery. The type of smile which signalled that she was about to drag him back to the ground.

‘I am glad,’ she repeated. ‘You’ll be pleased to know that Helion has arrived early so your mother is showing him her gardens.’

His face went slack.

‘Which guards?’

‘None at all. No brothers either. Your mother claimed they were unnecessary.’

When Eris tried to go, Nesta hooked her fingers into the collar of his shirt. ‘We have duties, High Lord.’

His mother was an adult, as she was so fond of telling him. Eris had to meet his wife’s undercurrent of panic with a steady calm, so he swallowed his irritations that Helion had swanned into his court to flirt with his mother. Again.

‘Yes, we do. Let us greet our guests.’

It was customary for the ruling party to remain upon the balcony overlooking the great hall to receive guests. It was archaic and a waste of time, but Eris had pushed enough boundaries and changed enough rules to cause a ruckus already that there were some he needed to keep for a time. The prideful elders of the court would throw a fit if he abandoned their precious court traditions. It meant that as the Night Court arrived, he and Nesta remained above observing. It surely grew tiresome to wear only black, he thought. Elin walked between her mother and father, holding the former’s hand. She struck Eris as a serious, little thing with glossy, black hair and a quiet disposition. They were flanked by the Illyrians. Azriel scoped out the room, cataloguing the exits and noting the faces that he recognised – Orla, Elain, Helion and Eris’ mother back from their escapade. Eris tried not to laugh as the shadowsinger’s shoulders slumped in relief at the absence of Niamh. Cassian did not examine the room. No, the male looked straight ahead at the two thrones carved from ancient wood rather than glance up towards them as if the evening was already tedious.

They stopped at the raised dais which was their cue to descend the two curving staircases and take up positions. When Eris and Nesta stopped in front of their thrones, the room bowed and curtseyed to them. The Night Court followed tradition, giving the slightest of bows – except for Rhysand’s daughter who sank into a deep curtsey, too practised for such a small girl.

‘We welcome you to the Autumn Court,’ said Eris, accepting their greeting with a nod. ‘Third time is the charm.’

Beside him, his wife – dressed in a resplendent gown the colour of blood with golden flowers embroidered along the sides and cuffs - did not move an inch. Her eyes were on her niece and there was such longing in them that Eris was tempted to ask them to stay the night so she could carve a little more time with her.

They led their guests to the formal dining room which Nesta called the torture room. In glass cabinets illuminated by faelight, stuffed animals were on display. The arching ceiling cast long shadows, disfiguring the corners of the room from view. It was rather macabre. At least his other brothers were not in attendance then it really would have been a grisly meal.

Servants brought the first course – pumpkin soup – to their places. Eris debated drowning in it as not a word had been spoken since they had all settled. He caught his wife’s gaze at the opposite end of the table and her look said the same. He had been to funerals that were jollier; his father’s included. Even when Lucien joined, apologising for his lateness, the mood remained tense as they tucked into their soup.

Nesta sucked in a breath then said, ‘Well, Elin, you are bigger than I remember.’

The small girl who had seated herself between her mother and Cassian only nodded then turned her eyes back to her empty bowl.

‘She is very shy,’ said Feyre, stroking her daughter’s dark hair.

Eris refrained from comments that would likely result in a lashing from his wife that it was probably as a result of the company she was forced to keep.

‘My son is playing in the nursery,’ said Nesta, with a glance to Lucien to confirm that Sebastian was back in one piece from their adventure, ‘if you’d like to join him. He is your cousin.’

‘Elin will remain with us,’ replied Rhysand from his place between Helion and Elain.

Nesta appeared crest-fallen.

He hated to see his wife wilt.

Eris clapped his hands together. ‘There’s no reason Bastian cannot join us for dinner.’

There were plenty of reasons. They had tried once when the Summer Court had come then vowed that he could only join them for dinners when he was older. They’d set the dinner earlier than usual but that did not mean his son wouldn’t be tired and irritable. Worse, he could still have the energy that Lucien couldn’t use up.   

As a mark of good faith, Eris departed for the nursery where Niamh had Bash pinned on the ground blowing raspberries on his belly. Baran had Wren held up to the window, showing her the bats swooping amongst the trees as dusk set in while she grizzled and tried to jerk from his grip. Mercifully, Luc was still asleep.

‘Sebastian, you’re needed to rescue your sad, little cousin from a terrible dinner.’

Before Eris could reach out his hand, his son had skittered past him and barrelled down the corridor. The servants of the Forest House had learnt quickly that once the heir of the court had figured out walking, they should move from his path. He stopped for no one. As much of a rascal as he was, it was welcomed. The ghost of Beron Vanserra was lifting. Never, in his father’s rein, would a child be allowed to race down the hall, greeting everybody with his loud voice without serious punishments.

‘Bastian,’ Eris hissed, running after him.

He wasn’t quick enough.

The dining room door flung open then his son bellowed, ‘I’m here.’

It was met with a stunned silence then Nesta broke into riotous laughter. She pushed back her chair to grab hold of him then lifted him up in the air. ‘Your uncle Lucien was meant to tire you out.’

‘I think I had the opposite effect,’ confessed Lucien.

‘Feyre, this is Sebastian, your nephew. And Elin is your cousin.’

The poor child stared at Bash with unbridled horror that she was indeed related to the juggernaut that Nesta was about to unleash upon them.

‘Nana!’

His mother had a split second to ease out of her chair before her grandson threw himself at her. He was exuberant with his love. But – at least – he had broken the stalemate and laughter rang out around the room. He helped himself to bites of his grandmother’s food then Elain’s before clambering up onto the table, much to Nesta’s distress, and making a beeline for Azriel.

Eris waited for comments about his son’s lack of manners, but the Night Court were fighting back their own laughter as Bash greeted everybody like old friends. He saw Nesta tense as Bastian reached for Cassian, but the Illyrian merely guided him onto a wedge of the chair that his cousin occupied.

‘The terrible twos?’ asked Feyre.

‘Terrific twos,’ amended Eris with a wink. ‘Almost three now.’

‘He’s been this way as soon as he could move,’ said Nesta, shaking her head. ‘He can’t sit still and as for quiet, well, that’s a foreign word.’

His son was terrific. He had far too much energy and never slept, as well as having a voice like a foghorn, but Sebastian delighted in everything and shared his love with the whole court. He loved everybody. The lesser fae servants doted on him when they saw him and Sebastian knew all of their names. He’d learned to talk early on due to the substantial time spent with adults and he hadn’t stopped talking since. Definitely his son.

They had finished the main course when the dining room door opened. Wren’s cry sounded and a harassed-looking Baran beckoned for him with two smokehound pups fighting their way between the guard’s legs.

‘I’m sorry. She just won’t settle. I don’t know what to do and Niamh is no help. Luc’s waking up too.’

Wren reached out her hands for Eris. Her cheeks were red from her crying so he lifted her against his chest. ‘Not to worry. The more the merrier.’

He heard the sudden gasp from Feyre. The silence that was only interrupted by Bash bombarding Elin with questions about wings.

‘You have a daughter?’

Nesta floundered for words, her eyes going to Cassian, then to the others as if searching for a life line.

‘It is tradition in our court to not announce a child until they have celebrated their first year,’ explained his mother.

Orla added, ‘With the exception of a presumed heir.’

The attention strayed to Lucien and Elain who had kept the secret. From the shadowsinger’s reaction, Eris presumed that Gwyneth had not breathed a word of the twins either. Nesta had good people in her life.

His daughter wanted to crawl. More than anything, he knew that she wanted to be like her big brother so wanted to be near him. Eris set Wren onto the carpet, his main course of venison abandoned. Her bottom lip stopped wobbling, free from the shackles of somebody’s arms. Sebastian clambered down from the chair and crawled alongside her, telling Elin that Wren was his little sister. He bent over, head on the carpet and bottom sticking up as he gazed at her. All of the chaos was worth it for these sorts of moments. His children would have the softness that they were denied.

The two dogs which had forced their way in were under the table awaiting scraps. They were supposed to be Phelan’s litter to take care of, but the puppies had learnt that following the children was best as they tended to make such a mess with food or they simply handed it to the dogs.

Feyre asked, ‘Is it always so chaotic here?’

Nesta offered a close-lipped smile. ‘I have not had an uninterrupted meal in three years.’

It was at that moment that the door was kicked open, making Orla jump.

‘Shadowsinger.’

If there were not wards smothering the Forest House then Eris had little doubt that Azriel would have winnowed away at that very moment, dinner be damned.

Niamh swaggered in with Luc balanced on her hip. Her hair was askew from grappling with the children. Luc’s was dampened with sweat and the beginnings of his cry sounded. Nesta went to him, arms outstretched. It was envious how easily she could settle him. Luc was a mama’s boy like the male he was named after.

‘Twins?’

Eris grimaced and looked to his wife to see what pearls of wisdom she might have, but she remained quiet, sparing a pitying glance to Cassian who resolutely stared at his plate.

From his upside-down position on the carpet, Bastian called, ‘Sur-prise. Sur-prise!’

 ‘Would you like one?’ Nesta asked her sister. ‘To make the numbers even. You can pick.’

The laughter around the room shaved off the edge of tension again then Helion clapped Lucien on the back. ‘What’s taking you two so long to make a baby?’

Elain choked on her wine until it shot out of her nose while Lucien squirmed uncomfortably. Good, thought Eris, let them be in the firing line for a while.

***

Surprising them, the Night Court agreed to remain a while longer after dinner – at least until Elin grew tired. That was a foreign concept to Nesta. Her children had no understanding of time or fatigue.

She was on her knees with Luc perched there. He loved to watch everything. Elin had joined them with the girl threading a finger through his little fist. Nesta worried for her niece. Her birth had been traumatising. Whilst she and Eris had been adamant that their children could choose their own futures, their love, their destiny, she wasn’t sure if the same freedoms would be offered to Elin. Even in Prythian, daughters made alliances - but she hoped Feyre would put a stop to that.

‘Would you like to hold him?’

It could have been a recipe for disaster. Sebastian had loved to be held as a baby. He went to anybody without complaint. Luc was trickier.

Nesta encouraged Elin to sit in one of the massive arm chairs in the lounge while she propped a pillow onto her lap and sat Luc there. The lip wobbled, but Nesta remained in his sight, stroking his soft cheek until he calmed.

A figure crouched beside them and Nesta already knew who it was without looking, as though an innate part of her would always know Cassian.

‘Elin loves playing with her dolls,’ he said, catching the girl’s eye and smiling.

Nesta knew how it could have been perceived – that she was rubbing her life in her mate’s face. She had the husband she dreamed of and a family that meant the world to her. Eris held a squirming puppy up to light as he spoke with Helion and Orla. Eliška was speaking with Feyre and Elain; the three of them smiling and laughing as they played with Wren. Lucien was showing Bash new sleight of hand tricks that he presumably learned from Jurian as they were not magic at all. And Azriel was under interrogation from Niamh; no matter how he tried to side-step her, Niamh continued to corner him.

‘When I was your age, I had two little sisters to play with,’ said Nesta. ‘Your mama was only a baby then.’

At the sound of Cassian’s wings rustling together, Luc’s attention was captured. His light eyes registered that Cassian was knelt beside him.

Tentatively, Cassian held out his hand. Luc’s fingers gripped one of his, a frown pressing his brow that it wasn’t as easy to bend as his mother’s fingers.

‘I have thought a lot about that time,’ murmured Cassian, ‘about what I would do differently. I am sorry.’ The Illyrian was careful with his words around the children. ‘Your happiness should have been put ahead of the ideal image in my head.’

‘Cassian-’

‘Please, Nes. I likely won’t see you for another three years.’ He offered a pitying smile that couldn’t hide the dullness in his eyes. ‘I can’t change time and erase those months but I can be sorry for them. For what I did. I’m glad that you are happy. You can’t imagine how nice it is to see you with your family. You’re practically glowing. And I hope that – one day – you might come and visit us in the Night Court again. Elin loves brushing hair, but she’s bored of braiding mine.’

At that, Elin gave a shy smile in confirmation that she’d been listening.  

‘We can try to visit,’ said Nesta – and she meant it. So much had changed in three years and she no longer wanted her sister to be a stranger. She wanted to be an aunt to Elin, wanted poor Elain to stop being the middleman between them. Cassian would always be in Feyre’s life so they could at least be civil to each other. ‘But I have to warn you that my children are very loud.’

When Luc began fussing, Nesta cradled him to her chest. He was growing tired for once which meant they had approximately ten minutes to find somewhere quiet so she could nurse before all hell broke loose. She could feel Eris watching them. He gave a look that enquired over her well-being. Nesta dipped her chin slightly to signal that all was well.  

‘The hour grows late,’ Eris announced. ‘By all means, we can have rooms prepared, but my wife and I have three children to get to sleep.’

They said their subdued goodbyes in the welcoming foyer where Eris had lifted the wards to allow for winnowing. Nesta had hugged Elin tight and promised that she could braid her hair when they next met. Sebastian blew kisses to them all from Eris’ arms and she had to wonder who her son had learnt that from.

The visit had been positive. Better than Nesta expected and it relieved some of her stress.

‘Tarquin invited us all for Summer Solstice. We might need to re-think that with the three terrors,’ said Eris as he squeezed onto the sliver of mattress beside her. Bash had begged to be in their bed because it wasn’t fair that the babies slept in there. Not fair was a favourite phrase. He took up most of the space, sprawled out with a soft snore coming from him while Safera slept at his feet.

‘We will need a bigger bed when those two figure out how to climb from the cots.’

Eris’ breath tickled her neck as he wrapped his arms around her. ‘We are outnumbered, my love.’

Nesta let out a groan as she sank deeper against her husband. ‘I wouldn’t have it any other way.’

[thelov3lybookworm]

Not what I expected.

Eris week day 6, arranged marriage.

Summary: Y/n has never met any of the royals of Autumn Court, but she will soon, because her father has sold her off to the eldest son of the High Lord. And she can do nothing but go through the marriage.

•○●⛦●○•

A/n: Again, first time participating in a character week, and thank you @erisweek2023 for hosting this event! It's soo much fun. Hope you all have fun too!

Also, can you tell I have never had a close encounter with dogs? Like, I know little to nothing about them, so I hope this is realistic enough.

Anyways, enjoy!

•○🌑○•

Y/n stared at the door. She had been staring for quite some time now, long enough that her eyes were starting to cross.

She sighed, rubbing her eyes. She just wanted to go to sleep, but she couldn't. Not until her husband arrived.

That was one of the most important roles she had been taught. Never do anything before your husband's permission and approval.

She had known nothing about her wedding until a week ago, when her mother had walked into her room and told her that they had finally found a suitor for her.

The whole week had been filled with dress fitting sessions, mannerism classes and classes on what to do to please your husband.

She had learned these things before, knowing she would probably get wed into an elite family, but now that she was wed to a Royal, those classes had been extra hard.

A knock on the door sounded, and she got up to check. It definitely was not going to be her new husband, considering these were his quarters and he didn't need to knock.

A pretty female stood on the other side of the door, wearing a dress that barely left anything to the imagination. It was similar to what Y/n wore under her silk robe.

The female twisted a stand of her blond hair between her long fingers, trying her best to look coy. But Y/n saw right through her. Her eyes were sharp and cunning, shining with mirth as if she knew something no one else did.

"Is the high Lord here yet?"

Y/n eyed the female. "No."

"That's unfortunate."

"May I ask who you are?"

"Emily. You can call me Em." And then, she added, a smug smile on her face. "His favourite attendant."

"Attendant..." Y/n raised her brows.

"He prefers me over the others." Emily gestured towards a corner nearby where a couple of girls in a similar attire to hers chatted among themselves.

What?

Y/n didn't get it at first, but then she realised. These were concubines.

She couldn't even understand why she was surprised. Of course the high lord would have them. He didn't marry Y/n because he wanted a relationship or anything like that. He was just doing what was expected of him. Marry and pop out as many children as he could.

And of course, he wouldn't stop taking concubines to bed just because he was promised to someone else. He would probably want someone experienced to see to his needs and wants. Not someone who was forbidden from dallying in such activities so she could be pure when she was finally married to the highest bidder.

Someone like her.

"Oh. I see."

Emily smirked. "I guess if he hasn't arrived yet, I'll just have to wait. I apologise for disturbing you. I am sorry."

No you're not.

Y/n's eyes narrowed. This female didn't look apologetic in the slightest.

From the smirk on her face, she had done this just so she could irk Y/n. That was the most understandable excuse.

"I'll leave you to enjoy your time then. Have a good night, my lady."

Y/n nodded slowly. "You too."

She closed the door before returning to her spot on the couch.

The couch was near the fireplace, making it warm and comfortable. There were three doors in the chamber. Two of them led to huge bedrooms, one leading to an office.

She had looked around an hour after she arrived in the chamber she was to share with her new husband, bored. It had almost been three hours now, and still he wasn't here.

She sighed and continued staring the door.

•○🌑○•

Eris's pov.

Fatigue weighed down Eris as he walked towards his chamber.

The day had been exhausting to say the least. First, he had multiple meetings before he had to be wed to a female his advisors council chose. And then, again, he had been swept up in countless meetings.

He had been High Lord for almost three months when the advisors finally decided to try and persuade him to get married, as no High Lord is supposed to be without an heir for long.

He didn't even know the female who had taken the vows with him. He knew nothing of the one who had bound herself to him for the rest of their lives except that her name was Y/n. Beautiful name, if he dared say so.

He had almost forgotten that he now had a wife after the long day of countless meetings until one of the advisors, a younger one, had wiggled his eyebrows and said 'have a good night my lord. Or dare I say, pleasurable?'

He had only realised what that was supposed to mean when he was all alone and walking to his room. If he hadn't been so tired or if he'd realised the bastard's meaning sooner, he would have hunted the rat down and flayed him for that.

He sighed as he turned into the hallway to his chambers, hoping to get some rest before he was expected to be up in a few hours.

But of course, the attendants were waiting to pounce on him.

He glared as they formed a ring around him, batting their eyelashes and trying to get his attention, caressing any part of his body they could reach.

It's a blessing they haven't already fallen to their knees and–

"Don't bother the High Lord. You already know he doesn't fancy you all." A voice calls, and the females fawning over him part to reveal a barely clothed Emily. Eris stopped himself from scowling. Barely.

"Emily." He said, emotionless. But on the inside, he was itching to incinerate her. Sure, she's been a good distraction, great even, what with her knowledge and experience in the bedroom. But when he found her acting as if he loved her, as if she was the next Lady of Autumn, he was pissed. He had never done anything to make her that delusional, and he'd been trying to avoid her since then.

It didn't help that she always showed up outside of his door.

"How would you like to–" She began, but Eris eyed her before turning and walking into his chamber.

He rubbed his brows as he stepped into the room, then froze when he found someone resting on his couch. For a moment, he was dumbfounded. Then he realised who it was. His new wife.

Emily continued talking, and when he turned to look at her, he found her trying to walk in behind him. When she saw him looking at her, she quieted, her mouth still hanging open as if she was stopped mid sentence. Eris gave her a look that would've sent powerful men running before slamming the door in her gaping face.

A startled gasp pierced the momentary silence, and he turned to look at the now awake Y/n.

She stared at him with wide eyes, her hands gripping the fabric of the couch.

"My–my Lord." She scrambled to stand, the silk robe she wore slipping from one shoulder.

She didn't seem to notice, but that was all Eris could look at.

She seemed to have a nightgown underneath, which, from what he could see, hardly seemed to cover anything. The parted robe had revealed her shoulder and a little bit of her chest. The thing was only held up by barely there thin straps on her shoulder. He realised he was staring and forced himself to look up.

"Why are you here?" He barked, quite harshly.

But that was how he was supposed to be.

He felt bad for a moment when hurt seemed to cross her features, but he didn't care. Couldn't care. Not for anyone. Not for her.

She blinked. "My lord?"

"I said why are you here? Why are you not sleeping in your room?"

"I– I wasn't supposed to sleep without– asking you first."

"Asking me what?"

"If you had any need of me..."

Eris cocked his head. "Need of you?"

Y/n swallowed, then glanced towards his bedroom.

"Ah." He realised what she meant. He gave her a cruel smirk, despite his brain wondering what she would feel like on–

"Do you even know anything about it?"

She swallowed again. "I..."

He huffed a laugh. "If I had any need, I have plenty of people who would love to help me out. I can very well take care of those needs myself."

She looked like she was about to cry, but she nodded nonetheless and spoke in a shaky but strong voice, which piqued his interest. This female was definitely something. Something more than the timid act she put up. "So if you have no need of me, may I go–"

"Go." He snapped. "And don't bother me."

She nodded, but Eris had already begun walking towards his office and locked himself in.

There, he put up a sound shield. He tested it before he let go of the tension in his shoulders and sighed deeply, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

What have I gotten myself into.

•○🌑○•

He woke up to the feeling of the chair digging in his back. But he also felt the warmth of a blanket and his toes freed from the confinement of his boots.

He immediately jerked up, his eyes scanning the room. Someone had been in here while he slept.

Last night, after he had entered his office, he had decided to wait there for sometime and sort some papers out before going to sleep. But he was too tired to do any of that, and had slept in his chair.

He had gone to sleep with his boots on and no blanket.

He'll have to look into the security of the place.

He laced his boots quickly before walking to his room and getting changed after a quick bath.

Once he was done, he decided that checking on his hounds was more important than anyone's security, and so he walked towards where they were kept in his private lawn.

As he walked towards the kennels, he slowed his pace and strained his ears. Someone was here.

He walked quicker, making sure not to make noise as he turned the corner and found a female frozen, staring at his hounds. They were also still, staring at the female.

Y/n.

His blood boiled at the thought of anyone coming near his hounds, but he forced himself to calm down and walk to where she stood.

As soon as the hounds saw him, they began barking and racing towards him. Y/n hadn't noticed him yet.

As soon as she saw the dogs running towards him, and, in turn, her, she turned and began running too. When she spied him watching all of this, she quickly grabbed his hands and hid behind him.

"Do something!"

He raised a brow, even though she could not see. "Like what?"

"Anything! Get them away!"

"You're afraid of them?"

He felt her nodding against his back.

"Please, do something–"

He sighed, irritated.

"They are mine. They will not do anything."

"How do you know that? They could be in the mood to bite someone!"

"The–the mood to bite someone?" He asked, incredulous, as his hounds came to settle down near his feet, eyeing the female hiding behing him. "That's stupid. They don't bite unless you give them a reason to. They're very nice."

"They don't look nice." She mumbled, peeking around his biceps.

"I'm trying not to get offended by that."

He mentally smacked himself for that. He was being too gentle. He couldn't do that and have her thinking there was any potential for a relationship between them.

But no matter what he told himself, he couldn't pull away from her tiny hands clutching his forearms.

He sighed again after a few moments before grabbing her hand and dragging her forward.

"What are you doing?!" She screeched.

"Trying to get your fear out."

Eris tugged her hand towards one of his female hounds, Amber, trying to get Y/n to pet her. But Y/n dug her heels into the ground, trying to pull her hand away. "No. No no no." She chanted again and again.

He was now getting frustrated. "Come on, they're not that scary."

When he glanced back at her, he realised there were tears in her eyes. He blinked, then stopped trying to get her to touch them.

"Why are you crying... they're just creatures who won't bother you until you bother them..." He hadn't realised that it was such a sensitive topic for her.

"It's not them... not really. I've just always been scared of creatures with sharp teeth." She said between panting breaths.

"You could try to get rid of the fear."

"Why do you want me to touch them?" Her eyes simmered with anger as she turned to him. He was taken aback by the intensity in those beautiful eyes.

Beautiful? They can't be beautiful. Not for you. He told himself. If you let yourself think that way, those beautiful eyes would soon be filled with even more tears. Or they'll be lifeless.

Shaking his head, he wondered that himself. Why the hell was he so interested in getting her fear out?

He sighed. Turning away from her and letting go of her completely, he said. "Go. Leave."

She didn't. Instead she stood and watched as Eris took care of his hounds, doing all the necessary work.

After almost an hour or two, as Eris was trying to leave, he spied her watching him intently. He faltered, but before he could look away, she approached him.

"Are you sure they will not bite?"

A foreign feeling erupted in Eris's belly, and he cleared his throat. "Yes, I am sure."

She eyed the hounds who lingered nearby, then nodded, as if trying to convince herself.

"I'll make you a deal."

"A deal?" He probably sounded stupid, but he couldn't come up with a better response. No one, absolutely no one in his entire lifetime had spoken Eris is in such a way.

She lifted her chin. "Yes, a deal. I will try to face my fear, like you wanted me to, and in return, you will not be an asshole."

He blinked. She really was something. "Why would I do that?"

"Because I say so."

He raised his brows. He studied her for a moment.

A flush had climbed up Y/n's neck, and she looked breathless.

"So? Do you accept?"

He sighed. "Fine."

She held out her hand, and he eyed it before taking it and pulling her towards the hounds nearby.

He crouched, then tugged her hand to make her crouch as well. She did.

When he looked over at her, he found her eyes filled with fear. Her other hand came up to clutch his arm tightly when he lifted her hand towards the gentlest hound he owned, a female who had recently given birth.

"Her name is Amber. She recently gave birth, and is the most caring and, as you say, nicest, of the pack."

Eris felt her hand shaking, and despite himself, he ran his thumb over her hand, trying to calm her.

He held her much smaller hand in his as her fingers connected with the fur on Amber's head, and Amber seemed to smile. It felt like a smile to Eris, at the very least.

Y/n was stiff, to the point where Eris felt her discomfort just by looking at her.

The two of them stayed there for sometime, caressing Amber's head, until Eris had to leave for a meeting.

As he stood to leave, she jumped up as well, her fingers tight on his sleeve.

He nearly rolled his eyes before turning and leaving, her following behind. She kept looking behind her, as if she would find the hounds running to bite her.

Y/n sprinted through the doors of the fortress as soon as it was within sight.

He shook his head, trying to hide his amusement.

He found her panting just inside the door, her chest heaving. He looked away.

"They're scary."

"Then you should have left. I told you to leave. Why didn't you?"

"If I had left, I wouldn't have seen you playing with them, I wouldn't have known what kind of person you were."

He narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Y/n shrugged. "I just am really good at reading people. You don't seem like the person you pretend to be."

His heart stopped for a moment before starting back up. "Then you must not be good at all when it comes to reading people."

She simply smiled. "Your hounds scared me really bad. Bet they come in handy for scaring people."

"You shouldn't judge them by heir looks. You shouldn't judge anyone if you don't know enough about them."

"Yet you let people judge you when they know nothing about you."

"That is because what they think is true." His heart was doing happy little backflips in his chest.

Be still, you little bastard. He chided in his mind.

"Keep telling yourself that." She took a step closer, and his breath hitched, staring deep into her eyes. "But I'll never belive that."

She smiled and patted his cheek before turning away. "Oh, also. We'll meet at this time tomorrow as well?"

He narrowed his eyes when she turned halfway. "What for?"

"Are we not trying to get my fear of hounds out?"

He didn't know what to say. Which was a first. Never in his life had he ever been dumbfounded.

She looked like she was holding back a laugh. "We'll meet here tomorrow at the same time then. Husband."

His heart made a loud thump at that. "S–sure."

Sure? He wanted to kick himself between his legs. He didn't want to spend more time with her than was strictly necessary. He would only be fuelling whatever idea she had in her mind.

He took a deep breath, trying to get a hold of his thoughts.

"You aren't what I thought you would be like. You are even acting differently than yesterday."

She smiled. "Yesterday I didn't know if you were just like your father or you were a good man. Now I do. Thanks to your hounds."

That was when he remembered something. He had heard that her family also had a pack of dogs, not ones like his hounds, but similar nonetheless.

"You– you shouldn't be scared of hounds. You had dogs before–" He accused.

She just turned away, a smirk on her face. "Have a good day."

"You too..."

Eris watched as she sauntered away, her hips swaying.

He didn't know what to make of the conversation, but he did know one thing.

The way forward would be... interesting.

•○🌑○•

He held her much smaller hand in his as her fingers connected with the fur on Raven's –Amber's daughter's– head, and Raven seemed to smile. It felt like a smile to Eris, at the very least.

The girl in his arms squealed happily, and the two boys nearby looked over with smiles on their faces.

"You like her?" He questioned.

"Yes daddy! She is so cute and soft."

Olive, the second youngest of Eris and Y/n's children, was a daddy's girl through and through.

In the years since their marriage, the couple had become parents to two sets of twins. The first set, both boys, Maple and Sawyer, were nearby, and they adored their younger siblings.

The younger set of twins, Cormac and Olive, had been born only a couple of years ago.

Leaves crunched nearby, and Eris glanced up to find Y/n walking towards them, Cormac in her arms, giggling.

Cormac loved his mother so much that if she was away for longer than an hour, he would scream loud enough so that the whole of Autumn Court would be able to hear it.

Y/n set Cormac down, who gave his father a toothy smile as he stumbled towards Maple, who was the closest to him.

Sawyer plucked Olive from Eris's lap and walked towards where Maple and Cormac were talking.

Eris smiled at Y/n as they watched the children, the older ones nodding to what the younger ones were saying.

Eris stood, slipping an arm around his wife and mate, leaning close. Y/n's eyes widened as she glanced at the kids then back to Eris.

"Not in front of them Eris–"

"They can close their eyes." With that, Eris captured his wife's lips with his.

Soon enough, gagging sounds interrupted them, and he heard tiny feet sprinting closer. He pulled away, grinning, to find Olive almost upon them.

"No kissing mommy, daddy. Its disgusting." She put one of her fists onto her little hip and the other pointed at the two of them threateningly.

"I told daddy not to kiss me, he didn't listen." Y/n piped up, and Eris glared at her accusingly.

Olive turned to her father and pointed the chubby little finger towards him. It wasn't as intimidating, considering she barely was half his height.

Before Olive could speak, Sawyer picked her up and ran out. Maple and Cormac followed the two out, but not before Maple winked at his mother cheekily.

She was blushing by the time Eris turned back to her.

He smirked at her and she shook her head. Not giving him time to act on any of his wishes, she wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest.

"I love you."

He smiled, kissing the top of her head. "I love you more. And I will be eternally grateful for the family you have provided me with."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he shut her up with a kiss.

•○🌑○•

Taglist: @bubybubsters @eos-princess @nightless @imma-too-many-fandoms

[aphroditelovesu]

yandere eris from acotar maybe?

''You know very well my reasons for doing this.'' — Eris Vanserra.

❝ 🍂 — lady l: yes, yes and yes! Ah, finally someone asked him! As soon as I saw this request I couldn't control myself and wrote 👀. I hope you like it and forgive me for any mistakes! 🧡

❝tw: obsessive and possessive behavior, jealousy, mention of murder, manipulation, unhealthy relationships.

❝🍂pairing: yandere!eris vanserra x gender neutral!reader.

Eris Vanserra projects a strong air of arrogance, of superiority, as expected from the heir of a Court. He appears to be someone who is violent and has ulterior motives and that is true, at least for the most part. But there is something about Eris that few know.

He is very intelligent and observant, his gaze is always sharp and a mischievous smile on his lips. You will never know what he is thinking or planning unless he wants you to.

Eris is very manipulative, he always knows how to say the right words to convince anyone to do whatever he wants. Including his darling, although he prefers not to manipulate you, he is not above doing so if he deems it necessary.

Not much is known about him, not even you know. The few times he let his feelings and thoughts show are when he allows himself to be vulnerable by your side. These moments are rare, but when they occur you realize how much he cares about you.

He has done many bad things in his life and there are few that he regrets, and yet he will always be insensitive about it. Eris doesn't care about many things besides himself and what he truly values. Yet he cares about you, more than he has ever cared about anyone. You became his most forbidden desire, his obsession.

Eris seems like an intriguing enigma, someone you could call two-faced. He shows his different sides to each person, but you are the one who knows his true side, his true personality. Eris is skilled at hiding his true feelings and intentions, but the connection you have allows him to be more vulnerable.

He feels connected to you in a way he's never felt with anyone before, maybe you're mates or just really close, but Eris knows he loves you and that's scary. The world is dangerous, people are dangerous and they may try to use you against them. He can't let that happen.

If someone dared to hurt you, Eris will be ruthless and merciless. You had never seen him so furious, so eager to kill, gut and burn. He seemed like a different person, so crazy and overcome with the murderous rage that consumed him. Only when he was left with ash and the smell of burning flesh did he take a deep breath and head towards it. His gaze softening and almost pleading with you. Your heart broke right there.

For him, you are something more than a simple fixation, than an obsession. You mean a beginning, a life away from the traumas inflicted on him. He reserves a softer and more affectionate side to you. This suggests a deep connection between you, something that goes beyond the manipulations or the more austere exterior he projects to the world.

Eris is quite possessive, but he is not consumed by these feelings. He deals with them in another way, usually by making it very clear to everyone who you belong to. An arm around your shoulders, a sharp gaze, and a stern expression usually do the trick. But if it doesn't work, he doesn't mind dealing permanently with that person.

He's no stranger to killing someone to get what he wants and that's no different when it comes to you. He wants you and he will have you, simple as that. Anyone who gets in his way will suffer the consequences.

Eris tries to be by your side as much as possible, he's not clingy but he likes to have some kind of physical contact with you. Like holding hands for example. He would spoil you with everything that money can buy and power can offer. This male will be willing to spend a fortune just to pamper you, to do all your wishes.

His dogs love you too and know that they must protect you at any cost, considering how important you are to Eris. He delights in watching you play with his dogs.

Having Eris Vanserra behind you is something complicated. His sharp intelligence and manipulative skills can be both captivating and dangerous, and if you try to escape, he won't let you. You are the only good thing, the only good person he has in his life and he will not lose that. He won't lose you.

[byjovewhataspend]

Putting on his best outfit to cheer himself up-- it's not really working :(

rambling thoughts about the new manga stuff below

It feels so WILDLY incorrect tonally for none of the villains to be saved. So many people told deku he couldnt save shigaraki and he pushed back against that-- but from any outside view shigaraki dying is the same as Deku killing him, i dont accept 'his ghost smiled so he was saved', afo shattered shigarakis mind the second Tomura's heart wavered and he died instantly (nana saved a little bit of his soul long enough for him to hang out and punch AFO, that had nothing to do with deku)

but the last thing he said before AFO killed him was 'i have to be the hero to the villains' and the last thing he said to deku was essentially 'tell spinner i did was i promised'

but before both of those points almost the entire league (sans compress) is already dead (spinner seems braindead? though the next chapter had people messing with what looked to be his scales so maybe someones working on helping him) so Deku cant tell them anything.

ANYWAYS my 5% hope here, a way to walk this shit back, is that Tomuras quirk 'which used to have a regeneration aspect' regenerated itself and Tomura comes back and Deku gets a second chance to save him for real this time, and then tomura uses the regeneration aspect of his quirk to fix all the rest of the league. he can return Spinner to his old self, and Dabi has GOT to be in that tank in front of Endeavor, right?

(What else in the world does Endeavor have to care about right now except for his family? none of them (or hawks, his only friend) needed a healing tank, so im guessing Dabis horrific husk is in some stasis goo with no hope , spinner is brainded/insane with no hope, toga is probably 'disappeared on the battle field' or maybe in a coma with no hope.. )

((honestly that tank, them not telling us yet if anyones dead (it would be weird to REVEAL people died who we thoughts died on screen a year ago) and the weirdly timed 'tomura couldve been able to regenerate but i removed that' a second before he died are the only reasons i have any hope. im not the hoping type. a series i was interested in ending badly has never been Taken Back before))

i dont know if That Person is Tomura (it didnt LOOK like him, not at all, honestly they looked like a woman to me, but who the fuck knows when they are doing Anime Crazy Face) but it feels like the only way to walk any of this back.

They put so much emotional stuff onto tomura and then gave him the worlds clearest 'he never had any choice to be this way' backstory EVER (even his BIRTH was arranged by AFO thats so fucked up, i wouldnt be shocked if he bought him the dog he killed too) that the ONLY doubt i had that Deku would save him was in that i wasn't sure how youd arrange to keep him out of prison for life. Id been guessing 'rewound to childhood to get a second chance at a better one' (not great but hey, it beats dead or tartaras and it matches that opening i liked) but hey, if hes Confirmed Dead and Deku finds someone Similiar To Him but with Fixing Powers and is liek 'hey everyone this is my brother Tenko my american dad just brought him over isnt that great?' id fucking take it

ALSO plucking Eris horn off so that she wasnt an option anymore like.. from a writing standpoint feels like it has to be FOR something.

Finally: deku looked SO depressed in the most recent chapter. he looked miserable. he hardly spoke a fucking word. considering how he acted about Eri i cant imagine hes the type to be like 'whelp, failed to save those people, i guess ill save a random different person in the final arc and thatll help me get over it'. truly i think if deku to failed to save tomura he'd spend the rest of his life not feeling like a real hero. especially when he checks to complete tomuras wish and spinner cant get his final words? and togas final words to deku was that she liked him and then he ran off and she died?? just. no. it feels so tragic and dark.

i do NOT believe horikoshi has that much creative control, honestly, i feel like if he had complete control he wouldnt kill tomura (since hes written a Tenko into like all his other stories and he loves him) but a small glimmer of hope is Dabi getting fuckign 4th place in the popularity results after he'd already become the most dead looking fucker i have ever seen. SURELY management knows hes popular and would be open to them being saved and redeemed just for BRANDING purposes, right?

PS: everyones been joking but he horikoshi SAID we'd see dekus FUCKING DAD. what possible purpose could that man serve when he wasnt even watching deku lose his arms on international tv?? if its as a cover for bringing tomura back ill fucking take it.

[perfectlovevn]

what kind of online profiles would the milos have? what would their username(s) be? what would they post if they post at all? how many alt accounts does m!milo have lol

I'll just link @ghousttmstt's stuff because I can't really think of it.

PreMilo probably has some aesthetic blog where he posts inspirations for whatever he wants to make when sewing or knitting. Other than that, I think he mostly lurks.

Manipulation Milo is very terminally online, trying to befriend as many people as possible and causing problems under the idea of trying to reveal the truth (probably also commentates on drama and purposefully causes it to be worse). Lots of pictures of him with Eris.

Violence Milo isn't online too much (too busy training), but I think he has a lot of workout things online as well as maybe a couple pictures of dogs and pictures of him with Eris.

You don't wanna know how many account Manipulation Milo has.

[fieldofdaisiies]

Modern AU. Azriel and Eris meet in an interesting place and find out they don't really get along so well. A little dispute erupts. If they only knew what years later their life would look like. for @azrisweek | azrisweek masterlist | read on ao3 | no warnings

Shadow‘s first hiss is directed at no one in particular, but at the same time probably at everyone else in the waiting room. She doesn’t like many people in general, and most definitely not vets, or strangers.

Her second hiss, though, is directly for the curious greyhound putting its snout against the bars of her little cage, sniffing loudly, staring inside with his big, brown eyes, his tail wiggling happily behind him.

Azriel frowns at the dog, pulling the box a little closer to him. Shadow hisses again, growling loudly, but the dog is unaffected. It rather seems to excite him, and he pushes forward again, his leash straining. 

“She doesn’t like that,” Azriel says matter-of-factly, hoping the dog’s owner can hear him. Not only does his little cat not like that, but he himself isn’t the biggest fan of dogs either.

“Sorry, he won’t cause your cat any harm, he is just very curious,” the red-haired man who is a little too handsome for Azriel’s liking, says in a polished voice. 

The man pulls on the leash, and his dog takes a tiny step back, but stretches his neck so far that he can still ogle the inside of the small transport box atop Azriel’s lap. 

Azriel frowns and Shadow hisses again, baring her teeth, but the dog stays absolutely unaffected about her displeasure. It seems like he wants to get to know her, and Azriel hates it.

“Can’t he be curious anywhere else?” he snaps.

“He is a young dog and he has never had an interaction with a cat before,” the man says in a calm voice. “You must understand his interest.” 

But I don’t, Azriel wants to say, but keeps calm. He only hugs the transport box a little tighter, glancing between the greyhound and its owner with scrunched brows. 

Eris once again pulls lightly on the leash and this time Ares really walks back to his owner, almost looking a little sad. Disappointed. Eris gently pats his head, then scratches behind his ears and the young hound begins to wiggle his tail again.

Azriel averts his gaze, his lips pursed. Chatter of the other people in the waiting room becomes louder, while the two men fall silent. 

>>>>>>>>>

A good ten minutes later, Eris can’t stand it any longer. He doesn’t like to have bad interactions with people, and he doesn’t like where their conversation ended.

“I am sorry that other animals bother you, but this is a vet,” Eris grumbles, not wanting to let the silence sit between them. It is uncomfortable, and at the same time the man with the dark brown hair and beautiful eyes sparks his interest. He has never seen a man so beautiful before, and somehow he finds himself getting interested in the mysterious dog owner.

Azriel’s gaze lifts, he is still glowering.. “I know that this is a vet.”

“Then you should know that your little princess in there isn’t the only animal here.”

“She is not a princess,” Azriel murmurs, placing a protective hand atop the box.

“You’re right,” Eris agrees. “She is a demon, hissing and growling inside her little cave.”

Azriel wants to tell the man that she is not a demon and that he should take it back, but he doesn’t want to cause a scene, so he only shakes his head, his nostrils flaring with annoyance.

“At least she isn’t a little truffle pig who has to sniff every little corner and nook and presses her snout into every—”

“Mr Marino and Shadow, room one, please,” the receptionist calls from behind her desk, gesturing towards the first room in the corridor. “Mr Vanserra and Ares, room two, the little guy needs to be weighed first.”

Eris rises and Ares presses against his leg, knowing there is no way back now and nervousness kicks in. Gone is the former curiosity, now replaced by fear. He doesn’t move. Not a single step and so all Eris can do is pick up the still young, but already quite large hound and carry him to the room. 

He hates the triumphant laugh that leaves the man—Mr Marino. He feels angry and holds a whimpering Ares close to his chest. “Good luck with your little demon,” he then quickly throws over his shoulder at the man almost having disappeared into room 1 and a mischievous grin splits his lips.

>>>>>>>>>>>>

“Shadow!” Azriel tries again, this time a little louder. “Shadow, it is getting dark.”

He has no idea where has once again run off to, but he really needs her to return soon. Or rather, now.

It is getting dark and he starts to worry that something will happen to her when she is out alone, at night, in the city.

It was silly to let her out, Azriel thinks. Sometimes it might really be easier to have a—

“Having trouble finding your little demon?” 

Oh, this polished, rich voice, Azriel thinks, I would remember it everywhere. He turns on the pavement with a frown on his face, then gives the man walking toward him a once-over. “Mr Vanserra,” he greets in a flat tone, his face unreadable, despite the attraction and annoyance brewing within him.

“Mr Marino,” the dog owner bows his head and stops, his greyhound sitting down beside him, well-behaved as Azriel expected. Of course, he would be a good boy…

“She is only out for a stroll,” Azriel answers tightly. “Which is actually none of your business.”

“You’re shouting around in front of my flat, so it actually is my business, Mr Marino.” The man lowers his hand, softly stroking over the head of his greyhound who starts to wiggle his tail in response, his big eyes turned upon Azriel, watching him intensely.

“Your flat!?” Azriel asks, giving the male across him an incredulous look.

He can’t believe it. That, out of all things, this has to happen. Mr Vanserra, this prick with his well-behaved animal is basically his neighbour? And he only finds out about it now?

“I‘m not shouting around, I‘m only looking for my cat,” Azriel answers tightly, glancing past the man in hopes to catch a glimpse of his little demon.

“So you admit that you’ve lost her.” A grin appears on the man’s lips.

“She is out for a stroll.”

“That’s why dogs are simply better, they can’t get lost. Ares here would never run away, he‘s a really good boy.” Mr Vanserra smiles proud, offering a little treat he pulls out of his pocket, to the greyhound. The dog seems to be absolutely excited, barking happily in response. Or thanks.

Azriel only huffs. “Just because he sticks to you like a post-it, doesn’t mean dogs are better. In my opinion, cats are still the better, and more amazing animals. I could actually write you a whole essay on why that is the case.” Now Azriel is the one to grin in triumph, but it falters quickly when the man opposite him hums lowly, a mischievous glint appearing in the russet of his eyes.

“Is that so, Mr Marino?” He raises a neatly trimmed brow and takes a step forward. “Let me suggest something then.”

Azriel’s throat bobs at the sudden closeness, his skin tightening the slightest bit. For a split second, his gaze drops to the other‘s lips, and his breath catches.

Why does he all of a sudden think about kissing Mr Vanserra? Maybe so he would shut up about how amazing dogs are?! Azriel ponders.

“Let‘s meet for dinner instead?” Eris steps into him, a sensual smile on his lips. His gaze drops to Azriel’s mouth before sliding back to his eyes, glowing in the light of the lampost. “And then you tell me your first name and all about how amazing cats are?”

>>>>>>>>>>> 

Azriel crosses the street and halts promptly. Or rather is stopped promptly. By a dog. More specifically, a greyhound, pushing up on his hind legs, trying to lick over Azriel’s face.

Azriel tries to stay calm and gentle, softly pushing the dog's paws away from him, but he is not successful as the dog manages to lick over his palms, coating them in his saliva.

The date with Eris (Azriel really hopes it was a date and not just a dinner between neighbours) was phenomenal. They talked for hours and despite favouring different pets, realised that they are more similar than they thought. They actually talked until the early morning hours and could have continued even then. It was strange, and ever since this dinner, Azriel can’t stop thinking about the feeling within his chest. 

Yes, he thinks, my heart is beating for Eris Vanserra, and that only after having had dinner with him one time. But he wishes they could do it again. And again. And many other things. But right now, he has other priorities.

Azriel tries to sidestep the dog again, but it is not possible as Ares starts to jump now, happy to see him again. During the dinner, the greyhound mostly slept on his feet, not wanting to move away from Azriel, and started to dramatically whimper when he was about to leave.

So Azriel knows he has to go about this differently. The dog loves him, and he would never want to hurt him, but he also really needs to go home now.

“Good boy,” Azriel says, grimacing slightly and trying to push past the dog. “Where is your owner?”

“Are you looking for me, Azriel?” Eris rounds the corner, a smug look on his face. “I didn’t expect to find you with Ares.” The slight smirk quickly turns into a bright grin.

“Eris,” Azriel says, dipping his chin and the dog licks over the whole length of his lower arm. Azriel grimaces and takes another step to the side, lifting his arms.

Eris must sense his discomfort, so he pats his thigh and says, “Ares, be a good boy, and come here.”

The dog follows but not without hesitation, heartbroken over having to let go of Azriel. 

A relieved sigh leaves Azriel, but the corners of Eris' lips drop. It seems as if he tries to push the sudden sadness away, fixing a smile on his face, but Azriel has already seen how he actually feels and wants to say something but doesn’t know what.

So he opts for the less awkward thing and walks past Eris and the dog who starts to sniff again, trying to reach Azriel with his snout. But Eris holds him between his legs, not allowing him to move any further away.

“I‘ll see you around,” Azriel says tightly, his own heart all of a sudden hurting the slightest bit.. He looks back at Eris who is still looking at him, watching him leave.

“Hopefully soon.” A sad smile appears on the man‘s face and Azriel wants a hole in the ground to open that will swallow him wholly. He wants to stay, wipe the sadness, that he isn’t quite sure where it came from, from Eris’ face. But he also doesn’t know what to say more, how to make the situation less awkward, and so leaving is the most logical option.

But also the option that somehow hurts him. Hurts him a lot.

>>>>>>>>

Just like the previous three days, this one wasn’t any better. Azriel has been thinking about Eris nonstop, wanting to see him again, wanting them to go on a date again and wanting to apologise for being so weirdly around his hound. He is not scared, but apprehensive.

This day is actually worse. It has been six hours now that Shadow hasn’t come home and even calling for her turned up to be unsuccessful. So Azriel is sitting on needles, waiting for her to come home, his balcony door wide open.

Not even his home work-out helped, his body is sticky with sweat now, his shirt somewhere discarded, but he can’t go showering now. Not when she might come home exactly when he is in the shower and can’t greet her.

Azriel lets his head hang between his legs, sitting on the couch. He closes his eyes, trying to listen to any sounds coming from the outside, hoping to hear her.

But it is silent apart from a few cars — it is already dark outside, so less people are in the streets.

Azriel exhales a long sigh, and when he rises to grab himself something to drink, his phone rings.

Eris Vanserra is written on the screen and immediately his heartbeat picks up in speed. Despite his worry about his cat, Azriel reaches for his phone. Maybe the man can distract him. 

“Azriel,” he answers after picking up.

“Your little demon is sleeping on my couch.“

Azriel is out the door within seconds, quickly putting on some slippers and a hoodie and then starts to run across the street to Eris‘ place who is already waiting for him with an open door. He can’t quite believe what the man told him, so he needs to see it with his own eyes. Shadow is sleeping on Eris’ couch? That sounds like it comes straight from a movie.

“Shadow is here?” Azriel asks happily, almost lunging at Eris and hugging him tightly. He is completely out of breath, but joy drowns out his exhaustion.

His little baby is fine and his world all of a sudden is very alright.

“Sleeping on my couch,“ Eris answers with a tight smile. “I told you she is a little demon. I was working in my office, leaving the balcony door open and forgot about it, only to return there hours later and find the little black floof ball on my couch.”

Azriel can‘t avoid it, he chortles loudly. Eris allows him to step inside, and together they walk to the living room, the balcony door now closed, Shadow still happily napping, just like Ares on the carpet next to her.

“Thank you. I really thought something happened to her.” Azriel blows out a long breath, the smile not fading from his lips.

But Eris shakes his head. “Nothing to thank me for. I didn’t find her, she rather found me.” He laughs, and Azriel’s cheeks gain a bit of colour. He loves the sound of Eris‘ voice, but when he laughs, his knees always feel a little wobbly and his heart starts to beat faster.

Azriel moves a little closer to Eris, fidgeting with his fingers, his cheeks warming even more and his throat feeling a little dry all of a sudden. “I also wanted to apologise, so this is actually a good opportunity.” 

“What for?” Eris queries and raises a brow. It is clear he doesn’t understand what Azriel is aiming at. He lets his hands fall to his sides, suddenly feeling compassion when he notices how Azriel’s shoulders sag and how uncertain he all of a sudden appears.

“For behaving so weirdly around your dog.”

“There’s no shame in being scared of dogs,” Eris responds in a kind tone. A little smile appears on his lips.

But Azriel shakes his head. “It is silly, especially when he is such a good dog and so well behaved.”

“It is always good to be careful around dogs you don’t know, Azriel. I think it is very smart, you shouldn’t blindly trust a dog.” Eris takes a step closer to the man opposite him. “It takes time to trust a dog, and to earn their trust and allow them into your personal space.”

“You seemed sad though. Last time when I tried to get him off me.”

“I was sad that you hurried away. I wanted to…keep you there for a little longer so we could talk for a little longer because it felt so right last time,, but you were in such a rush.” Eris sighs.

Azriel’s eyes widen in slight surprise, his shoulders lifting the slightest bit. “Oh,” he breathes.

His heart starts to happily sing within his chest because Eris actually wants to spend more time with him. He will get over his slight fear of dogs for the man, Azriel knows this at that moment. Because he likes the man, and is more than attracted to him, and he won’t waste this because he isn’t too fond of dogs. 

For a small moment, both men only smile at each other, surrounded by silence and the soft snores of Ares. 

“Well, since you are here now, and they seem to get along just fine—” Eris steps into Azriel, his hand tentatively falling to the other man‘s hand, their mouths only inches apart. “I will just ask you now: would you like to go on another date with me.”

Azriel‘s grin is enough of an answer.

>>>>>>>>>>>>

“Good morning,” Eris hums, his voice raspy, his lips pressed against the soft skin of Azriel’s neck. 

The man stirs awake, a lazy smile spreading over his face. “My legs are numb,” Azriel mumbles, his voice equally hoarse and making goosebumps appear on Eris’ skin. He laughs, the noise a little muffled against Azriel’s skin and embraces his boyfriend a little tighter.

Since moving in together, Ares hasn’t spent a night not sleeping on Azriel. Just like Shadow, who fell in love with Eris and since her first night in the new place has been sleeping on Eris‘ pillow, above his head.

“How things change, huh?” Eris says, fingers drawing idle circles around Azriel’s belly button. “Who would have thought we would end up like this.”

“Not me,” Azriel chuckles, wanting to turn in his boyfriend’s hold to kiss him but is quickly stopped by the heavy weight atop his legs.

“I‘m only worried that Ares will one day love you more than me.”

A snort leaves Azriel. “I‘m worried you‘ll soon love Shadow more than me.”

“We have a special connection,” Eris muses with a grin on his lips.

“Yes, the mean energy connects you.” Azriel starts to chuckle but yelps when Eris pinches his butt. 

“I‘m not mean,” he grumbles. “Unless you want me to, shall I remind you of last night, when you begged me to be oh so very mean to you, my love.” This time he doesn’t pinch his boyfriend’s butt, but softly smacks it.

Azriel feels his cheeks flush and warm and throws Eris a look over his shoulder, still unable to move. Mischief sparks in the amber of his boyfriend’s eyes, glowing softly in the early morning sunlight trickling in through the blinds.

“You can’t tell me I‘m wrong, baby.” Leaning in, Eris kisses Azriel’s lips and then descends upon his jaw to his ear, licking over it softly. “Your pretty little moans and groans gave you away.“ He nips at his earlobe and then places a trail of kisses down his neck to his shoulder. 

Azriel groans deeply and this is when Shadow stirs awake, reaching out her paw to place it on Eris‘ shoulder and when she yawns her tiny claws ever so slightly sink into his skin.

In a less sensual and rather playful tone, Eris says, “I assume we are staying in bed all day, as neither of them seems too eager to get up.” His laughter makes his chest vibrate against Azriel’s back.

“Staying in bed all day with you three doesn’t sound too bad.” He smiles to himself and closes his eyes, relishing in the warmth of his boyfriend and the dog lying on his legs, and the sound of Shadow‘s soft purs.

general Azris tag list (please let me know if you want to be added/removed): @azrielsbabyg @lady-riel @moonlightazriel @aayo-whatt @brekkershadowsinger @ladyelain @banasheefan56 @a-frog-with-a-laptop @ofduskanddreams @acourtofladydeath @secret-third-thing @born-to-riot @chunkypossum @talibunny30 @berryzxx @lilah-asteria

[shadowqueenjude]

Who pulls the most guys???

Damn this one is tough ngl. Most of the sjm ladies hold the men by the balls🤔. but here we go: Gets next to none: Lidia Cervos- only bc of that ass Pollux. She rizzed Ruhn while still in a relationship tho so that has to count for something. Ansel of Briarcliff- Honestly I keep forgetting she exists so she’s in this category. Ariadne- being imprisoned in jewelry for years kind of keeps you from pulling anyone. She pulled Flynn within 5 seconds of release tho. Gets a few: Lysandra- Honestly she’s so low on this list bc she had to shapeshift in order to pull anyone. Also she chose Aedion. Sorry, but really? You could’ve chosen literally anyone else, why would you choose the basic blonde? Gets quite a few: Manon- she’d get more but the whole man-eating thing is kind of a turn-off for most guys. Not our murderous king Dorian tho. Nesryn- she was the second-place girl until she got a crown prince panting after her. Queen shit. Gets many: Yrene- she had Kashin following her around like a lost puppy, AND she pulled our resident girl-rizzer Chaol mfing Westfall. In a few months too. Morrigan- She doesn’t get as many bitches as she’d like, but unfortunately for her she pulls many guys like Cassian, Azriel, and Helion. The Elites: Celaena Sardothien/Aelin Galathiniyus- somehow the murderous thing doesn’t put people off as much as it should. It put Chaol off (a little bit) but he still fell in love, poor boy. Sam, Dorian, Chaol, Rowan. That’s a lot. Bryce Quinlan/Danaan- I put her slightly above Aelin bc she’s had so many partners, she doesn’t have the murderous thing to put people off, AND she rizzed Ithan unintentionally in like 5 seconds. Nesta Archeron: She had Cassian, Azriel, Helion, and Eris panting after her like dogs. In record time too. Despite doing her very best to put them off. Feyre Archeron: I mean she rizzed up three high lords. Enough said.😂 Top tier: Elain Archeron: Something about having the male pining after another girl for 500 years develop an unhealthy obsession with you, having the number 1 bitch magnet be pining after you, his mate, and having the literal CAULDRON be in love with you, with a bitchy older sister ready to kill and whore for you is just guy-pulling behavior. There’s just something about her. She’s mysterious, it draws you in. You want to know more. Why are they so protective of her? Points deducted for Graysen rejecting her tho. Elide Lochan: Come on, we all knew it was coming. Elide is number 1 without a doubt. Elide came out of a tower and walked the entire court of Terrasen+ the Thirteen like DOGS. She could pull almost anyone if she tried hard enough.

[daydreaming-nerd]

Young Love and Old Money (Cassian x Female! Reader) Part 10

Young Love and Old Money Masterlist

AN: You guys I'm sorry this took a while. I really put a lot into this so I hope the wait was worth it. ALSO The Tortured Poets Department just came out!!! which means my creative juices are flowing, because nothing gets me thinking like Hans Zimmer and Taylor Swift. Already thinking of some Azriel angst for The Black Dog. ALSO this fic has a a cinematic playlist that goes with it? I can post it if that's something you guys are interested in.

Summary: She was the most beautiful woman in Prythian, sister to the High Lord of Night, and now she is the soon-to-be wife of Eris Vanserra. Despite her many titles and her aura of unattainability, Cassian can't help but fall deeply in love with the princess of the Night Court. But will it be enough to stop her impending wedding to a man who is sure to destroy her from the inside out?

Warnings: Sexism, heavy angst, descriptions of character injuries, reader got the Mor treatment, last lil bit of angst guys you'll like the end.

Word Count: 5,103

Third Person pov:

Cassian stared at the other side of his bed. The one that suddenly felt so large now. He skipped training that morning, skipped breakfast too. Instead he twirled a small brass ring between his fingers. His mother’s ring to be exact. The last thing he had of hers, given to him by the female that told him where her body was dumped. 

He had wanted to give it to her, his mate.  Longed to see it on her dainty hand. He laughed when he thought about it in comparison to the ring Eris gave her. He remembered the sight of it as she pulled it out after the night he first made love to her. The thing was huge, when he held her hand yesterday he could practically feel the weight of it. The idea of putting a busted up old brass ring on that finger made his heartbreak. He wanted to give her so much more. 

At least, he thought, if she’s married to Eris she will be able to have nothing but the finest things. 

He tried to make that a consolation for him. But he knew that even a gilded cage was a cage. 

It wasn’t until midday when pain exploded through his gut, white hot and unyielding. He sat up abruptly, clutching his heart as he reached down the bound searching for her. Gasped as he realized that golden rope unwinding slowly but surely. He looked deeper, allowing himself to feel whatever she felt. His body temperature dropped as the pain in his gut worsened, and then as if the string was cleaved by a sword he felt nothing at all. A stone wall had dropped over the bond.   

No, no, no, no. 

He shot from his bed, ripping on whatever leathers he could find on the ground of his bedroom. Banishment be damned, he wouldn't let her die. 

Azriel sat on the couch nursing a hangover as Cassian bursted into the room, he tossed him a spare dagger. 

“Get up somethings wrong with y/n,” Cassain ordered the voice of a general making itself known as he laced up his boots.

Azriel didn’t object, didn’t even whine or moan from his aching head as he got up to join his brother. The shadowsinger had always been the calmest of the three, always the most collected. But he had never seen his brother so scared before, and that cool veil of calm that he always kept so wholly intact started to slip. 

It was a short flight to the townhouse and as Cassian landed at the front steps he started to realize the weight of what was about to happen. He had no time to prepare himself for how he would tell his High Lord, his best friend, and his brother in arms about the secret relationship he had been having with his precious little sister. And y/n was precious to Rhys, always had been, even if the trauma they both endured under the mountain had driven a wedge between them. 

Cassian reached through the bond and felt nothing still. He lost all hesitation and nearly blew off the doors to Rhysand’s study. 

Rhysand’s head flew up, and assessed whatever threat would lie before him. His eyes soften when he found his best friend standing in the doorway, but hardened again once he saw the sheer panic in his eyes. 

“y/n is in trouble we have to find her,” Cassian ordered, leaving no room for argument. 

“What do you mean y/n is in trouble?” Rhysand stood to brace his hands against his desk. “If she’s having a problem her husband can help her Cassian.” 

“And what if her husband is the reason she’s in trouble? I came to you for help, but if you won’t offer it I’ll take Azriel and I’ll find her myself.” Cassian growled, a male beyond feral. 

Azriel looked between the general and the High Lord, the stare down between the two so cold, so unyielding that it would go down in history. Rhysand’s violet eyes burned into Cassian’s, looking for the untold truth Cassian was keeping from him. When he didn’t find it, power filled the room as Rhys looked into Cassian’s mind.

“Stay out of my head Rhys!” Cassain grumbled, shaking his head as if those dark talons had already pried into his memories.  

It was too late, and Rhysand’s eyes filled with an anger Cassian had never seen as he winnowed over to where he stood and slammed him against the wall. 

“YOU SLEPT WITH MY LITTLE SISTER?!” Rhysand bellowed in his face. 

Cassian had never been afraid of the High Lord of Night. Not when he showed up at Windhaven with his brand new training clothes, not when he saw him wipe whole infantries off the face of the earth with the flick of his wrist. The common denominator was that he was never on the receiving end of Rhysand’s rage. But now he had a not so friendly reminder that he was the most powerful High Lord to ever grace Prythian, and Cassian was scared. 

“Let me explain,” Cassian choked out, the raw power spilling off Rhysand stifling his ability to even breathe. 

“Rhys,” Azriel warned, that cool calm coming back to him as he watched his brothers at eachothers throats. 

Rhys’ head whipped around to Azriel, “You knew?” he seethed. 

The spymaster didn’t dare speak, he simply took a step back raising his hands in surrender. 

“She’s my mate Rhys,” Cassian ground out. 

Rhys’ eyes met Cassain’s, and saw the pleading in them. The kind that could only be found in a male who’s mate was in danger. He had seen it before, when Kallias talked about Viviane, even before he knew she was his mate. 

Rhys released his hold on Cassian and the general's boots hit the floor with a thud as he started to collect himself. 

“She’s dying Rhys’ I can feel it. She was so cold and then there was just nothing. Please we have to find her.” Cassain pleaded. 

The High Lord seemed to be inside his own head, sorting through all the information he had been given in the last couple of minutes. This was more than just saving his sister, it was saving his best friend’s mate. Losing one would be like losing both, Cassian could never recover from such a loss. 

“If you felt cold she’s most likely in the Winter Court. You and Azriel take the border of Autumn and Winter, I’ll go speak to Kallias and Viviane and see what they know.” Rhysand ordered in a way that was more High Lordly than his brothers had ever heard. 

y/n’s pov:

It had been at least an hour, I had deciphered. The cold winter winds whipping around me as my body became so cold the snow started to bury me. 

I thought about grabbing the dagger just inches away from my frozen hand and plunging it through my heart, but when I tried to reach for it the pain that radiated through my side was too great. 

So I kept pulling on that bond, the rope that had turned to a thread. It felt like it was tied to a boulder, as every time I pulled it I found the otherside dead. The effects of the bloodbane taking away my ability to feel Cassian and my ability to heal.  

As I lay there, my legs becoming heavy as they become covered in a thin layer of frost and my blood spilling out onto the snow, I thought of one thing. 

It was all for nothing.

Cassian’s pov: 

The blizzard that had waged war on my wings yesterday was even stronger today. Thankfully Azriel was able to winnow the two of us to the border with ease. If y/n had truly been left out here then there was no time to waste. The snow and wind was so thick I could hardly see the ground below us. I prayed to the mother that she was with Kallias and Viviane, warm, safe and alright. Because if I found her out here it would be a miracle to find her alive. 

I flew as fast as possible, fighting against the gusts of wind. Azriel was farther behind me, no doubt running his eyes over every place I might’ve missed in my panic. If she was out here she wouldn't be hard to find, for on the border there was nothing but bare land. No trees, and no bushes or rocks. If the snow hadn’t buried her she would stand out like a sore thumb. 

She can’t be gone.

She can’t be gone. 

She can’t be gone.

I was beginning to lose hope, nearing the end of the border when Rhys spoke into my mind. 

Kallias and Viviane have not seen her, they’re sending out search parties as we speak.

My fears only heightened at Rhys’ status report, she was out here somewhere and I was most likely already too late.

No she’s not gone.

I told myself as I tugged on the bond one more time to see if there was still that concrete wall there and to my surprise I found a faint hum. The rope between us torn to shreds, I almost felt like if I tugged on it one more time it might disintegrate.  

“I can feel her!” I shout to Azriel over the wind. He shields his eyes from the wind to give me a nod, as he continues to search for her. 

My eyes scan the vast expanse of white below me until I see a small crumpled form, lying in the snow. 

No. 

I don’t think for another moment before tucking in my wings and diving straight for it. As I slam into the icy ground. I rush over to the heap on the ground and my worst fears are confirmed. 

There lies y/n with her back facing me, nothing covering her but a silk robe. Her body littered in bruises and blood pooling all around her. I fall to my knees before her, ignoring the bite of the snow. I pick her up and turn her carefully in my arms. The frost that covers her cheeks isn’t the worst of my concerns as my eyes fall to her stomach. There, nailed to her womb is a note that reads… 

‘WHORE’

I feel a liquid coating my hand and I hold it up to find blood. I spy a bloodblane laced dagger lying in the snow just a foot away. I reach down inside for the bond but I feel it disintegrating before my very eyes. 

“No, no, no Princess wake up!” I cry moving the hair from her frozen face. 

She doesn’t move. 

“Please wake up y/n!” I scream, my tears falling on her face as I try to shake her awake. “COME ON!” I growl. 

A shadow slams into the earth behind me and I feel Az’s presence behind me falling to hitting his knees next to mine. I don’t try to read his face, if he looks at her like she’s dead I don’t know what I’ll do. Instead I focus all my efforts on trying to get those frozen eyelashes to open up for me. 

“Come on baby come back to me,” I grit, pressing a kiss to her forehead. My lips bite at the coldness there. 

“Cass I told Rhys, he’s already home,” Azriel reported, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Give her here,” he began reaching for her.

“No, don't touch her,” I growled, holding her closer to my chest. 

“I can winnow her back faster than you can fly her. You need to trust me Cass or she’s not going to make it,” he pleaded calmly. 

I sigh knowing that my brother is right and that my territorial male bullshit would only kill her. I reluctantly give her to Azriel and it isn’t until he stands with her that I realize how small she looks in his arms. How breakable, and I wonder if I’ll ever see her again. 

“Save her Az, please,” I beg, still on my knees. 

“Hang tight Cass I’ll be right back,” he says winnowing away. 

I’m left with the aftermath, and the roaring wind that’s practically white noise by now. In front of me is the imprint her body left in the snow and ice, as well as crimson colored snow. The knife that lay just a foot away identical to the one that was jabbed into my side just yesterday. I nearly threw up at the idea that she had felt that white hot pain of bloodbane making its way through her blood. 

A few minutes later Az winnowed back and took me with him to the townhouse. We landed in the foyer, and I didn’t hesitate to bound up the steps towards her own room. The door was flung open and Rhysand was already pacing watching Madja do her best work. 

“Is she going to be okay?” I ask, unable to rip my eyes away from her too still form lying on the bed. Her hair is still frozen, lips still blue. 

“We don’t know yet,” Rhys answers in a tone so somber it pulls my attention. His eyes are just as bloodshot as mine and his hair is sticking up all over the place like he had been running his hands through it too much. 

As Majda stitches her wounds and assesses every inch of her, I find myself peeling off some of my leathers. The place was practically a sauna with a roaring fire heating the room and the bedpans littered about her bed. Even Rhys had a bead of sweat dripping from his forehead. It was the only thing that could be done, to warm her up. 

I stared at my mate's unconscious body, and prayed to the Mother that she wouldn’t take her away. Even half frozen, battered and bruised, she was still so beautiful, still the Jewel. Still my princess who I had fallen for all those years ago.

Please Mother, please don’t take her. 

If anything, just let me see her one last time. See her beautiful eyes and kiss her lips. Allow me to hold my mate one last time while her heart is still beating. 

As Madja worked her hands up and down her body she didn’t say a word, didn’t even breathe loudly, as if she was listening for something. Her behavior affected us all, as we stayed completely silent, the only sounds in the room coming from the crackling fire.

So when her shoulders slumped and she sighed, the breath echoed throughout the room. My stomach sank as she turned to us with a somber face. 

“Before she was left out there she was taken by force, that’s where the bruises are from. The wound to the right side was caused by a dagger laced in bloodbane, she was practically mortal when he left her in the snow. And the wound to her lower abdomen? It hit her womb, if she ever wakes up she may never be able to have children,” Madja says sadly. 

“If she wakes up?” I ask quietly, praying I heard wrong. 

Her eyes meet mine and then Rhysand’s, “We’re losing her.” she begins and I swear I feel my knees about to give out. “I can’t access her thoughts or her emotions, but given what she’s been through, it seems she’s lost the will to live.”  

That was it. 

I take the two steps to the edge of her bed and my knees hit the ground as I begin to weep. I slide my hand under the piles of blankets, careful not to disturb them, and take her hand in mine. Gods it’s so cold.  She had always had cold hands, she used to put them under my shirt to warm them up. But this was different, her hands were like ice. She didn’t even feel like her. 

“Maybe if I can look into her mind?” Rhys breathed, the angst ridden in his voice. 

“You are welcome to try my Lord,” Madja said solemnly, like whatever he found wouldn’t be of any use anyways. 

I hear Rhys' footsteps walk around to the other side of the bed and kneel. He places a hand over her head, his palm twitching from the sudden cold that was there. I watched intently as his eyes closed and brows furrowed. As he went deeper and deeper into her mind his face contorted until it began to soften once more, and a single tear fell from his face. 

“What? What is it?” I asked, my voice cracking. 

The High Lord pulled his hand from his sisters face to wipe his stray tear,  “Madja’s right. She’s given up. Her last thought was that she had lost the Autumn Court’s armies and she had lost you too Cassian. After everything that happened, it was all for nothing.” Rhys relayed sadly. 

“But she’s here now, she’s safe, she has to wake up,” I pleaded, squeezing her too cold hand tighter. 

“She doesn’t know that she is here though general,” Madja says calmly, like if she spoke any other way I would rip her to shreds, which was probably true. “She fell under thinking she would never see you again.”

“What can I do? I’ll do anything.” I plead with Madja. Hell I’d trade places with her if I could. Her people needed a princess more than they needed a general.

“I’m afraid there is nothing any of us can do. All we can do is wait and hope she comes back,” Madja says sadly. 

“I want you to take up quarters in the town house for the time being,” Rhys ordered.

“Of course my Lord, I will be checking on her constantly,” Madja nods, collecting her bag full of tonics and bandages.

“Is there anything I can do for you Cass?” Azriel asks, placing a hand on my back. 

“No,” I say solemnly, pressing my forehead to her hand. “Just leave us.” 

Neither one of my brothers protested. The only indication that they had left was the door closing and the silence that had followed. Their muffled voices went down the hall, no doubt to show Madja where she would be staying. I was sure that Rhys would be back to check on his little sister once he was done. 

I lifted my head from where I had it pressed against her hand to see her face again. Her skin was still pale but the frost had melted off her eyelashes and skin. Hickies littered her neck and a faint hand shaped bruise wrapped around her neck.

Gods what had he done to her? 

“Princess I don’t know if you can hear me but you have to open those pretty eyes for me okay?” I pleaded with her. “It wasn’t for nothing baby, I’m here now and I’m not going to let anyone take you away again. You were so strong and so brave but you don’t have to be anymore, you just need to wake up. Just wake up and I’ll take care of you okay?” 

I feel my tears starting to well up. I didn’t just want my girlfriend back, or even my mate. I wanted my best friend back. I thought about what a lonely world it would be without her. 

“We can go back to reading your silly books while I tickle your feet. And you can whoop my ass and drink me under the table when we play Marks again.” I laugh remembering the time I taught her how to play the ridiculous drinking game, it felt like so long ago now.

“You have to come back to me because we have to have the most ridiculous and ornate mating ceremony ever.” I chuckle through my tears picturing how much she would detest the idea of an over the top event. “And you gotta wake up because I wanna make you my wife baby.” 

I feel the lump in my throat form, remembering the brass ring I had left on my nightstand from this morning. I had almost wished that I had felt the same sadness I felt then now. For nothing could compare to the agony of the mating bond slipping out of my hands like sand falling through an hourglass. 

“But we can’t do any of those things until you wake up honey, so you gotta open your eyes for me okay?” I say trying to smile. 

Her eyes don’t open, I’m not even sure if her chest rises and falls to breathe.

“Please y/n wake up! Please don’t leave me, I can’t live without you.” I plead, my tears falling faster than ever now. 

 I let out a groan as I press my forehead to her little hand again. My chest caving in as I find the skin there still cold.  Fuck it, if she can’t hear me than I’ll beg to the gods who might. 

“Please don’t take her from me. Please don’t take her from me.  Please don’t take her from me…”

Rhysand’s pov: 

After I show Madja where she can set her things and take a load off, I slump into an armchair in my room and run my hands through my hair. For the first time today, I’m finally hit by the weight of what the past two hours have been.  

The images of what I saw when I reached into y/n’s mind were enough to make me shudder. I was so blind to her pain. So focused on my own mate, and my own trauma, I forgot that she went under that mountain with me. And what’s worse is that she felt like she owed me an army for saving her. I almost regret going so far back into her memories that I saw it all. The things Eris did to her, the way he spoke to her. The conflict she felt. 

But then there were moments of immense happiness. Each one of them featured Cassian in one way or another. Images of him lacing up her dresses and placing a kiss on her shoulder when he was done. Her laughing in the early hours of morning with him. I had never seen my brother smile so big or love so much. 

Oh gods Cassian. 

I thought to myself, remembering the look on his face when he saw her lying prone on that bed. His agony that practically filled and infected everything in the room. He needed me, and I needed to see my little sister. 

My tired body creaks as I stand from the chair with a groan, making my way next door to y/n’s room. The same one I used to sneak her out of when we were kids. Sometimes I miss those days and how simple everything was. 

I opened the door slowly to not disturb Cassian. The light from behind me illuminated the mostly dark room. The only other light source was the fire. Cassain was right where I left him, kneeling on by the edge of the bed, stroking her hair whispering sweet nothings to her that I couldn’t hear. 

I make my way inside and close the door to keep in the heat as I sit on the opposite side of the bed. It isn’t until the bed dips under my weight that Cassian’s eyes meet mine. In all the years I’ve known him I had never seen him this way. His eyes were bloodshot and weepy, and the bags under his eyes prevalent. It reminded me of when I thought Feyre had died under the mountain, and I supposed that made sense given this was the same thing.  

“Has she?” I asked, wondering if she had shown any signs of life. 

“No,” was the only answer the general could give me. 

My eyes fell to my sister once more, unable to take the sorrow that came from Cassian’s stare. The frost that once covered her face was now melted, and her lips were no longer blue. However, pink had not yet tinted her cheeks and I wondered if it ever would again. It raised the question, how could I have prevented her from meeting this fate, and prevented Cassain from having to feel this pain. I was the most powerful High Lord in History, but right now I had never felt so small. 

“Why didn’t you tell me she was your mate?” the question spilled out of me. “If I had known I would’ve stopped the wedding immediately.” 

Cassian lifted his head from where it was pressed against her hand and looked at me again, “For the same reason your mate is still in the Spring Court. She deserved to have a choice.” he said to me, and though his words held no anger, no resentment, they were a punch to the gut. 

“I’m a terrible brother,” I admit, my eyes falling to her. 

“No you’re not. She did what she did because you are a good brother. She wanted to help you in any way she could, at any cost.  That’s how much she loves you.” Cassian spoke, his voice quiet and even toned. “But things might’ve been different if you two hadn’t distanced yourselves when you got back from under the mountain. Whatever you guys saw down there? Whatever happened? You need to face it together, Rhys. If she wakes up, you need to be as close as you once were.” 

Gods, for a general my brother had a way with words. He was right about all of it. I had distanced myself from her after we came back. Thinking that I could spare her from the pain I felt, but I had forgotten that she had gone under that mountain with me. She had demons to battle as well, and I left her to fight them alone. 

“She will wake up Cass,” was all I could say. “She has to, because I have to make things right.”

y/n’s pov: 

Waking up was slow. 

First all I could hear was the crackling of a fire and slow steady breaths. Then I smelled the familiar scent of night blooming jasmine laced with cedar. Next was the immeasurable warmth that fanned my face, and last was the feeling of a strong calloused hand holding my own.

I squeezed that hand ever so slightly before finally opening my eyes. I looked up at the familiar ceiling of my childhood bedroom, the constellations that had been painstakingly painted there. To my left a roaring fire and to my right… Cassian. Kneeling at the edge of the bed his forehead pressed to my hand. His breaths rising and falling slowly, the way they always did when he was asleep. 

“Cass,” I rasped out, my voice still uneasy. 

His head flew up and his eyes were on me in an instant. I loosed a sob at finding that familiar hazel staring back at me. The face I thought I would never see before. 

“Oh my god baby,” he smiled, pressing his lips to my forehead. “You came back to me, thank the Mother.” 

“Cassian, I'm so sorry. I should’ve listened to you.  You were right about everything and I should’ve stayed and-” I began to ramble through  my tears. 

“Shhh, shhh,” he cooed, brushing a tear from my eye as a few of his own fell. “Don’t worry  about that now. You’re safe, no one’s going to hurt you know” 

The bond tugged at his promise and I was reminded of the blessing I had been given, “You’re my mate,” I smiled pressing a hand to his face. He winced at the cold but then laid one of his own hands over it, bringing it down to his lips to press a kiss to my palm. 

“Yeah I am,” he laughs. “And you’re mine.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked him as he continued pressing kisses into the palm of my hand. 

“You were already dealing with so much y/n,”  he said softly. “I couldn’t make things even more complicated or try to control your choices. Not when this alliance was the first thing you ever got to choose for yourself. But I should’ve told you and I’m so sorry.”

“Shhhh,” I soothed him like he had me moments ago. “We both made mistakes Cass, but none of that matters now that we’re together again.” 

“You’re right,” he smiled, kissing my forehead.

“The only thing we need to worry about now is Eris and whatever he does next,” I say, rubbing his cheek with my thumb, the stubble there telling me he hadn’t shaved in a while. 

His eyes hardened as he pulled my hand from his cheek, grasping it in both of his hands as if he was praying, “If he comes back for you y/n I will fucking kill him. I swear to the Gods I will invoke the blood duel-”

“You will do nothing of the sort Cassian. I just got you back. I won’t lose you again.” I say firmly. 

“Are you doubting your general?” He gave me a cocky smile.

“No, but I don’t trust Eris to play fair. If he comes back Rhys will deal with him.” I assure him.

“As your mate I have the right to defend you,” he reminds me. 

“You’re right, you do. But if we don’t handle things just right Eris could declare war on us. I won’t let my people be attacked by Hybern and the Autumn Court.” I explained to him. 

Cassain nodded. I could sense the disappointment in him, and I didn’t blame him for feeling that way. I would’ve paid good money to watch him kill Eris. It was scary enough when someone hurt another male's mate. Especially when the affected male is The Lord of Bloodshed. 

“And Cass?” I asked. 

“Yes?”

“You were wrong before, about my choices. The first thing I ever got to choose for myself wasn’t Eris, Cassian. It was you.” I smile looking at the best decision I had ever made. I would never come to regret asking him to kiss me after that ball. Not when it had brought me his love. The best thing I never knew I needed. 

Cassain smiled and then let out a hearty chuckle, as if he had finally realized that I was back, and we were together again, and we would be together until The Mother called us home. 

To be continued…

Taglist: @crystalferret202 , @nickishadow139 ,  @graceshifts, @writeroutoftime , @heyyitsnat21,  @stinkinstuffie , @lilah-asteria , @12358 , @fxckmiup , @daughterofthemoons-stuff , @mybestfriendmademe , @anxious-study , @bxm-1012 , @mal-adaptive-dreams ,  @sh4nn , @talesofadragon , @5onedirection5 , @saltedcoffeescotch , @flourelle

Permanent Taglist: @fides25, @dissociated-always   

[erisweekofficial]

Tonight we're here to hype up @nocasdatsgay aka finnijer on ao3!

If you're looking for a multiship Eris super writer, you HAVE to check out her writing. Neris? Got it. Azris? Got that too. Eris x Reader? Check. But did you know you needed Cassian x Eris? No. Well now you do. We're incredibly impressed with the diverse range of ships! 🥵

Seriously though, there's so many great fics on her master list. We wanted to share a few with you to get started.

Neris but make it omegaverse (1) (2) (3)

Azris: Chokehold

Eris x Reader: So Where do I Start?

Or any of her Eris Week fics from last year!

Read on to learn more about @nocasdatsgay's opinions on Eris and what his tumblr blog would be like.

What is your favorite eris thing you've made?

This is hard. I was told to pick the thing with the most Beron* so The Price You Pay for Power. It’s from Nesta’s perspective but I get to work in hits of what Eris is thinking or planning through how she perceives him and his expressions. I think I did a better job in this story so far with writing what most consider “canon Eris”. He’s closed off, stern, but also does his best to keep Nesta safe after the disaster that was Family Dinner.

When do you think Eris got his first smokehound?

Smoke hounds are a prize possession of Autumn. I like to think maybe he got one as the eldest Vanserra but inherited more when his mother’s sisters passed away. Or maybe he just took over their care as a hobby since Beron couldn’t be bothered.

If Eris finally gets rid of Beron, what do you think would be his first act as High Lord?

Lift the exile ban on Lucien if there is one. He would definitely send a decree that Lucien is allowed to come home if he so chooses.

What do you think Eris is like as a partner?

Eris is attentive and calculated. That bleeds over into partnership. He’s got a mental catalog of all your likes and dislikes; preferences that you say don’t matter but do. I also feel like he is collected in public but in private his hands do not leave you. It’s almost grounding how he has to be touching you or holding you. I just think he’s a soft boy deep down but only for his partner and he would tear the world down for you.

What would Eris's tumblr blog be like?

I’m torn between a doggie blog and Prthyian’s latest hot gossip. Maybe he’s doing both. Dog tips and photos in the front, a scandalous article about the shadowsinger allegedly regifting a necklace in the back. He is xoxo Suriel.

*the mods would like to clarify that the threat was that if she didn't pick a favorite fic, we'd choose the one with the Most Beron™️ 🤣

[tadpolesonalgae]

Sigh. I wish cbmthy reader learns to love herself. Even just a little. To take pride in her genius and her fragile heart, to see the beauty of living.

I really want her to make friends outside of the ic, because I don't think she has any in the ic. Maybe become friends with a priestess when she goes to the library, or a normal citizen in velaris.

I want her to understand that feeling of power when you get out of bed and go on a walk, bundled up with a coat and hot cocoa. Because you could have been in bed, wasting away. But you're doing something

I want her to move out and away from the ic, even if its just a place to live and she still sees them and such. To get a cat (because shes not the type of person who could handle a dog) with one eye or one leg, who's deemed "ugly" and "defective" by society, like how she sees herself.

I want her to learn that you can't be defective as long as you're living, that you're just different, and to learn that you can put broken things together to make something beautiful.

i hope she learns how to love herself. Coming from someone who has tried to take their life, on several occasions, and screamed out for help.

I want her to learn that when no one answers, you save yourself.

-☀

Honestly I don’t want to encourage you but when there was that Helion tangent I had fantasised about what if reader announced over a dinner she wanted to go to the day court to study 😔 (and maybe also if she did manage to get to Day Court and work with scholars, she’d get a chance to also gloat to Eris that she was working as a scholar despite being female)

‘I want her to understand that feeling of power when you get out of bed and go on a walk, bundled up with a coat and hot cocoa. Because you could have been in bed, wasting away. But you're doing something’

That’s so adorable, but also such a treasured experience that can take a while to appreciate

‘To get a cat (because shes not the type of person who could handle a dog) with one eye or one leg, who's deemed "ugly" and "defective" by society, like how she sees herself.’

Babes you don’t know how many times I’ve fantasised about giving reader a pet or two to look after. Like a parrot? Or a stray cat? Or like in ToG but with one of Eris’ hounds and she instantly clicks with it?

Unfortunately it just wouldn’t be practical for the storyline since having a pet generally requires a lot of attention and looking after and reader doesn’t have the time for that ☹️

‘i hope she learns how to love herself.’

I promise that she will, in her own way

I think reader’s issues lie in her mind rather than her body (she’s self conscious about her hands but I’d say that because she feels more that she’s unbearable on the inside so if she’s ‘unbearable’ on the outside too, she has nothing)

I don’t want to give too much weight to cbmthy because at the end of the day it’s a piece of fanfiction I’m tapping out on my keyboard with zero professional writing experience, but I hope some people can find comfort in it. I think it’s difficult to speak about certain things sometimes—whether that’s for reasons of discomfort, or simply lacking the language to go about starting and having a discussion—so creating a piece of fiction to touch on different themes can be a way of tentatively putting feelers out for other people’s experiences? And, maybe, hoping that some other people might be able to resonate with experiences that are brought up

I’ll admit here, hidden at the bottom of a fairly long reply, that it’s been a relief seeing people’s responses to particular elements of the story

[flowerflamestars]

the rolling in the graves reread thoughts/ favorite lines/moments:

Chapter 1

"He thought, some nights, of walking into it." "Himself, Autumn-gutted and war-torn: the trees might as well swallow him whole." -- AAAAHHHH my poor forest baby T-T

Lucien contemplating starting a forest fire.

Eris contemplating if Rhysand has a domesticity kink.

"He didn’t want to be alone, in this strange body of his." *cue more screaming* "Blending where he didn’t belong had been Lucien’s whole life, of course he was subtle." T-T

Lucien, sun drunk, losing his shit. Nesta walks in while he's naked and absolutely nothing sexy happens and I love it.

Lucien's longing for home including the sound of Eris's real laugh and his dogs.

The last summit. The image of Feyre in the most obscenely eye catching dress possible insisting that she didn't want attention. And the fact that people were probably still gossiping about the fact the Nesta and Elain hadn't been there.

“Feyre was busy stealing me.” Someone please rescue my fox baby

The Night Court is afraid of Jurian.

"Nesta Archeron lived, and no on in this court wanted her living."

"That Lucien wanted, horrifically, to be touched. To reach out, to all that fearsome strength, and touch."

Chapter 2

Rhysand trying to call in Eris and Eris being like "Ha, ha. no We're doing this my way." A way which includes every diplomatic formality he can muster and the IC having a whole ass dinner/meeting just to bitch about it. (Azriel keeping his mouth full of alcohol to avoid having to talk to anybody.) Elain making off with the whole cake.

The Laugh That Changed The World.

Cassian scowling at the sight of Nesta being genuinely happy in someone else's presence how dare.

I'm suddenly having thoughts about the fact that what changed everything between them was Nesta's genuine unbridled laughter and one of the things Lucien misses when he thinks of 'home' is Eris's genuine laughter. (not meaning to imply Lucien's having any sexy thoughts about his brother. Maybe a representation of Lucien wishing the people he cared about were safe to feel and express such laughter. Words hard. Thoughts not wording good. I think I remember "Lucien missed his terrible, awful brother" from a snipit)

"She was so fucking gorgeous, and utterly unable to ask for what she wanted. It seemed possible she’d never had the chance." *screaming again*

"Nesta opened her eyes and showed Lucien pure, molten silver fire."

“Absolute authority and eternity should mean something.”

“He pulled away?” Lucien just sounds so, so offended that Cassian pulled away. Like, this dude, this asshole, could have all the Nesta bites in the world and he pulled away. Lucien just trying to reassure Nesta that the biting thing is natural and being like "You can bite me when ever you want" and also being like "Please bite me. please please pretty please."

"Nesta Archeron was not easy, but Lucien thought Andras would have liked her too." T-T

Feyre and Rhysand insisting that humans were under their authority and then proceeding to not really give a shit when Lucien tries to tell them about them.

Feyre only caring about Lucien going to see Elain.

"There was no question as to whether Elain would be present- she did not seem to use her magic for anything but to avoid him, and Lucien couldn’t blame her. There were only so many awkward conversations one could have with someone magic and tradition insisted you want, where absolutely no spark lived- and it remained easier to just go, than fight Feyre."

“If you smell like blood, it’s usually mine and you’re much, much happier.”

Feyre buying Elain a house and painting it completely in nursery colors. Elain and Nesta repainting the rooms Elain actually uses.

“Someday,” Lucien said, leaning down to kiss beneath her ear, “I want you to fuck me.” I think I speak for the whole Lucien fandom when I say that we all want to see Lucien get pegged.

“Do you think,” Lucien asked, “Elain will ever tell Feyre?” “What? That she’s about as romantically inclined toward you as she might be” “A chair? A hunk of stone?”

“For three people obsessed with fucking each other, It is staggering they’ve never managed it, in half a millennia.”

Lucien finding Cassian's fixation/obsession with Nesta uncomfortably familiar. What other man might we know of that's over-controlling and possessive of his powerful wife. gee I wonder. (not)

"You hate it.” “What I like doesn’t matter.” *rage*

"Choking on pollen, stupid Spring cravats, cutting out pieces of himself until there was nothing left. He didn’t need to like Ceylon velvet. Itchy lace. Stag hunts with dogs and horses and arrows, when Lucien had fought wyvern with his bare hands as a boy. He didn’t need to like Tam’s rules or the courtiers jokes, the endless pale fucking roses- Until Lucien had talked himself into walking after Ianthe in that cave, let Tamlin flay him to the bone for disloyalty-" *more rage*

“It matters. Your husband should care to know.”

"But Feyre just laughed, wine glass jaunty in her grip, and admittedly blithely to bumping up against all their shields- Rhysand hadn’t even taught her to keep her magic to herself. Just that power, power, was hers. For the having, and taking." *rage again*

"The North had enough men who used emotion as an excuse- enough faeries in this whole fucking world, who’d made anger a haunting."

"Nesta folded her cheek on top of his head, one of those not quite right, even for High Fae, motions that snuck into her mannerisms when no one was watching, like she didn’t have joints. That Lucien got to see." *That Lucien got to see. That Lucien got to see. THAT LUCIEN GOT TO SEE*

"The sword of a Queen if he’d ever seen one, blade imbued with screaming, forest-fire wild wrath and beautiful for it."

"Lucien had done worse things than say yes, for the hope of belonging." have we rescued our fox baby yet? I think we need to rescue our fox baby.

"One of the things about Feyre that both charmed and wore, as time went on, was that she saw love in an utterly human way. Childlike. Rhysand was her soulmate- her only interest, her sole desire, the best she’d ever have. Lucien had wondered, more than once, if they were even friends."

To Feyre, love was an ending, happy. To an immortal- to perhaps, Nesta Archeron, smiling at him sidelong, it was an open door."

"She would have burnt the sky. If they hadn’t sought out to humiliate her from the start, hated Nesta human before she ever found a power than could cleave forever- she’d set fire to the world, for those she loved. But not for herself. None of them deserved her."

“Earlier. I am usually happier. You make me happy.” *excuse me while I sob*

"All fire wanted, was to be free. To burn."

“You owe me.” Lucien Vanserra said, burnt bright and alive for it, beloved of this place where he’d never been, “So help me.” It would take a High Lord you said? Pardon me, I'll be right back. I'm gonna go traumatize my dad/give him a heart attack.

ANYWAY, lovely story is lovely. I deeply, dearly love all the non-sexual intimacy. The cuddling! The "That Lucien got to see". The *flailing gestures to whole fic* EVERYTHING.

so, anyway, reread hearts <3 <3 <3

(I really need to figure out how to do emojis on my laptop keyboard)

this has filled me with delight and joy!! and fully reminded me how much I love this story <3

thoughts thoughts thoughts: you're poking at one my favorite through-lines, which is that it is an AFFAIR, a sexy sexy affair and they're going at it like crazy, a thing they are both pretending is The Only Thing Happening, when in reality it is...maybe the least important aspect to their relationship from either of their perspectives?

(despite the desperate horniness)

Eris actually shows up next chapter, and continues to be pure comedy.

No, but the laugh thing IS something- Lucien hasn't felt safe in. forever, really. A very, very long time. He's not at a point where he dreams about that for himself. He wants the people he loves to be safe. He's so, so, so deeply sad but he lets himself actually be mad beyond belief over other people. Fox babe IS burning it all to the ground on his way out.

And he just. god, he loves SO HARD.

Enough to reveal that he does know about his secret birthright and just completely shatter Helion's heart in the process, along with committing himself to a full-scale Autumn rebellion, if it gets Nesta out. With the hope that maybe, MAYBE, she'll want to help him...with all that.

[pocketramblr]

For the ask game, how about an au where Aizawa quirk is actually gene manipulation, everyone just assumed it was just quirk nullification cause the quirk factor was the only part he knew much about when he awakened it

Izuku just happens to ask more questions than quirk specialists

Aizawa casually says 'oh yeah, Erasure works by deactivating the plus alpha factor in the target, that's different than these bullets' in the meeting discussing Eri. Izuku is too busy being horrified about the poor kid to really latch on to what his teacher said until later that night. He goes to talk to him, and Aizawa is bracing himself for a repeat of his conversations with the other students and sending him to Hound Dog or All Might. But then Izuku says "hey, did you say your quirk alters a person's dna so it temporarily does not express certain traits??"

Aizawa blinks. "What." Izuku repeats his question. "Uh, yeah, i guess it does- Midoriya what are you doing?" (he's pulling out his notebook and furiously scribbling in it.) Izuku looks up at him and Aizawa (king of 'just shove all the bad emotions too far down to see and never speak about it') decides to indulge the distraction only because he does not want a Kamino 2 Electric Boogaloo. Izuku asks many questions, and Aizawa has answers to about one in three of them.

It goes unmentioned the next day, and Izuku refocuses on Eri. Then its raid time baybey! Annnnnd Aizawa takes a chrono-arrow for Izuku, getting captured. Chronostasis has a reason for keeping him alive, and Aizawa (slowly) tries to get info out. he sadly cannot break Chrono's arms, so he's got to be trickier. he (slowly) says that Chisaki would have just had Chrono shoot and take his quirk if they were worried about fighting it- implying Chrono should have been entrusted with bullets but wasn't- so they must want it. but (he continues, slowly, while Chorno sits bored on his back) between erasure and gene modification, they have what they want from Eri, so why take him too?

Chrono does take a second to go 'wait, gene modification?' because he and Chisaki never were sure how Erasure worked, but he's also not going to give his prisoner answers so he just says 'youre smart enough to know why a backup is still nice to have' and looks around impatiently for a sign that Chisaki won. When he doesn't get it, he shifts and takes Aizawa's knife. Aizawa remembers Izuku's question and thinks 'well. no time like the present' but since he's still blindfolded, he can't look at Chrono and try anything. He can, however, look at himself- as Chrono brings the knife down, he's suddenly impaled by a sword fish and also several hardened spikes sticking out of Aizawa's back which then immediately retreat as he winces- 0/10, do not recommend using your quirk on yourself the first time. His eyes have never burned this much before and that's really saying something.

"What the hell." Suneater barely manages to say as he drags Chrono off, still also holding up Mirio. "Frog girl. how long has your teacher had multiple quirks?" Aizawa gets picked up, answers no questions (he can think later about Izuku's questions on his quirk, or his report on Kirishima's quirk in the last partner project), and goes to erase Eri so Izuku doesnt cease to exist. He does not mention his true power to Mirio- he could, in theory, re-wire permeation into his body, but only until he blinks. He does not re-register his quirk to update the information. However, as he starts training Eri, he also starts practicing to see what else he can do.