#rowaelin kids

[tomtenadia]

Rowaelin Month - day 7

Hi all, a bit late with this but inspiration did not until an hour ago.

It's a very short fic with a lot of fluff. Hopefully you will love it For some reason is very mostly in Rowan's POV.

@rowaelinscourt

THE LUCKY ONE

The room was chaos. Dresses and shoes lay scattered on the bed and floor as if a tornado has swept through the room. That natural disaster was called Aelin and Rowan stared at his wife planted in front of her dresser with a disgruntled expression.

“Fireheart, not to put you any pressure on you, but our taxi will be here in half an hour.”

Rowan was an architect and his firm had won the contract to rebuild the Opera house that had been destroyed ten months prior by a fire. 

That night the place was finally reopening and of course they had been invited. The venue would officially open to the public the following night, that evening was a high end affair with the high end of the society and famous people. 

He was not a big fan of black tie events. He was an introvert. His company had won the contract and then asked some of the best architects to design a new venue. His project had won by a landslide, he got a promotion and became project manager. It had been a dream but he would have been happy to stay in the background and watch people enjoy his vision.

But unfortunately he was meant to go on stage make a speech and cut the ribbon with the mayor.

Aelin, always the extrovert, had been delighted at the idea and of bragging with her friends of how famous her husband was.

But her next grunt made him realise that even Aelin at that point would have gladly stayed at home in sweatpants with their kids and a movie and a lot of ice cream.

Aelin was three months pregnant with their third child and had reached the stage where clothes had stopped fitting.

“ Can I just show up with one of your hockey jersey and sweatpants?”

Rowan walked closer to his wife and puller her to his chest. She was just in his underwear and his hand gently covered the small bump that has just started showing “Fireheart, you are stunning.”

“I am fat.”

A gentle kiss on the spot behind her neck “Get dressed and tonight I will show you how hot I think you are.”

Aelin turned, facing him “you are biased.”

“No, I love you.”

Five minutes later he had manged to help her in a stunning black dress that showed all the curves he loved so very much. He had not lied. She was stunning. Stretch marks and all. 

They were finishing getting ready when the door of their bedroom opened and their two children appeared and Rowan smiled. Maya, their seven years old daughter, was wearing her princess dress with tiara and all. But the best view was Thomas, their five year old son all dressed up with his sister’s princess clothes too. He had a pink fluffy dress with a puffy skirt, a few fake pearl necklaces, clip on earrings and a red hair wig that Maya had used for Halloween. While his sister was wearing a tiara he had a big crown that was too big for him.

“Dada, we are ready too!” Screamed Maya.

“Mama, dada, look! We pwetty!” Thomas added while showing his attire proudly. 

Aelin burst into tears and knelt in front of both of them “you are both stunning, I am sure auntie Lys will give you a wonderful party for tonight.

“No,” said Thomas “We go with mama and dada.”

Rowan sat down near his son “Tom, you and Maya will have to stay with auntie Lys and uncle Aedion tonight. It’s grown up boring party,” explained Rowan who, all of a sudden would have preferred to attend the party his kids had in mind.

“But we dressed up,” protested Maya.

“I know my love,” added Aelin grabbing their kids hands then she looked at Rowan “what about you and Tom plan a party for tomorrow? Dad and I will dress up with you both.”

All of a sudden the kid’s smile grew “can I keep crown?” Asked Thomas timidly.

Rowan hugged his son “anything.”

The two screamed in joy and ran out of the door.

Rowan helped Aelin to stand up and she melted against his chest “Their party sounds much better.”

“I know, Fireheart. Tomorrow.”

“Can I be your queen for a day?”

His mouth met hers “you have been my queen every day since I met you.”

*

The following day the Whitethorn-Galathynius’ household was transformed in a fantasy wonderland. Aelin had transformed in queen and had sat all day on the armchair that Rowan had converted in a throne. He had dressed up as knight and both kids had put up a fashion show. Maya’s room had exploded and all her clothes had been everywhere while she had her brother paraded in front of their parents. It had been the perfect day. Rowan had even let Aelin and Thomas paint his nails while Thomas tried to braid his hair. 

Yes, the event the previous night had been the celebration of a career.

But this, with his family around him, was the only goal he really cared about. 

He stood and grabbed Thomas in his arms, "come on, let’s go and make mama and sis tea and biscuits."

And with his son still dressed like a fairy in his arms he waltzed to the kitchen thinking that he was the luckiest man in Terrasen. 

taglist

@rowaelinismyotp @swankii-art-teacher @whimsicallyreading @elentiyawhitethorn @aelin-bitch-queen @bruiseonthefaceofhumanity  @mis-lil-red @thegreyj @sailorsassley @leiawritesstories @clairec79 @morganofthewildfire @sv0430 @heartless--aromantic @autumnbabylon @rowanaelinn  @susumaus98  @gracie-rosee @mybloodrunsblue @tanvee1231 @avenrebekah @whoever-you-choose-to-love  @theywillnotsingforme @universallytreepost @black-daisy-water @goddess-aelin @whispers-in-the-darkest-heart @lovely-dove-zee @athena127 @mariaofdoranelle @yashiw @renxzs  @aelin-gods-killer

[elidelochans]

Yeah, we never got Rowaelin babies. But we got Ace and Brann. Those boys, those attitudes, those personalities. Yeah that's a Rowaelin bloodline 😂 FOR SURE.

[acourtofquestions]

Aelin.

He had no voice here, but he spoke her name. Threw it across the gulf between them.

Slowly, she turned to him.

It was her face—or it would be in a few years. When she Settled.

But it wasn't the slightly older features that knocked the breath from him.

It was the hand on her rounded belly.

She stared toward him, hair still flowing.

Behind her, four small figures emerged.

Rowan fell to his knees.

The tallest: a girl with golden hair and pine-green eyes, solemn-faced and as proud as her mother. The boy beside her, nearly her height, smiled at him, warm and bright, his Ashryver eyes near-glowing beneath his cap of silver hair.

The boy next to him, silver-haired and green-eyed, might as well have been Rowan's twin.

And the smallest girl, clinging to her mother's legs ... A fine-boned, silver-haired child, little more than a babe, her blue eyes harking back to a lineage he did not know.

Children. His children. Their children.

With another mere weeks from being born.

His family.

The family he might have, the future he might have. The most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

Aelin.

[manonblaqkbeak]

Rowan would invent mother's day for Aelin and no one can change my mind

[sassyhobbits]

"strongest males in the world" to "house husbands" pipeline

i love the idea that, after the war and some kids, rowan and lorcan start to embrace the peace and allow themselves to relax and be soft for the first times in their lives. i hope everyone enjoys these as much as i do❤️

[azrielsbxtch]

Tabrett Bethell really gives me Celeana vibes…

It’s the way you can see the arrogance in her eyes😂I love it

[leiawritesstories]

blood-soaked gown

*clears throat nervously* Welcome to this You're On Your Own, Kid-inspired oneshot! (@house-of-galathynius it's angst monster playtime)

word count: 2.5k

warnings: language, Arobynn, business talk, drunkenness, violence, blood, miscarriage, angst

enjoy (?)

I looked around in a blood-soaked gown

And I saw something they can't take away

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Remind me why exactly we're here again?" Aelin Whitethorn Galathynius whispered into her husband's ear, slipping him a covert little wink.

Rowan's lips twitched with the effort of keeping his polite expression in place. "The usual--workplace expectation, family expectation, you know the drill."

"Ah, the perils of being born into a disgustingly rich family," Aelin murmured, squeezing his arm. "First chance I get, though..."

"I'll be right beside you," her husband promised. "Gods, I might hate these damn parties worse than you."

She chuckled. "That's because you weren't brought up to schmooze, Ro."

"Poor me," he whispered, his voice dropping low. "Having to sip drinks and serve as arm candy for my gorgeous wife all night long."

"You've got a few more uses than that," she teased, winking.

His smirk set fire to the embers pooled low in her belly. "Allow me to show you just that, my love."

"After the dinner, buzzard," she reminded him, giggling softly at his frustrated grumble.

"Fine," he conceded. "But if this thing drags on...we're leaving."

Aelin grinned. "I'll make my excuses." Smoothing one hand down the fine, lustrous silk of her formal gown, the deep pine hue perfectly paired with her husband's eyes, she redirected Rowan over towards the beckoning circle of her parents and a few of their business associates.

"Aelin!" Evalin exclaimed warmly, welcoming her daughter into the cluster of elegantly dressed, fabulously rich business aficionados. "You look stunning, my dear."

"Thank you," Aelin smiled, painting a charming smile across her face despite the faint nausea lingering in the back of her throat and pit of her stomach.

Probably because Arobynn Hamel was there.

A longtime business associate of her parents', Arobynn had long been known to have near-infinite wealth and almost as much affinity for eyeing young women. Aelin had first been introduced to the red-haired man at a gala she'd attended with her parents when she was fifteen. She'd immediately internally recoiled from his oily leer and the way his hand lingered on hers a little too long. And each time she came to a business function, she grew a little more disgusted by the man.

But his apparently endless wealth was well tied into Ashryver-Galathynius Realty, so she gave Arobynn Hamel the same cool, professionally detached treatment she gave to every other business partner and client with whom she met.

"Congratulations, Ms. Galathynius," Arobynn purred, tipping his whiskey glass at her. Aelin's blood froze solid for a moment, until he continued. "Closing that deal with the Cortlands is a remarkable achievement."

Right. The Cortland deal. Aelin inclined her head, smiling modestly. "Well, after enough time, even the Cortlands realized how much of an asset to their business it would be to partner with us."

The Cortlands were an old-money family who'd long been established in the banking business, and they had been Aelin's clients for several months as they looked into purchasing a new property in the sleek new business district in South Orynth. The only catch? They had been trying their very best to swindle one of the company's associates into buying the property for a ridiculously low price, until Aelin stepped in and told Sam Cortland in very few words where he and his dynasty could shove their offer.

Nearly seven months after the Cortlands had approached AG Realty, Aelin had closed a deal on the property, shaking hands with Sam and restraining her triumphant smirk to a pleased smile. That had been a mere week or so ago, so of course the firm and its associates would be hearing about it.

"I'm sure the Cortlands will be a wonderful asset," she added, flicking a knowing glance at her parents.

Rhoe grinned. "My fearsome daughter."

She chuckled. "Hardly, Dad. People are just scared of a woman who knows what she's talking about."

"Quite the threat indeed," Arobynn offered, his gaze a few shades more than could be considered polite.

Aelin restrained herself from stepping on his foot with her stiletto heel as she made her excuses, noticing Elide beckoning her from a short distance away. "Thank you," she murmured to her friend, giving the petite brunette a quick hug.

"Anything to save you from that creep," Elide returned, flicking the blonde a knowing glance. "Having fun, Whitethorn?"

"Shut up," Rowan mumbled, taking a larger-than-necessary swallow of his drink.

Aelin chuckled, sliding her hand back around her husband's arm. "He always has the time of his life at these lovely little parties." She pecked a kiss onto his cheek. "Love, will you get me a drink?"

Thankful to have something to do besides pretend he could tolerate anybody except his wife and the few friends in the room, Rowan strolled over to the bar, pouring Aelin a glass of sparkling cider. Why she preferred to drink something nonalcoholic at these functions, he didn't entirely know.

Though he suspected it may have something to do with how tense she always was around Arobynn Hamel and his disgusting roving eye.

"Here you are, love."

"Thank you." She stole a quick kiss, making Elide flutter her lashes and coo.

"Aww, look at the lovebirds!"

"Quiet," Aelin laughed, "you and that hulking brute of yours are just as bad."

Elide snickered. "It's not my fault Lorcan's a big old softie."

"Bet that's not what you call him in bed," Aelin smirked.

Her friend's face went scarlet. "Aelin!" she whisper-shrieked, smacking the blonde's shoulder. "No!"

"Girls' night never lies," Aelin crooned.

"And what happens at girls' night stays at girls' night," Elide retorted.

"All right, all right." Aelin raised her drink in concession. "I won't say anything else about you and Salvaterre being all sappy." Out of the corner of her eye, she caught yet another senior business partner motioning to her, and sighed. "Once more unto the breach."

"Do you--"

She shook her head, squeezing Rowan's hand. "It's just Darrow and a few of his associates, you can stay here and keep Elide and Lorcan company."

"Thank the gods," Rowan mumbled.

She just chuckled, kissed his cheek, and strolled over to meet Darrow and the few men with him, greeting the man who'd been her business advisor for many years affectionately. "So you need some young ears, hmm?"

"I'm not a fossil yet," Darrow fake-sighed, the lines around his eyes crinkling as he smiled at her. "We just wanted to congratulate you on the Cortland deal."

"Ah, don't make such a fuss about it," she smiled.

The older gentleman shook his head wryly. "Always downplaying your achievements, young one." He patted her shoulder. "Mrs. Whitethorn Galathynius here managed to rope the Cortlands themselves into a deal with AG Realty, can you believe it?"

"Impressive." Dorian Havilliard's dark brows shot up. "And you managed to do this in under two years?"

Aelin laughed quietly. She and the younger Havilliard--a brilliant civil defense attorney--had been friends since they were young. "Seven months, give or take a few days."

Dorian whistled. "Congratulations, then!" He raised his glass to her. "I argued a case for old Cortland several years ago, and let me tell you, the amount of demands that man had almost drove my partners insane."

"Oh, stop flattering me," she laughed, but raised her glass anyway. "Thank you, Dorian."

He winked. "Anything for the future of Orynth's commercial real estate."

She chatted with Dorian, Darrow, and a couple of others for a short while before Evalin came and stole her away to speak with the senior associates of AG Realty. Aelin caught Rowan's eye as she walked with her mother.

Need me? his raised eyebrow asked.

I'll be fine, she returned. Keep Lorcan from drinking too much, yeah?

Will do, Fireheart.

So Aelin sipped on her sparkling cider and chatted with the senior associates and her parents, discussing a few upcoming clients and whether or not they should accept some of the offers that poured in daily. Most notably, Arobynn Hamel was considering buying yet another property in the industrial district.

What that man wanted with so many warehouses, Aelin couldn't even begin to imagine.

"I don't see any reason why we shouldn't move forward with that deal," Rhoe mused. "He's always been a credible buyer, never misses payments or defaults on anything."

"What about the..." Evalin lowered her voice, keeping their conversation private. "What about that article?"

Two weeks ago, the Orynth Journal, which was admittedly a tabloid at best, had published an article that almost instantly went viral. In it, they claimed to have evidence linking Arobynn Hamel and his holdings in the industrial district to an international drug trafficking ring. Of course, since it was tabloid journalism, the reliability of this "evidence" had to be questioned, but still--was there any truth to it?

When privately questioned, Arobynn had--of course--denied all of it, maintaining his sleek professional exterior and, apparently, putting AG Realty enough at ease that they decided to dismiss the rumors as the workings of the tabloids. Aelin still had her suspicions, given that the man was a certified creep, but she deferred to her parents' judgment. She wouldn't raise too many questions, not unless some new information that cast true suspicion onto Arobynn came into light.

"We agreed that was all tabloid nonsense," Darrow reminded Evalin, though there was a hint of concern buried in his keen gaze.

"I know," Evalin sighed. "Very well, then. We can negotiate the deal with him when--"

"FUCK OFF!" The slurred yell completely shattered the elegant mood of the evening.

Horrified, everyone whirled around, finding Arobynn Hamel with a half-empty bottle of Scotch clutched in his hand, a glazed sheen of obvious drunkenness in his eyes and a sneer on his face.

His yell had been directed at Dorian, who held up his hands in a placating gesture. "No, Mr. Hamel, you misunderstand! I am not--I would never accuse you of anything illicit without proof!"

"Fuckin' lyin' lawyers," Arobynn growled, anger flaring in his posture.

Slowly, Dorian backed away from Arobynn, careful not to say anything lest he set off the drunk man's rage. Just as slowly, a few others approached Arobynn, gingerly offering to make him another drink, to get him some water, anything to defuse the situation.

"Don't fucking offer me water, you cock!" Arobynn snarled, whirling sharply about to rage at Darrow, who'd made that offer.

CRASH!

In his clumsy turnaround, Arobynn smashed the bottle of Scotch against the bar top, littering shards of broken glass atop the bar and leaving him with a broken bottle top clutched in his hand.

"Mr. Hamel--"

As if realizing he now held a weapon, Arobynn brandished the broken bottle at Darrow, all semblance of sanity drained out of his wild eyes. "Fuck off, Darrow."

"Arobynn." Aelin broke into the tense standoff, matching the drunk man's crazed look with her steel will. "Put down the bottle, gods dammit!"

"Don't tell me what to do, bitch," Arobynn snarled.

Aelin's glare intensified. "You want your new warehouse, don't you?"

A brief, charged moment of silence.

"Bitch," Arobynn hissed, but he released the bottle.

CRASH. It shattered all over the floor, shards splintering up into the air and clinking in discordant symphony against the polished marble flooring.

Aelin winced as something bumped into her stomach--probably just a stray elbow as everyone around Arobynn collectively rushed backwards, out of range of the glass. Behind her back, she gave the prearranged signal to her parents, clasping her fingers together.

Call security.

The building's security personnel were in the room only minutes later, swiftly and efficiently subduing Arobynn and escorting him out, most likely to spend a night in the loving embrace of the Orynth Police Department.

"Everyone all right?" Aelin asked, brushing her hands against her gown, feeling the oddest sticky-wet sensation. Huh. Probably liquor from the mess.

Nods and murmurs of "yes, I'm okay," rippled through the guests.

Until Dorian gasped sharply, his sapphire gaze trained on Aelin's stomach. "Fuck!"

"What?" She glanced down at her gown, wondering what the hell had gotten into her friend.

And gasping, the color draining from her face.

Apparently, it hadn't been an elbow bumping into her, but a stray shard of broken glass.

Her breath breaking, shuddering, Aelin touched her fingertips to the warmth spreading over her stomach and pulled them away slowly, almost unable to believe the dripping crimson stain. Blood, some faraway part of her brain realized. My blood.

And as her legs quavered and failed beneath her, Aelin Whitethorn Galathynius could only form one thought. Her eyes shot across the room to a lock onto the pine green gaze latched onto her, her heart constricting at the sheer depth of shock and pain etched into her husband's eyes.

“Rowan…”

The only thing she could think, the only thing keeping her rooted to the ground as she splayed one hand over her stomach, over the thick dark pool of blood welling there, the scarlet stain seeping into the fine silk of her evening gown.

“Rowan….I’m pregnant.”

And then everything went black.

~

Aelin blinked awake slowly, like she was rising up from a bath of molasses, her head fuzzy and disoriented. Slowly, the room around her came into focus--an IV coiling out of her arm, the steady beep of machines tracking her heart rate and pulse and oxygen level, the slightly uncomfortable bed, the cotton fabric against her skin, the firm warm pressure of Rowan's hand in hers.

She was in the hospital.

"Rowan," she croaked, her voice a bare rasp, turning her head to meet his broken gaze. "Ro..."

"You're going to be okay, Fireheart," he rasped, not bothering to try and mask the tears choking his face, his voice.

Ignoring the agony that sliced through her whole self, she gripped his hand and swung herself out of the bed, suddenly desperate, flattening her other hand atop her stomach. "Our baby, Rowan," she gasped.

Her husband's veneer of calmness cracked, splitting down the seams, and his shoulders heaved with a choked sob. "They--Aelin, they said you--miscarried." He could barely get the last words out.

"No." She shook her head, dropped his hand, wrapped her arms around her middle reactively, protectively. Her whole body screaming with the effort, with the pain, she took one searing step after another until she reached the mirror over the sink and stared into her pale, shell-shocked reflection.

Familiar heat bloomed at her stomach, her disoriented stumbling having torn her stitches, letting the deathly rose of her blood bloom across her abdomen. The blood seeped through the bandages, through the thin cotton hospital gown, soaking her hands with the heat of her own life.

Words failing her, Aelin stared at herself in the mirror, captivated and horrified by the broken, bleeding woman who stared back, a chasm of unspeakable pain yawning in her eyes.

And as the nurses who'd come rushing when Rowan pressed the call button caught her, murmuring soothing words into her ear, and injected something that slowed her pulse to drugged sleep into her IV drip, Aelin tilted her head back and released a scream that clawed up and out of her throat from the shattered coffin of her womb.

They can't take my child. The last thing she remembered thinking before the pull of the sedative claimed her.

They will never take my child.

~~~

A/N: if you thought bit at the end resembled Rhaenyra in HOTD no it didn't ;))

~~~

TAGS (please lmk if you want to be added/removed!)

@charlizeed

@cretaceous-therapod

@clea-nightingale

@autumnbabylon

@nerdperson524

@fireheartwhitethorn4ever

@morganofthewildfire

@rowanaelinn

@wesupremeginger

@stardelia

@shanias-world

@mybloodrunsblue

@swankii-art-teacher

@wordsafterhours

@cookiemonsterwholovesbooks

@violet-mermaid7

@holdthefrickup

@goddess-aelin

@rowaelinismyotp

@dealfea

@irondork

@elentiyawhitethorn

@live-the-fangirl-life

@darling-im-the-queen-of-hell

@chronicchthonic14

@lovely-dove-zee

@sweet-but-stormy

@hanging-from-a-cliff

@jorjy-jo

@rowaelinrambling

@thegreyj

@silentquartz

@backtobl4ck

@throneofus7

@elizarikaallen

@llyncooljones

@booknerdproblems

@julemmaes

@earthtolinds

[talkfantasytome]

Elf on a Shelf

Rowan and Aelin love the Elf on a Shelf tradition. Because isn't life more fun when you make everything a competition?

Warnings: None | Word Count: 2,485 | Read on AO3 | ToG Masterlist

Happy Yulemas @julemmaes!!! Hope you enjoy! 💕 Your comments on what you like were really helpful! Though, admittedly, I did actually start an entirely different story that, after about 2k+ words written, I realized was not going to hit your asks as much as I wanted to. 🙈 I so rarely write established relationships and stuff with kids, so really hope I did it justice here for you! 💕

Rowan paused to admire the bouncing locks of golden hair. Their soft curl swayed with Aelin's head as she finished cleaning the dishes.

It was the perfect view after the struggle of putting their girls to bed.

He'd literally had to fight Ollie into her pajamas, and Ellie refused to leave the bathtub until the water began to chill. And then came the saga of the prune-fingers. It took the promise of an extra story to keep her from screaming and sobbing about the wrinkles until Aelin came up.

For such an ardent believer of Santa Claus, she sure was skeptical when Rowan promised her fingers would be back to normal in the morning.

But, after two stories and extra bedtime kisses, the twin girls were snuggled in their beds, silver-star night light on, and a bell hung on the shut door to ensure they didn't sneak out again.

That was something they'd started the year before, after one too many nights catching their girls sneaking down stairs to try and catch the elf leaving to report to Santa. It worked most nights, though on Christmas Eve all bets were off. Last year they told the girls that Santa would take back the presents if they caught him - it didn't stop them. Rowan and Aelin still hadn't figured out what they'd try this year to keep them in their room.

Smiling to himself, Rowan tiptoed toward his wife. Ever so carefully, he wrapped his arms around her waist and bent down, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Surely the dishes are clean enough," he sighed, giving her a quick kiss on the neck.

Aelin chuckled softly leaning back against him. "Blame the man who cooks using a thousand pots and pans."

"You weren't complaining when you helped yourself to seconds of tonight's pasta."

Finishing with the last dish and turning off the sink, Aelin pivoted in his arms and breathed, "Well, it was very good." She grinned widely at him and brought her arms up to his shoulder, linking her hands behind his neck.

Aelin leaned in closer and a tingle traveled down Rowan's spine. "Are you ready?" she whispered into his ear.

Rowan grinned widely at her. "Close your eyes." She gave those bright, turquoise irises a big roll before adhering to the request.

They detached and Rowan went to grab the elf. The silver-haired elf - bought by Aelin specifically for him because it matched his hair - was still laying in a banana suit by the bananas. A masterful placement. It had taken the girls all morning before school to find him. They were actually almost late because of it. But that always seemed to happen when it was Aelin's turn to hide the elf.

No matter what, his wife always thought of the perfect spot to place the elf. Each one harder to find than the last. They'd been timing every morning, and literally each time she hid the elf, the time to find increased. Rowan's, on the other hand, had been decreasing.

Ollie found it in less than five minutes the day before.

He thought he'd been so clever, hiding the elf in plain sight, but not in a typical spot. The glass cabinet where they keep their glassware seemed perfect. It only holds the fancy glasses, and sits over a part of the kitchen counter only used when he's using the mixer. No one spends much time over there. He'd snuggled the elf comfortably into a crystal bowl they had, making him look like he was laying in a tub, and that was that.

Aelin still wasn't letting him live it down.

"I don't know why you bother!" she called from where she stood in the kitchen, a hand over her eyes to keep her from peeking. "You'll never find a better hiding spot than me."

"Yeah, yeah," Rowan mumbled as he made his way toward the tree.

There was a good chance Aelin was right. She was a genius at this, especially considering their main rule: the elf's face - at the least - must be visible without moving or needing to open any items. No hiding him in the refrigerator or the stockings, or underneath the mail. It made the task exceedingly difficult, as every idea Rowan came up with seemed obvious to him.

But not tonight. Tonight he was sure he had the right idea.

Getting on a step stool and reaching up, Rowan adjusted the elf so that it was hugging the star atop their tree from behind, the little head poking out between two of the points. It took him a minute to get the arms and legs just right, but when he stepped back it looked perfect.

The tree was large enough that, even with a stool, only Rowan was tall enough to reach the top. And with the elf having hidden on the tree just a few days before, he was certain the girls wouldn't think to look there again so soon. Plus, the tree was decorated with bright, colorful lights and big, flashy ornaments - a lot of distractions to get past before one's eyes would reach the star.

Ever so carefully, Rowan folded up and put the step stool away. He then tiptoed past the kitchen and began stomping and opening and closing doors loudly on the other side of the house, near one of the powder rooms and his office. Just in case she was listening closely.

Only after he made a proper raucous did Rowan make his way back into the kitchen. "All done."

"You know you don't have to try and trick me. I'm allowed to know where you hid the elf," she teased.

Rowan chuckled softly and leaned his hands on the counter as he threw back, "Alright, tell me where you're going to put it tomorrow night, then."

Her turquoise eyes narrowed at him, marking the shit-eating grin he was wearing. Aelin pursed her lips and crossed her arms like a stubborn child. He only smiled wider, stepping toward her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "I don't know yet."

"I'll make you a deal. You tell me tomorrow night, and I'll tell you the next."

"You're such a child," she sighed. Rowan went to open his mouth, but before he could say anything she added, "And if you say 'takes one to know one', I'm going to eat the rest of the chocolate-hazelnut ice cream and keep you up all night." She held an extended pointer finger toward him to emphasize her point.

Leaning down, Rowan brushed his lips against hers. "That wouldn't be the worst thing."

Slapping her hand lightly against his chest, Aelin groaned, "Then I'll send you straight to bed now. No dessert."

Rowan pushed his lower lip out, but could barely hold the pout, a laugh breaking through as Aelin held her 'stern' face. She was always so adorable when pretending to be mad at him. Actual anger was another story, but this - she reminded him of a kitten. He gave her a quick kiss to the top of her head and then walked to the refrigerator.

"How about we meet in the middle?" he suggested, bending over to open the freezer and pull out the ice cream. "Eat a normal amount of ice cream, and maybe we do some present wrapping. We've got a lot to wrap this year."

"Only because you spoil the girls."

"We spoil them," he argued. "I wasn't the one who bought Ollie that fancy doll house, or that massive track for the toy cars for Ellie."

Aelin shook her head and snagged the ice cream carton from Rowan. "And I didn't buy them each little cars they can actually drive."

"You know as well as I do that I couldn't just get one. Could you imagine the chaos and fighting?"

He watched his wife scoop some ice cream into a bowl as she huffed out a laugh. The corner of her lips curled slightly, a secret agreement. Rowan couldn't help himself. He sidled close to her and stroked her cheek gently. "You gave birth to two little Aelin-clones," he whispered, unable to hide his own smile.

She leaned into the touch, her eyes finding his. As Rowan always did, he dove headfirst into her gaze, into the sparkling waters and golden ring of sand. It warmed his entire body, gazing into Aelin's stare, and by the flush in her cheeks, he knew it was doing the same to her. It was enough to freeze him in place, his mind wandering to all the things he could be doing with and to his wife at that moment. But she'd never forgive him for letting her ice cream go to waste.

"You're right. I would never have let Aedion drive it if we'd been given a car like that as kids," she admitted.

"I know." He gave her cheek one last stroke and then stepped away, putting the carton of ice cream away and grabbing out the whipped cream for her as she grabbed the chocolate syrup from the cabinet. "You know, ice cream can be great without all the toppings."

"Says the man who only ever eats plain vanilla bean. Ice cream is always better as a sundae." She all but dumped the bottle of syrup onto the ice cream, and then topped it with an exuberant whipped cream swirl.

Twelve years together. Nine years married. Aelin still hasn't gotten over Rowan's distaste for most sweets. There was even a moment when they were first dating when Rowan thought it was going to be a deal-breaker…until Aelin told him he was being an idiot and she'd just have to learn how to enjoy all the sweets being for her.

What a sacrifice.

He put the whipped cream back in the fridge and then grabbed the bowl before Aelin could get a bite, eliciting a rather loud protest from Aelin. "In the living room."

Using the ice cream, he led his wife through the house, setting the bowl down on an end table next to their plush sofa. Rowan then got to work, grabbing the wrapping paper and gifts out from the closet under the stairs. They were going to need to find a better hiding spot. Or get a high-security lock for it. Rowan doubted they had more than a year or two before their girls started actively searching for their gifts.

It was slow work, wrapping the gifts. He was never satisfied unless the folds and corners were absolutely perfect. But it was better doing it alone. Aelin's presents always looked like…well, like their daughters had wrapped them. Even when she added a big bow to try and hide the imperfections. Easier to just have him do it, than to end up wasting paper when he'd inevitably re-do the gifts she wrapped.

"What a great way to end the night," Aelin sighed as Rowan cut down a roll of paper. "Ice cream and a view."

"Glad I can entertain."

"Mmmm." Rowan chuckled at Aelin's hum and then looked over his shoulder, his wife's eyes drooping.

By the time he'd finished with the gift, she was fast asleep. A bit of quick cleanup and re-hiding the gifts, and Rowan was holding Aelin close, carrying her up to their room.

He had to wake her up to get her into her pajamas, but within another five minutes she was dressed and in bed, passed out to the world.

Rowan watched her as he brushed his teeth. And when he came back into the bedroom after changing into his own pajama pants, he walked to her side first. Her hair was sprawled out across the pillow, but her features were relaxed. No worry lines or furrowed brows, no noticeable cares in her cheeks, no worries at her lips. He wished he could know what was going on in her head while she slept. It must've been glorious.

He brushed some of her hair out of her face and then walked around the bed to his side. He snuggled in close to her, wrapping his arms around her as he spooned Aelin. She probably couldn't feel him at this point, but that didn't stop him from giving her a quick kiss on her shoulder before resting his head on his pillow and letting sleep take him, too.

Rowan was still heavy with sleep as he made his coffee the next morning.

Half-way through the mug, but it wasn't the caffeine that finally full woke him. It was the pitter patter of little feet running down the stairs.

He smiled to himself, slowly walking to meet his daughters by the stairs. He wanted to watch them frantically search the house. To hear the little complaints about needing to take a break from searching to get ready for school.

It was exciting. And he was getting his lips ready to grin widely at Aelin when-

"Oh my gosh, look how cute!" Ellie called as she stepped off the stairs and into the living room. "The elf is on the star!"

Rowan nearly dropped his mug as his girls crowded around the tree, staring up at the topper and the little elf attached to it. The back of those little blonde heads stared at him, the curls waving as the girls swayed and giggled, waving up at the elf.

He felt delicate arms snake around his waist and a kiss that couldn't hide her smirk against his back.

"How do they do that?" he whispered, still frozen in shock.

Two seconds. It took his daughters two damn seconds to find the elf.

Aelin chuckled against his shirt. "They're clever. Just like their dad."

"Cleverer than that, apparently," he huffed. He glared up at the stupid elf, and he could've sworn it was mocking him. That little smile was just a taunt, reminding him he absolutely sucked at hiding the elf.

Brushing her hands up Rowan's arms, Aelin said, "You'll get them next time."

Rowan shook his head. "Next time they'll probably find it in one second."

Moving around Rowan, Aelin was now in front of him, hands interlocked behind his neck, eyes soft as she looked into his. "Then next year. You have eleven months to plot out your hiding spots."

Rowan huffed out a laugh and leaned his forehead against hers, breathing in her lemon verbena scent like it was his source of life. "Next year. Or the year after that. Or the one after that. I've got all the time in the world to finally beat you at this."

"Our girls are going to grow out of this eventually."

"Then maybe we talk about having another," Rowan suggested softly, only realizing as he said it that it wasn't entirely a joke.

Aelin beamed brightly up at him and pushed herself onto her toes, bringing her lips to his. "Maybe we do."

@danibutterr @boredserpent @thestoriesyoutell @superspiritfestival @lemonade-coolattas @thegreyj @live-the-fangirl-life @morganofthewildfire @backtobl4ck @nesquik-arccheron @sayosdreams @autumnbabylon @charlizeed @rowaelinyulemasswap

[charincharge]

IDWTW snippet? If your have one please and thank you

You've been so much more than patient, so here you go. I feel awful that I haven't been able to write and post etc etc. Here's a snippet from the next chapter of IDWTW for anyone out there who is still interested.

IDWTW, 67 (TEASER)

“I walked in on my dad and one of my dance teachers after the senior ski trip,” she blurted out.

Even in the dark, half-lit stairwell, Aelin could see Lysandra’s cheeks bloom with a deep blush as a wry smile appeared on her face. “Like, walked in walked in?

Aelin groaned. “YES.”

Lysandra choked back a laugh… poorly. It bubbled up in her nose, releasing a half-laugh, half-snort that even Aelin couldn’t help but be amused at, despite the circumstances.

“Oh my GOD.” Lys’s nose crinkled, and she fell to her knees completely as her shoulders shook with laughter.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” Aelin said, but secretly she was pleased to see Lysandra’s face light up with such amusement. She hadn’t seen a smile like that from her friend in longer than she could remember.

“Wait, I’m sorry, I will continue [REDACTED] for you in one second, but you have to give me some details,” Lysandra said, falling from her knees to slink onto the floor. Aelin grumbled but sat across from her friend, knees almost touching as they flanked the sides of the stairwell, smiling at each other.

She told Lysandra the whole story — from her own sex high to walking into her home and crashing her dad’s sexcapades to Petrah’s awkward escape — and Lys laughed wildly at every detail until she was gasping for air, unfiltered joy and delight shaking through her shoulders. 

“I mean, we all knew Rhoe fucked,” Lys cackled, causing Aelin to smack her friend’s knee. 

“EW! That is my dad,” she said, fake heaving.

“He’s a hot, hot firefighter dad, though,” Lys said, her eyebrows wiggling. “Or should I say… daddy.” Lysandra smirked.

“Lysandra Caverre,” Aelin said succinctly. “I swear to god I will vomit straight on you,” she said.

Aelin tried to be serious, but Lysandra’s smile pushed them both over the edge into another fit of giggles. They laughed and laughed, releasing the tension that had been hovering around them like a thick blanket all night, officially removing all traces of formality until tears tracked down the girls’ cheeks.

[myfriendscallmeraba]

HoFaS spoilers

So you’re telling me that in another world

AELINS FREAKING BLOODLINE AND RHYSAND FREAKING BLOODLINE

mated

The two bloodlines that gave the universe two of the most powerful beings run years and years gave us Ruhn and Lidia AND THEYRE MATES

Daaaaaaamn I do not know how to process

Tho I do wanna comment that it fees like al the fanfics and head canons of shipping the feysand and rowaelin kids😂

[swankii-art-teacher]

Too many tears today... nearly every fic read today had tears rolling, this was no exception... so sad for both of them...

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You're On Your Own, Kid

Part 1

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CW: mentions of cancer, implications of prostitution, mention of death, implications of child abuse

~ 10k words

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Now

Rifthold was overwhelming. That was Rowan Whitethorn’s first thought when he’d entered the city. Coming from such a small town, tiny Perranth in the middle of nowhere in Terrasen, it was a big change. He’d never seen a skyscraper before then, and he’d certainly never seen so many of them clustered in one place.

He’d driven all the way from Perranth with all of his stuff stuffed in the back of his car, and he felt oddly out of place in the downtown traffic, commuting to his new apartment while everyone else was commuting to work. 

At the age of 25, Rowan could admit to the fact that he’d never left the radius of fifty miles around his hometown. He’d been born there, he’d grown up there, he’d gone to college as close as possible, and to the law school there after that. After his dad had left, good riddance, his mom was raising him by herself, and there hadn’t been enough money to go around for any sort of fancy vacations.

He’d never minded. 

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t a little out of his depth as he entered a real city for the first time. 

Rowan had been content to stay in his little town forever, but the job offer in Rifthold right after college had been too tempting to deny. The money was too good; especially with his mom’s diagnosis. He wanted to support her as much as he could, even if it meant leaving her.

In fact, the first thing he’d done when he’d gotten into his apartment was call her. He’d facetimed her as he opened the door, giving her a little tour of the new place. It was small, and cramped, but it was a good location and an easy walk to his new office. 

His mom had been excited for him, but tired from her round of chemo that day. Rowan had hated that he couldn’t be there for her, but he just reminded himself that every day spent here was more money that could go back to her to help save her life. And that made it all worth it.

But he’d begun to feel a little bit suffocated in the apartment, so after getting all of his stuff in, he decided to go for a walk around the area. 

And out on the street - it was a whole different world.

The door of his apartment building nearly clipped his heels as he paused in the entryway, looking out at the bustling crowd of pedestrians on the sidewalk. Cars were honking, people were talking, the general chaos and noise of the populated city was overwhelming, but Rowan just breathed in and turned to the right.

He didn’t have any particular destination, but maybe he’d stop for some coffee somewhere. The seasons were slowly changing from fall into winter, and though it wasn’t as cold here as it was in Perranth, there was still an icy breeze in the air. A hot coffee would do him some good, especially if he was going to get all his shit unpacked and ready before his first day of work the next day.

“Watch where you’re going,” a man said gruffly as they nearly ran into each other, and Rowan just blinked at him before continuing to head down the street. 

“Okay then,” he huffed under his breath, tucking his hands in his coat pocket. He continued walking down the sidewalk, glancing around at the various buildings. He’d already passed one coffee shop, but he wasn’t ready to stop yet, so he kept going. There were several office buildings around too, with people in business attire entering and exiting, coming back from their lunch breaks or going on their lunch breaks. It was about that time.

That would be his life starting tomorrow. Corporate heaven. Or corporate hell. Rowan hadn’t decided.

He was excited to be a lawyer, that’d been his dream. But he’d always pictured himself in a small town like Perranth, helping protect people like his mother from men like the man who’d once been his father. Or helping kids with no one there for them in the world, stuck in a shitty situation with a shitty excuse of a foster parent. He wanted to be there for them. 

But this would do for now.

Maybe the thought had manifested it. Maybe thinking of her for the first time in a long time, having shoved aside the memories for his own sanity, had made the fates laugh at him. Maybe, maybe, maybe. He didn’t know. 

But he did know that once he got to an intersection, stopping at the No Walking sign, his life took a turn in a direction he wasn’t expecting. 

He’d stopped there at the front of the crowd, on the edge of the street, looking idly at the sidewalk on the other side, at the feet of the crowd across the way.

And that’s how he saw the shoes first.

They were a sleek pair of black suede heeled boots, partially hidden beneath a pair of sleek dark red trousers. Rowan’s gaze followed the legs of those trousers up, seeing a tight black turtleneck and a warm looking black coat. It was a stylish outfit, from what he knew about women’s clothes, but there was something familiar about the body adorned by the outfit. 

And his breath caught as he lifted his head up just that little bit more. 

Blonde hair, gelled back in a sleek low bun. Tan skin that he had touched just once, and had longed to touch again. And turquoise eyes, ringed with gold, that were so damn familiar. 

Rowan could only stare at the sight of the woman across the street. Because she was no longer the girl he hadn’t said goodbye to eight years ago. No. But she was still undoubtedly Aelin Galathynius.

She hadn’t seen him yet, looking down at her phone in her hand, typing away with her thumb gliding across the screen. But Rowan couldn’t tear his eyes away. Even as the signal changed and the crowd brushed past him, he didn’t move. Not as Aelin got closer and closer, crossing the street elegantly in her heels.

He could tell the exact moment she noticed him, because she stumbled just a tiny bit, her tan face turning pale. 

She mouthed his name, like she couldn’t believe it, hesitating in the middle of the road. 

It was only when a car honked that they broke their stare, Aelin shaking her head as she broke the haze, hurrying off the street.

And closer to him.

“Aelin,” he breathed, when she was a few feet away, safely on the sidewalk with him, a new bustle of people passing by. He hadn’t said her name in years.

“Rowan Whitethorn?” She asked, pressing a hand to her chest. “What are you doing here?”

“I work here now,” he said, shaking his head a bit bewildered. “What are you doing here?” 

Aelin pursed her lips, dropping her hand back down to her side. “I’ve been here,” she answered, with a small, fluid shrug. “For - eight years.”

The words hit a sore spot, and all he could do was nod briefly. He didn’t even know what to say. What to do. He’d been dreaming about seeing her again ever since she left, but now that she was here, the words failed him.

It seemed it was the same for her, and they stood in awkward silence for a moment until her phone rang.

“Shit,” she cursed with exasperation under her breath as she looked at the screen, before looking back up at him apologetically. “I have to go.” She began to lift the phone to her ear, stepping past him, but he grabbed her arm lightly.

“Wait,” he said, feeling the electric jolt that went with touching her race through him. She paused, looking back at him cautiously. “Can we meet tomorrow? For coffee or something?” 

He needed to see her again. He couldn’t let her go again. 

Aelin hesitated, and his heart raced in anticipation, but she eventually nodded, reaching into her jacket pocket. She returned with a pen and a receipt, scrawling down something on the back of it before passing it to him.

“Here,” she said, stepping back once. “Text me later and we’ll plan something.” She smiled wistfully as she took another step, lifting the phone to her ear once again. “It’s good to see you.” 

She was gone before he got the chance to say it back.

------

Eighteen Years Ago

Aelin Galathynius met Rowan Whitethorn when she was seven years old. She was a sprightly little child, everyone used to say so, but the first time she’d seen him, she’d been frowning.

She hadn’t smiled in a few months, ever since she’d moved. What was she supposed to smile about? Now that her mom and dad were - gone.

She didn’t really know what had happened, no one would say it to her. Not the doctor at the hospital, not the nice lady she’d gone with after, and not the man she was staying with now. She didn’t like that man. She’d just moved in with him, moving away from Orynth and to this tiny town in the middle of nowhere, and all he’d done since was scowl.

He looked mean when he scowled. 

She’d heard the man and the nice woman talking before she was shuffled into this new house. She’d only caught a few words, something about “foster care” and “dead.” She didn’t really know what that meant for her, but she did know she was in a new place, with no one she knew, with a mean man who’d shut her in her new bedroom for hours the first day she was there.

It was a fine room, or it would be when she hung up some drawings, but she liked the park down the street better. There was a swing there, and even though she was only seven, Arobynn let her go whenever she wanted. 

The day she met Rowan Whithethorn she was out at the park. She’d been swinging back and forth, kicking a rock on the ground idly and watching as the sun started to sink lower and lower. It made the sky red, and it was really pretty to watch. She loved red.

There’d been a group of boys throwing around a football on the other side of the park, and it looked like fun but she just stayed in her swing watching from a distance. Until - someone threw the ball too far and it landed with a thunk near her. Aelin glanced at it, wondering if she should bring it back to them, but she didn’t even move before a boy was running over.

Her first thought was how strange his hair was, how silvery it looked in the sunset even though he couldn’t be any older than her. Only old people had silver hair. And she told him so.

“Why does your hair look like that?” Aelin asked, looking at him as he picked up the ball. The boy stood up straight, looking at her oddly. He was a few feet away from her, but she didn’t back down, dragging her sneakered foot through the mulch to push herself back and forth. 

“What do you mean?” He asked, and she waved a hand.

“It’s so - shiny,” she said, not able to find a better word to describe it. The boy frowned, reaching for his hair. And he looked so taken off guard and vulnerable that Aelin suddenly felt bad. “I like it,” she added, shrugging. The boy’s cheeks reddened. 

“Whitethorn!” Another boy shouted from back on the other side of the park. He looked older, and mean, and Aelin just watched as the silver haired boy ran back toward the group. 

She stayed in the swing for another half hour or so, just watching from all the way across the park. She wasn’t needed anywhere anyway. Aelin had only been in Perranth for a week or so, but she’d already learned how things were going to be with the mean man. 

She woke up alone, she got her own cereal, she got her own lunch, she entertained herself all afternoon, got her own dinner, and then made sure to go to bed before he started drinking. Aelin didn’t really know what he drank, but she knew it made him even meaner, and she just wanted to stay out of his way.

So she stayed out at the park. It was summertime, so there was no school and it was warm, not like the cold winter months back in Orynth. A wave of sadness rushed through her and she slowed to a stop, staring at her foot. 

Her parents never drank that dark stuff. They always made her food and made sure she got to bed on time. Her mom always tucked her into bed and read her a story, showering her with a thousand kisses before finally saying goodnight. She wouldn’t be alone on this swing, her dad would be pushing her, pushing her higher and higher until she was sure she was going to flip all the way over. But he’d always be there to catch her.

Now it was just her.

She sniffed, fighting the tears pricking her eyes. She hadn’t cried once since they’d gone, but she didn’t know much longer she’d be able to hold it back.

“Are you okay?” A voice reached her ears, and she looked up, seeing the boy from earlier. Whitethorn.

“What do you care,” she said dismissively, wiping at her face. 

“Want to play football?” He asked, holding up the ball, and she glanced around, seeing that everyone else had left. 

“I don’t know how,” Aelin said, narrowing her eyes. He just shrugged.

“I can teach you,” he said, holding out a hand. She stared at it for a second before reaching out, letting him help her off the swing. “What’s your name?”

“Aelin,” she said hesitantly, wiping her eyes again. 

“I’m Rowan,” he said, “it’s nice to meet you.”

And so began her first real friendship, and one that certainly changed her life.

-----

Now

Rowan hadn’t stopped staring at the clock for the past hour. It’d been a day since he’d seen Aelin again, and ever since then he’d been counting down the hours until he was supposed to meet her. 

He’d sent her a text the evening before, after writing and rewriting it about five times, and she’d responded back fairly quickly, arranging a time to meet for coffee the next day.

He’d been unsettled and unfocused the whole first day at his job, learning the ropes of what he was doing for the firm before getting shown his miniscule office. There wasn’t much on his agenda yet, so all he did was set up his little corner, and stare at the clock.

And when the short hand hit four and the big hand hit twelve, he shut his laptop, sliding it into his bag and immediately leaving his office. No one questioned him as he left the building, merely nodding at the receptionist on his way out. 

He was meeting Aelin at a coffee shop not too far away from his office, so when he got out onto the street, it was a quick walk. But his heart was pounding the whole way there, his palms sweating. 

The place was quaint, but homey, and it felt very Aelin. He could understand why she’d selected it. Was it a favorite of hers? He didn’t know. He didn’t know anything about her anymore.

After ordering and collecting his coffee, he smiled thinly as he spotted her sitting down at a table already, nursing her own steaming cup of coffee. Was it hazelnut? Had her favorite coffee at least stayed the same?

“Rowan,” she said when he got closer, smiling and standing up out of her chair. He didn’t know what to expect until she tugged him in for a hug, pulling him close. Rowan was shocked, but hugged her back after a moment, holding her for the first time in eight years. Gods he’d missed her.

Eventually she pulled back, beaming up at him. It was the same smile she’d always had, and he’d say she was the same except for the light inside her eyes. Despite her horrible upbringing, there’d always been light. Now, those beautiful blue eyes were dim. 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a proper greeting earlier,” she said, sitting back down. He sat across from her. “I had an urgent phone call.” She tilted her head, blonde hair sliding over her shoulder. He couldn’t get over how much older she looked, though she was older. She’d been seventeen the last time he’d seen her, before she’d left, and now she was twenty five, much different than the teenager he’d known.

He’d cared so deeply for her, the wound had almost been unmanageable when she left. Even now, it was still a gaping hole in his chest. His best friend; it was good to see her again.

“How are you?” She asked, propping her head up on her chin. “I have to say I’m a little surprised to see you in a city this big. Aren’t you afraid of them?” The words could’ve been offensive if not for the teasing in her voice. 

He huffed a chuckle. “I got a job here,” he answered, gesturing out the window. “At a commercial law firm.” 

“Really?” Her brows shot up. “Why did you leave Perranth? I thought you were going to stay there forever.” She looked down at her coffee, her voice taking on a new edge at the words.

His heart sank and he smiled thinly, saddened at the words he was about to say. “It’s my mom,” he said, not looking at Aelin. “She’s sick. Cancer. This job offered a better pay, so more money for her treatment.” 

“Oh gods,” his best friend said, “I’m so sorry.” He looked up, seeing her eyes so full of sorrow, her hand pressed to her chest like she could contain all of her emotions. “Your mother is an amazingly strong woman, if anyone can beat it, she can.” 

It was words he’d told himself over and over again, but they felt more true coming from her. 

But all he could do was nod idly, taking a sip of his own coffee. 

“How are you?” He asked after a moment, turning her own question back on her. “What are you up to here in Rifthold?” 

“Oh, you know how I am,” she said, shaking her head. “Always chugging along.” He narrowed his eyes, but didn’t press her on it. She would talk if she ever wanted to. If not - well it wasn’t his place anymore. 

“So,” she said after a few beats of awkward silence. “How is everyone back in Perranth?” It took him a second to realize who she was talking about, because she’d never been close with anyone but him. It’d been a source of pain for her, how the other girls treated her for things outside of her control, and he could always tell no matter how much she tried to hide it.

She wasn’t asking because she was fondly reminiscing on old friends, she was asking because she wanted to see how her bullies were faring so many years later. If their lives were trash or not. It was such an Aelin question he nearly smiled, but his face fell as he remembered a certain person who she deserved to know the truth about.

“Well,” he said, clearing his throat. “Arobynn died.” 

“What?” She asked, her head jerking back a little bit.

“Drank himself to death,” Rowan added, “a couple of years ago.” Good riddance. He’d never forgive the man for what he’d done to her. 

“I see,” she said, and he wondered how she was taking it. Maybe he shouldn’t have dropped it so casually, but she had the right to know. Arobynn hadn’t been popular, but in such a small town, everyone knew everyone’s business. But he highly doubted Aelin had stayed in contact with him, so she was the only one not to know.

He watched her carefully as she processed the information, nodding slowly and glancing away. Her eyes were unfocused, but then her gaze latched on something and she sighed heavily.

“I have to go,” she said, with a sad smile. Already? “But it was nice seeing you,” she added, standing up out of her chair. “Maybe we can catch lunch together soon?” 

Rowan found himself nodding right away, smiling tightly at her as she waved a goodbye, heading toward the door. And so she was gone again.

---------

Sixteen Years Ago

At nine years old, Aelin had discovered that her favorite class at school was music. The teacher was really nice, and let Aelin play her big pretty piano that the other kids weren’t allowed to touch. Apparently Aelin was “very gifted.” 

She didn’t quite know what that meant, but she liked how it felt when she was called it.

No one was mean to her in that class, no one sneered at her or made fun of her, and she just got to sit and enjoy the music she was slowly learning how to make. 

So yeah, music was her favorite class. But arts and crafts was pretty good too. 

That’s where she was right then, humming the new song she was learning under her breath as she messed with the string in front of her. They were supposed to be making bracelets today, that’s what their teacher had taught them how to do. 

And then set them free to make their own. Aelin had figured out she was pretty good at this too, and she’d finished her own very quickly. 

There’d been dozens of colors to choose from, but the dark green and the silver had caught her eye. It reminded her of Rowan. 

A small smile came to her lips at the thought of him. They’d been friends for about two years now, and he’d made those two years better by just being in them. He made her forget about how sad she was, about how mean Arobynn was, about how bad her life had gotten.

He was her best friend. Every day was good with him around.

She smiled as she tied off her own bracelet, ready to ask if her teacher could tie it around her wrist. Until she saw the clock, until she saw that she had another twenty minutes left of class. Plenty of time to make another one. 

She hopped off her chair, heading over to the table of string, picking out a red and a gold this time. For Rowan. If she was going to wear green and silver for him, he could wear red and gold for her.

“Another bracelet?” A girl’s shrill voice reached her ears, and Aelin turned, seeing one of her classmates standing behind her, her arms crossed. Remelle, she was pretty sure her name was. “Yours is ugly already, why do you need two?” 

“It’s for my best friend,” Aelin answered, her brows furrowed. “I want to give him one.” 

They were standing to the side of the arts room, far away from where the nice teacher was sitting. This girl had a reputation, Aelin knew, even if she barely knew what the word meant.

All she did know for sure was that she’d insulted Aelin’s bracelet, and it hurt. 

“That’s lame,” Remelle spit at her, and Aelin blinked in shock. “Who would want that anyway? This is just a stupid little craft. And you’re stupid for actually liking it, right?” 

Aelin didn’t realize it, but Remelle’s friends had gathered around them, all frowning the exact same way. Was it really…stupid? 

She didn’t like to think she let other people’s words affect her, but there was a little sprig of doubt in her. Rowan already was so nice to put up with her the way he did. He had other friends, he had a sweet mom and a nice little house, he didn’t need to deal with her.

He didn’t need a stupid friendship bracelet.

Tears pricked her eyes and she frowned, keeping her hold on the string but shuffling around Remelle and her friend to go back to her seat. Once there, she did make the second bracelet.

But she didn’t give it to Rowan. In fact, she shoved them in the bottom of her backpack and pretended they weren’t there at all. 

He wouldn’t want it anyway.

-------

Now

The moment he got back to his apartment after returning to work, he went looking for the special box his mom had packed him. She’d been teary eyed as she’d handed it to him, saying it was his “memory box” and that he better not get rid of a single thing in there. 

Rowan had just rolled his eyes fondly at her, but now he just turned on a light in his living room and went searching through the many piles of yet unpacked boxes. It was dark outside, but he couldn’t bring himself to even bother closing the blinds as he found the box labeled in cursive. He pulled it to him, sitting down on the couch as he ripped it open.

There were a lot of pictures of him and his mom, several scrapbooks of them that she’d put together through the years. There was his high school diploma, his college diploma, his law school diploma. His prom king crown that he’d begged her to just get rid of. It’d been his senior prom, the one without Aelin, and the memory wasn’t exactly a good one.

But now, he just set it aside, pulling out the last scrapbook at the bottom. In a fit of emotion, he’d thrown out a lot of the pictures of him and Aelin over the years, unreasonably upset after she fled Perranth. But his mom had this one separate from the rest, and now he was grateful for it.

With a sigh into the silence of his apartment, he flipped open the scrapbook, finding on the first page a picture of him and Aelin when they were seven years old. His smile was wide, and hers was too, but a little more hesitant, as if she wasn’t sure she was allowed to be happy.

But he flipped through the next couple of pages, the way his mom pasted all the pictures together showing them aging through the next couple of years, and he could see her smile grow. It warmed something in him to see her happy, especially that first sleepover they’d had on the anniversary of her parents’ deaths, a tradition he loved even though he’d absolutely ruined the last one. Something he’d forever regret.

But this first one, they both looked happy. They were curled up under a cozy blanket fort, a cartoon on the TV, both of them in their pjs with hot chocolate, big chocolatey smiles on their faces.

A smile crept up onto his own face and he flipped through the next few pages, watching as they began aging even more, as they started middle school (his mom had taken a first day of school picture for both of them, because Arobynn certainly wasn’t going to). He watched as he started football and Aelin was in the stands cheering at his first game, wearing a jersey with his number on it. 

He saw their first homecoming, they’d gone together as friends, and the picture his mom had captured showed them smiling at each other. Aelin’s face was a little shy, a little embarrassed almost, while he was smiling gently down at her. It was a nice picture.

There were fewer pictures for this stage of their life, as they’d both gotten busier and busier, and had less time for each other. Aelin with her music, and Rowan with his football. But that just made him appreciate the moments they had together even more.

Until she left.

He knew these pictures only captured the good parts; they looked over the parts that hadn’t been so great. Their friendship hadn’t been free of arguments, and her life hadn’t been so easy breezy as it looked on the page. Not with Arobynn. And his life hadn’t been either, though a lot of that was due to his own choices, his own mistakes; a mix of the desire not to be like his dad and the failure to be anything better. It would haunt him.

His eyes were a bit misty as he got to the last page, but his brows furrowed as he saw a little paper pocket on the last page. His eyes widened as he pulled out a bracelet made out of embroidery floss, a friendship bracelet. It was red and gold, and he knew its pair was green and silver. 

Fireheart and Buzzard. 

They’d worn each other’s colors, after Aelin had made them for them back in elementary school. He’d taken it off after she left, and thought he’d lost it. Turns out his mom had saved it this whole time. He stared at the bracelet, debating if he should put it on or not, but in the end he just put it back in the pocket. He set the whole book down on the coffee table, leaving it open. 

He dozed off with a picture of her staring up at him. Searing it into his mind for the night. 

---------

Fifteen Years Ago

Aelin was excited. All day she’d packed and repacked her bag, trying to figure out what she needed. All she was doing was spending the night at Rowan’s house, it wasn’t anything big, but it was her first sleepover ever and she didn’t know what she was supposed to bring. 

Maybe she should’ve asked him. 

But she didn’t, and she ended up with probably more stuff than she needed. 

Rowan had found out the other day that today was the anniversary of her parents’ death, and had decided that she shouldn’t spend the day alone. The past two years she’d cried herself to sleep in her room, and she already could tell that even if she did cry, Rowan would dry her tears.

It felt wrong to be happy, but she was nearly skipping as she headed down the street, her bag tucked over her shoulder as she headed toward his house.

A smile grew on her face as she saw the familiar little cottage looking house, painted white with light blue shutters. It wasn’t big, as it was just Rowan and his mom, but Aelin thought it was brilliant. 

Much better than her own house, which was nearly falling apart and unwelcoming. She hated being there, but she loved being here.

“Aelin!” Lianna Whitethorn called warmly as she opened the front door. Her light brown hair was tied up in a loose bun, her green eyes bright, and she was wearing an apron over a comfy looking dress. “Nice to see you.”

“Thank you, Mrs.Whitethorn,” she answered with a smile. “It’s nice to see you too.” 

The woman laughed fondly, pressing a warm kiss to her head before ushering her inside. “Rowan’s making a fort in the living room,” she said, “I have some cake in the oven for when you two are finished.” 

“Chocolate?” Aelin asked hopefully, sniffing for that familiar delicious aroma. Rowan’s mom made the best cake.

“Of course,” she answered, “what else would it be?” They shared a chuckle before Aelin bounded into the living room. Which was where she found Rowan, like his mom said, cobbling together a fort in front of the couch made of multiple blankets and cushions. 

“Need help, buzzard?” She asked, bending down by him. He emerged from the fort quickly, startled by her sudden appearance, but smiled at her, his light hair flopping over his forehead. 

“Fireheart,” he said, “happy sleepover.” He gestured at his handiwork. “I made us a fort to watch movies in.” 

Aelin crawled inside, crossing her legs under her and pulling her bag off her shoulder. “It’s nice!” She said, looking around. And it was true; it was falling apart a little bit, but it was cozy. 

“What’d you bring?” Rowan asked, and she turned her bag upside down and dumped it onto the blanket, watching as clothes, a few card games, some of her favorite toys, and a bunch of other stuff fell out. Like she’d said, she didn’t know what to bring.

But then - two perfectly tied bracelets fell and landed right on the pile of stuff. 

“What are those?” He asked, picking one up, and she blushed red. She’d forgotten they were in there, they must’ve been at the bottom of her bag for months now.

“Oh,” she said, fidgeting. “Just bracelets I made in art class last year. One was for me, and the other was -” she trailed off, but he understood.

“For me?” Rowan asked, and she nodded, glancing away. She didn’t want him to make fun of her. But he didn’t, he just set it down next to the other, asking, “Which one’s mine?”

Aelin blinked, looking back at him. “You don’t think they’re stupid?” She asked, and he furrowed his brows, shaking his head. 

“They’re nice,” he answered, before deciding for himself and reaching for the red and gold. 

Aelin helped him tie it, a small smile on her face, and he helped her tie hers onto her own wrist. 

“There,” he said, grinning at her. “I’ll never take it off. You better not either.” She shook her head, curling her feet under her and tucking her chin onto her knees.

“I won’t,” she answered, and he nodded, satisfied. 

“Kids!” His mom called, and they both turned their heads toward the door to the kitchen. “Cake’s ready!”

Aelin grinned and bounded up from where she was sitting, looking back to see Rowan looking down at the bracelet now on his wrist. 

“Are you coming?” She asked, tilting his head, and he looked up, nodding. A soft smile was on his face. 

“Yep,” he answered, standing up. “Always.”

---------

Now

Rowan was filled with nerves. He knew he didn’t need to be, and he knew it was a little stupid, but he couldn’t help but feel jittery as he walked into Aelin’s apartment complex. He’d texted her and organized lunch for that Saturday, after his first full week of work. 

He’d done the compulsory call with his mom, and after he got the update about how she was feeling and got the gossip about everyone in town, he’d buckled up and told her that he’d seen Aelin again.

After Aelin had left that fateful day, he’d gone home and unabashedly cried to his mom. Even at seventeen years old, when most boys would scoff at the idea of being so attached to their mothers, Rowan had. It’d been him and his mom for so long, he wasn’t embarrassed by it.

But because of that, she’d known how much this was affecting him.

“So,” his mom had said a few minutes after he’d dropped the news. “How is she doing? What is she doing there in the big city?” 

He’d been a little disconcerted by the fact that he had no real answer, and changed the conversation around to a new topic, glossing over the fact that he was getting lunch with her that weekend in favor of more gossip about life back in Perranth.

Rowan didn’t know what she was doing there. She hadn’t told him.

But he was sure he’d figure it out eventually; she probably just didn’t think to bring it up.

He observed his surroundings as he got in the elevator, a glass one that overlooked the lobby as it shot up to the floor Aelin had given him. They’d first planned on meeting at the restaurant, but Aelin had texted him a little bit ago saying she was running late and asked if he just wanted to meet there and head out together.

He could admit to some curiosity about her living arrangements, so he’d agreed. He didn’t know what he’d been expecting, but it hadn’t been this. Whatever she was doing, she was doing well with it.

His eyes must have been wide as he reached her door, down on the end of the hallway. 2138. That was the number on the door, the twenty first floor. 

He knocked on it carefully, waiting patiently, but after a few moments there was no response. He waited one more second before knocking again, a little bit louder, and this time he could hear movement inside.

“The door’s open!” Aelin’s voice rang quietly through the thick door, and Rowan hesitated before grabbing the knob and turning it open. Aelin was nowhere to be found, but he was so occupied by the sight of her apartment.

It was… nice. 

It wasn’t exceptionally large, but it was well furnished and elegant, with nice finishes in the kitchen and warm, luxurious colors and materials in the living room. It dripped wealth, without being condescending. 

It was a very comfortable place, but it wasn’t - Aelin. 

Or it was, but it wasn’t, it was confusing. The only part that truly screamed her was the giant grand piano he found tucked in a small room off of the kitchen. But where even was she?

“Aelin?” He asked, his voice ringing through the open apartment. He heard some noise from back in the hallway, so he headed that way. There was one door at the front of the hallway that was firmly shut, but her bedroom seemed to be further back. 

He rapped on the open door with his knuckles, peering inside. Her bedroom was soft and warm, with a cozy looking bed and nice furniture. There was one door to a closet he was sure was bursting with clothes; she’d always loved clothes, even though she’d never had the means to collect them. 

There was another open door, leading to probably a bathroom, and - clanking noises coming from inside. 

“Aelin?” He asked again, heading toward the bathroom.

“I’m here,” she said, her voice weak, “I’m almost ready.” 

He stepped into the bathroom, finding Aelin slumped over the counter, trying to weakly brush her hair. She was still in her nightgown, her face a sickly, clammy pale that only came with one thing. 

“Aelin?!” He asked, concerned, reaching for her. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said, pushing her hair behind her ears and pushing herself to a stand. 

“Aelin, you’re sick,” Rowan said, reaching for her. 

“No, no,” she shook her head, stumbling a bit out of the bathroom. “I’m fine.” He watched as her legs nearly crumpled under her, her knees shaking, and Rowan reached for her, helping support her instead of letting her fall. While helping her stand back up he touched her forehead with the back of his hand, cursing under his breath.

“You’re burning up,” he said, guiding her toward her bed in the middle of the room. “Do you have a thermometer?”

She just grumbled, easily letting him maneuver her onto the bed. She curled onto the comforter, mumbling, “Bathroom.” 

Sighing heavily, Rowan made his way into the tiled bathroom, digging through the various hair and makeup products until he found it. With the thermometer clutched in his hand, he went back into the bedroom, kneeling down by her bed.

“Open up,” he said, and she begrudgingly opened her mouth, closing it when he indicated for her too. He waited for the beep, and then pulled it out to look at it, frowning at what he saw.

“101,” he told her, before sighing and standing up. “We’re not going to lunch.” 

“But -” Aelin started to say, but he cut her off.

“Nope,” he interrupted. “I know you like to pretend you’re not sick, but you’re not going anywhere in this condition.” His heart ached at the familiarity of this exchange; it was true what he’d said, she always liked to pretend everything was okay. “Do you have anyone who can come stay with you?”

Because as much as he wanted to be the one to help, he wasn’t going to push her boundaries. 

She didn’t answer, and he glanced over, wondering if she’d fallen asleep, but she was just staring at him. Her eyes were a tad hazy from fever, but her expression was surprisingly clear as she slowly and minutely shook her head. 

Rowan’s chest squeezed but all he did was nod once, not wanting to pry. “Okay,” he said lightly, “I’ll stay then, if that’s alright with you.” 

“Okay,” she croaked out, before burrowing her face in the pillow. “Buzzard,” she added, murmuring into the fabric, and a smile rose to his face unbidden.

“I’ll be right back,” he said. “I’m going to get you some medicine and something to eat.” Without waiting for a reply, he left the bedroom, heading into the kitchen in search of the medicine. He found some stuff that would hopefully reduce her fever, and set about looking for some soup or something to heat up for her. 

He searched in the pantry, before looking in the cabinets, even in the drawers, but was coming up bare. In fact, there wasn’t much food at all. There were some crackers that looked like they were going at least partially stale, a bag of chips, and that was pretty much it. 

His brows were furrowed almost painfully, his mind whirring with things he didn’t want to think about. Maybe she just needed to go to the grocery store.

Shaking his head, he grabbed a cup from one of the cabinets, filling it up with water from the fridge and turning to walk back to her room.

Inside, he found her curled up on her bed, long golden hair spilling over her shoulders and covering part of her face. Perching on the edge of her bed, he lightly pushed her hair behind her ear, revealing that beautiful face of hers.

She’d always been so beautiful. Inside and out. Even if she didn’t believe it herself.

“Hey,” he whispered, lightly touching her shoulder. She grumbled, but cracked her eyes open, her dark eyelashes barely revealing those bright eyes. 

“Rowan,” she murmured, barely able to focus on him. His lips pinched together; she didn’t look good. 

“How long have you been feeling like this?” He asked, “You seemed fine at coffee.” 

“This morning,” she answered, her voice weak. “It kept getting worse and worse. I’m so tired.” Her voice broke at the last part, and his heart nearly broke too. Especially when her eyes fluttered shut.

“Hey,” he said, a little more firmly. “Take these pills and then you can take a nap, alright?” She mumbled unintelligibly, but opened her mouth, and he huffed a laugh as he set the pills right on her tongue, helping her get a sip of water. “Good job,” he praised, leaning over to set the glass down on the side table. “Get some sleep okay? I’m going to run out to the store to get you some food.” 

He went to stand up, but felt a hand grab lightly onto his shirt sleeve. Rowan paused, turning to look back down at her. Her turquoise eyes were open again, staring up at him.

“Stay?” She asked, and he hesitated. She was sick, she wasn’t thinking clearly, it really wasn’t his place to do this anymore. No matter how many times they’d had sleepovers as kids, no matter how many times they’d shared a bed, no matter that one time they- 

This was different. And yet…

He wanted to.

“Are you sure?” Rowan asked hesitantly, but she nodded without hesitation, albeit weakly, and tugged at his sleeve. A huff of a laugh escaped him and he toed his shoes off, following her direction to climb onto the other side of the bed. 

“I missed you,” Aelin mumbled, barely audible, her voice muffled in the pillow. Rowan leaned back against the headboard, looking down at her fondly. 

“I missed you, too,” he said, just as lightly, though she gave no indication of hearing him properly. He was pretty sure she was falling asleep. He carefully pulled his phone out of his jeans pocket, ordering some soup to be delivered to her apartment. 

She needed something to eat, but he didn’t want to leave her. 

After doing that, he set his phone down on the nightstand, returning to stroking her hair back from her forehead with a gentle touch. 

When he was sure she was asleep, that’s when he let some of his words finally spill out. “I’ve missed you every day for the past eight years,” he whispered, looking down at her sleeping face. “When my mom got sick, you were the first one I wanted to tell. Every good thing, every bad thing, that’s happened to me, I wanted to tell you. But you were gone.” He sighed. “And I know I shouldn’t complain, I never wanted to be the person who tied you down anywhere. Especially in a place I know you hated so so much. But, maybe give me the chance to get to know you again?” 

He sighed again, the sound crackling through the quiet room. He kept caressing her hair gently, the golden strands so familiar under his fingers.

“I know you’re sleeping and you can’t hear me,” he continued. “I just had to get it out.” 

Rowan leaned over, pressing a soft kiss to her sweaty forehead. “Get some sleep, alright? I’ll be here when you wake up.”

----

Rowan woke her up a little bit later to eat some soup and check her fever, and luckily it’d gone a degree, so he let her go back to sleep. She’d cuddled back up under her blanket, leaning into him for warmth, and he’d resigned himself to the fact that he couldn’t move for the next few hours or so. 

But then she’d rolled over to face the other way, and deciding he needed to stretch his legs, he got off the bed, taking a little walk around her apartment. He felt bad about snooping, but he couldn’t deny his curiosity.

He still didn’t know much about her life here, as she hadn’t really gotten the chance to tell him and he hadn’t gotten the chance to ask. 

She’d murmured something earlier, in the midst of some sort of fever ridden haze, about an appointment later, but she’d just gone back to sleep and he hadn’t woken her up to ask. 

It wasn’t his business unless she decided to make it his business. 

Yet here he was, snooping. 

Resigning himself to his fate, he padded into the living room, taking another glance around everything there. Nothing was moved or bothered from earlier, and there was nothing he could see that was out of the ordinary. There were some bills tucked into a kitchen drawer, but that was about it. It was all stark.

The piano in the front room was just as gorgeous as it’d been earlier, and it was the only piece in there, besides a few journals stacked on top. He opened one up, but upon finding some scrawled out lyrics across the pages, he closed it again. That felt too personal.

He’d known for years she loved writing songs, was she somehow doing something with that now? He’d be proud of her if she was; she’d never thought she’d get anywhere with it.

Taking a deep breath he left the room, heading toward the last room he hadn’t checked. The other door in the hallway by her bedroom. 

But all it was… was what appeared to be a guest room. Nothing particularly exciting, just a big plush bed with a dark red velvet comforter, a few lounging chairs in the corner, a dresser toward the front, and a connecting bathroom. 

That was all. 

He wouldn’t be getting any information from this apparently. Probably for the best, he realized, and he closed the door behind him quietly before heading back to Aelin’s bedroom. She was right where he left her, curled under her blanket, and he bent down to kiss her hair before scooping up her cup of water and empty soup bowl. 

After putting the bowl in the sink and refilling her water cup, he climbed back onto the bed, returning to his spot next to her. And he’d be right there when she woke up. Right where she left him.

-------

Twelve Years Ago

Aelin was back on her swing, kicking at the dirt on the ground as she fought the tears pricking her eyes. She couldn’t cry, she couldn’t cry, she couldn’t cry. If she cried, it would just all be worse.

She sniffed, and pain ached through her cheek. She lifted a shaky hand and pressed it against the red splotch on her cheekbone, squeezing her eyes shut. It wasn’t the first time Arobynn had hit her, but it’d never been so visible. 

She didn’t like looking in the mirror and seeing that face looking back. It’d been six years without her parents, six years of living with him, and it was still difficult to swallow sometimes. 

“Fireheart?” Rowan’s voice reached her ears, and she wiped at her face quickly, angling her bruised cheek away from him as he sat down in the swing next to her. “Are you alright?” 

Aelin nodded, only glancing at him briefly before looking away. He was growing his hair out, the silvery strands flopping a little bit over his forehead and ears. It was the cool style, apparently. Partway through middle school, he’d decided to try and embrace it. 

Aelin didn’t see him much at school, unfortunately. They didn’t have a lot of classes together, and now that he was doing football after school too, he wasn’t around as much. But he was still her best friend.

“I’m fine,” she said, quietly, her voice weak, and she knew he was narrowing his eyes at her. 

“Really?” He asked, his voice accusing, and she would’ve just ignored it had his voice not also cracked on the second half of the word. Aelin couldn’t help but smile, ready to make fun of him, but in the moment she forgot what she was hiding and turned to face him. She knew she messed up when his own face fell.

“Is that a bruise?” He asked, and she lifted her hand quickly, glancing away from him. “Hey,” he said, his voice suddenly much more serious, “did he do that to you?” 

Aelin sniffed again, but nodded slowly, turning to look back at him. His green eyes were hard. 

“He was in a bad mood,” she explained, keeping her voice steady. “And I was being too loud.”

“What were you doing?” He asked carefully, and she shrugged.

“I was getting a bowl of cereal,” she said quietly, looking down at the dirt. “I hadn’t eaten since lunch yesterday because there was no dinner in the house, so I was hungry. I asked if I could go to the store but he didn’t give me any money. And then -” she gestured to her face, “he hit me.”

Rowan’s eyes promised violence.

“It’s really okay,” she added, trying to calm him. “I already try to avoid him as much as possible, I just will even more now.” A tear slipped down her bruised cheek. Aelin felt vulnerable telling him this, but yet, she wanted him to know. She wanted him to know everything about her.

Silence fell, no sound but the wind whipping around the playground, through the dry grass of the field. 

“My dad hit my mom,” Rowan said a few minutes later, and she glanced over at him in alarm. This time, he wasn’t looking at her, just out into the distance. “She’s never told me, but I put the pieces together.” He shook his head, his jaw clenched. “He started doing drugs, and he started hitting her. Until one day, when I was four, he just left.” 

Aelin’s heart was breaking at the thought of his mom going through that. She was the sweetest, most genuine person she’d ever known. To go through all of that and still work and raise Rowan the way Lianna Whitethorn did… Aelin would forever admire her strength. 

“I never want to be like him,” her best friend continued, shaking his head again. “It’s my biggest fear,” he confided. “That his blood is too strong and I’m going to turn out to be just as big of a piece of shit as he was.” 

She shook her head immediately. “Never,” she said, and his face was vulnerable too when he looked back at her. “You’ll never be like him.” 

It wasn’t possible. Her buzzard couldn’t be anything but the best person she knew. 

”Thank you,” her best friend said quietly, and she kept looking at him until he turned to face her, his expression earnest. “I want you to know that if you ever need a place to stay, I’m here for you, okay?” 

He reached for her hand, squeezing it once, and Aelin smiled at him, unable to stop the fluttering inside of her. She didn’t understand the feeling at first as it grew, spreading throughout her entire body, filling all of her veins and all of her arteries, consuming her with the feeling like she could fly, if only he was with her.

It was then she realized she never wanted to be anywhere else.

Shit.

 ---------

Now

Aelin had woken up later that night feeling a lot better, and Rowan was grateful to see the change. It’d been about six or so hours where she was just completely knocked out, and he was glad to see the color returning to her cheeks.

He’d been nervous when her eyes had first cracked open, when that bleary gaze had landed on him, but all she’d done was smile softly up at him.

“Hi,” she’d murmured, and he’d said hi back. Then he’d taken her temperature, and suggested maybe she should sit up for a bit. She’d agreed, so there they were, out on her couch in the living room.

Aelin was still leaning heavily against the cushions, but there was a bit more of a spark in her eyes. 

“Thank you,” she told him, for about the fifth time since she’d woken up, and this time all he did was roll his eyes.

“Like I said before,” he said, “you don’t have to thank me. I’m your friend, it’s what friends do.” 

He regretted the words as soon as they’d left his mouth, especially as her brow quirked up in amusement.

“Just friends?” She asked, “not best friends anymore?” 

“I think we lost the best when you disappeared to Rifthold,” he said before he could stop and think, and he regretted those words too as he watched her face fall. But her walls were up immediately and she nodded, her lips pursed.

“You’re right,” she said quietly, her voice still weak from the fever. “That’s my fault.” 

“No Aelin, it’s-” he sighed, shaking his head. “I get it, I do. I don’t blame you.” 

“You don’t?” She asked meekly, and he looked over, seeing her bottom lip quiver with held back emotion. Evident in her voice as she said, “I do.” 

Rowan felt the sudden urge to comfort her, but he just stayed where he was, the foot between them feeling like miles. He finally opened his mouth to say something, when there was a knock at the door.

His brows furrowed, and he glanced at the door, and then the clock in the kitchen. It was nearing eleven pm, far too late for any sort of casual guest. 

“Fuck,” Aelin cursed, pushing herself up to a stand. She stumbled as she did, her limbs still weak from the fever and from just utter exhaustion, but she shook her head when he tried to reach for her. 

“Who is it?” He asked, but she didn’t answer, just dashing over to the mirror in the hallway, trying to aggressively brush her hair down. She was still in her tiny nightgown from earlier, making a blush rise to his cheeks, but it faded when she nearly fell again, her entire body shaking. “Aelin, you need to sit back down.”

“I can’t,” she spit, panicked, and the knock on the door sounded. “You need to get out of here.”

“What?” He asked, confused, but she didn’t offer any more information.

“Celaena!” A male voice on the other side of the door called, knocking on it again. “I’m already ten minutes past my appointment, let’s get this show on the road.” 

What the hell? Celaena? Appointment? He didn’t understand. 

Aelin had disappeared into the guest room, it seemed, but returned half changed out of her nightgown. Instead, she was in lacy lingerie, trying to get a silk robe on over herself as she hurried out of the room.

“Celaena!” The man called again, and Rowan was frozen in the middle of the living room, watching as Aelin danced around, getting various things ready it seemed. 

“You need to leave,” she repeated, fluffing her hair. But he could see the exhaustion lining every inch of her, the tears that were threatening to spill out of her eyes, the wanness of her cheeks. 

He was pretty sure he knew what was going on, or was beginning to know, even if he didn’t want to. So he would let his brain figure it out, but right now he just needed this man to leave. Whoever he was, whatever he was doing here, Aelin couldn’t handle it right now.

He stood up from the couch, heading straight for the door and ignoring her cries for him to wait. But Rowan didn’t wait, not as he whipped the door open, revealing a reedy looking brunette man, with a scowl on his face and entitlement dripping from every inch of his pores.

“Get the fuck out of here,” he cursed, pointing back toward the hallway, not leaving any room for misinterpretation in his voice. “She’s not working tonight.”

“Who the fuck are you?” The man cursed back, taking a step toward the door. But Rowan blocked his entry, shaking his head. “Celaena?” He called past him, “I already paid half up front for this! This shithead can’t kick me out.” 

“I’m sorry, Tern,” Aelin said, appearing next to him. “But he’s right, I - I can’t work tonight, I caught a fever earlier. I wouldn’t be up to my normal standards.” 

Rowan was nearly fuming, his head working on overdrive as he came to far more conclusions than he appreciated. He could barely hear as Tern cursed Aelin out, having to do so to stop himself from attacking the man outright. 

But eventually he left, and Aelin moved to shut the door, her eyes falling closed as she sighed. 

“Aelin -” he started to say, trying to fight through everything in his mind, but she didn’t move. “I’m so sor-”

“Don’t - apologize,” she cut him off, lifting a hand. “Don’t you dare apologize.” She shook her head, opening her eyes but dropping her head back against the door. “In fact,” she added, her gaze going to his. He blinked at how cold it was. “Just get the fuck out.”

“What?” Rowan asked, baffled. But she just repeated the sentiment, the same words he’d said to that man not minutes ago. “Aelin…”

“You don’t get to judge me for my choices,” she spit, pushing off from the door. “It’s my life and my decisions and my job. You don’t get to kick him out on my behalf. I need that business. I shouldn’t have to get rid of him so you don’t start a fistfight in my fucking apartment.”

“Aelin,” he said, brows furrowed. “You’re barely on your feet. You can barely stand.”

A dry laugh escaped her. “And I don’t need to stand to do my job, do I?” 

He didn’t have a response to that, so he just stayed silent, finally digging beneath this sudden anger to reveal what it really was. Embarrassment. 

She shook her head again, a tear falling down her cheek. “Just get out, please,” she said, her voice merely a whisper.  And all he could do was listen.

-----

taglist:

@wordsafterhours

@romancinghollywood

@superspiritfestival

@wishfulimaginings

@larisssss

@punkassbookjockey26

@shyvioletcat

@aelinchocolatelover

@s-uppertime

@leiawritesstories

@elentiyawhitethorn

@backtobl4ck

@goddess-aelin

@fromthelibraryofemilyj

@justreadertings

@rowaelinismyotp

@live-the-fangirl-life

@swankii-art-teacher

@tomtenadia

@highqueenofelfhame

@firestarsandseneschals

@thegreyj

@mariamuses

@house-of-galathynius

@rowanaelinn

@llyncooljones

@story-scribbler

@charlizeed

@bookcide

@elizarikaallen

@slytherhys

@booknerdproblems

@earthtolinds

@rowaelinrambling

@courtofjurdan

@peppermint-fae

[tomtenadia]

Detours to you - 19

Hello all,

I am off on holidays to Lisbon tomorrow for a few days to celebrate my bday so I will leave you with a new chapter. It's Maya's bday too (she is a January girl like me).

Hope you will enjoy the fluff

MASTERLIST

A week elapsed and Maya’s birthday had finally arrived. They had waited until the Saturday for the celebrations and Aelin had closed the shop for a day so they could host the party there. They had invited her parents, Lys and Aedion, Elide was coming on her own since Lorcan was on shift, a few kids from the school that Maya liked and Rowan had the day off but was on call. Aelin just hoped nothing would interrupt the day. He needed a day of celebrations. His week had been hellish. She had accompanied him to the funeral of his three firefighters and had seen how broken he had been. Rowan had been grieving and had been so busy with the investigation that she worried about him. 

Now he was at home with Maya while she was at the bookshop getting it ready for the party.

They had gone for a mix theme of hockey and space. Rowan had started teaching her basic astronomy with the telescope he had gifted her and Maya had fallen in love with it.

A knock came at the front door and she saw her parents. Aelin invited them in with a hug “Hi mum, and dad.”

“Hi Aelin, where’s the birthday girl?”

“Rowan will bring her here as soon as I gave him the okay that the shop is ready.”

Evalin walked around the shop and looked at the decorations “This looks lovely.”

Rhoe looked at the space decorations and Aelin walked up to him “Rowan had been teaching her about the stars.”

“I know,” her father added “She is actually teaching me all about it now.”

Aelin laughed “she is teaching me too.”

“I brought a lot of biscuits and a cake too.” Added Evalin, showing her daughter the box she was carrying. 

Aelin grabbed the containers with food and placed them on the table that they had set up..

“Mum she will love your cake, it has the perfect level of chocolate.”

Evalin laughed “I also have a box for Rowan. I know he is not a fan of sweets so I made him the orange oatmeal biscuits that he loves so much.”

Aelin thanked her mother and she knew that she had always had a special place in her heart for Rowan.

Lysandra, Aedion and Elide arrived not long after together with the other few guests. She had texted Rowan that it was time to bring Maya. When later on he texted her that they had parked the car and walking to the shop, the group had switched off the lights and got ready for the surprise.

Rowan walked with his daughter on his hand and at the shop, he used the key Aelin had given him. As soon as they were inside, the darkness got replaced by a starry sky and slowly the people appeared and Aelin walked to her daughter and Rowan was at her side “Happy birthday, Maya.”

Maya hugged them both and then looked at the stars “mama your shop has stars.”

“Yes, baby, do you like it?”

“I love it so much.”

Slowly they turned up the lights and allowed her to see all the guests.

“Nana.” Maya ran to her grandparents.

“Happy birthday, my love, you are a big girl now.”

“Yes, nana I am six.” She proudly lifted her fingers.

Aelin encouraged the kids to gather in the children section where they had created a corner for them. She had also organised a story telling session with cake after the presents. But most of all, she was looking forward to see the present she got from her and Rowan. They had bought her first bike. She knew Maya was going to love it.

Rowan walked to her side “you have done a wonderful job with the bookshop. The starry sky  is perfect.”

Aelin leaned her head against his shoulder “You should see my mum’s hockey themed cake.”

“She will feel like the queen of the world today.” His arms wound around Aelin’s waist and pulled her closer “she is definitely my princess.”

“I found this young lady running around, does anyone know her?” Aedion was carrying Maya potato sack style and the girl giggled at her uncle antics “Dad save me, the dragon has taken me.”

Rowan laughed and followed the two, pretending to fight Aedion while he growled.

One of the mums walked at her side “He is so good to her.”

Aelin nodded while sipping her juice.

“You know that at school he has won the title of DILF, right?”

Aelin knew. The news had reached her and a lot of the mums had a crush on him. It had pissed her off to no end and she had been jealous too. Just as she was jealous of Lyria. The whole relationship between them was still very frail, they had not set on a label but she wanted to be possessive. Rowan was hers.

“I know and I hate it.”

“My husband was their target until Rowan came up. I know how you feel.”

“I hate them and that Remelle woman and her son caused so much grief to Maya.”

The woman gave a nervous laugh “I had my running ins with Remelle. She almost messed up my marriage with her lies.”

“Mama, we are opening presents!” Maya walked to her grabbing her hand to drag her where all the presents were gathered. 

The adults they all sat down and Aelin took Maya where all the gifts were, and started to hand out all the parcels. 

“Ok birthday girl, let’s open up a few present, shall we?”

Maya started jumping up all excited “Yes! Yes! I want the presents!”

They started with the ones from her school friends then it was then time of Elide and Lorcan who had bought her a pass for the observatory and then a limited edition jersey of the Stags. Maya ran to hug Elide. Lorcan could not be present because he was working  “Thank you auntie Elide. I love it.” 

“Mama, can I wear it?”

“Not yet, after cake maybe but not now. We don’t want to ruin it with chocolate.”

“Ok.”

Aelin placed the item of clothing aside and grabbed a present she knew was from Aedion and Lysandra. They had gifted her a super special edition book of Terrasen folktales and then her own hockey stick with the Stags colours.

Maya screamed happily and grabbed her stick swinging as if she was playing “I am playing hockey!”

They all laughed and Maya kept playing happily until Rowan pulled her back to attention for her grandparents presents who had given her a tent for her bedroom that had a space theme and then a projector for her bedroom so she could project the sky in her room.

“Nana and I thought they would be nice for the days you can’t go out in the garden. So you can have the sky in your room.”

Maya ran to her grandparents and hugged them tightly “Thank you.”

“Come on now, you have the last one from us.”

Maya walked back to her parents and Aelin and Rowan sat down beside her and Aelin handed her a small packet. When she struggled Rowan helped her opening it and she looked at her present with a curious face. Rowan lifted the passes “Maya, this is a ticket for a special event the Stag are doing and meeting the fans.”

Maya looked at her dad with big green eyes “Dorian too?”

Rowan caressed her face “yes baby, we are going to meet all the Stags again.”

She threw herself at her dad and Aelin moved closer brushing her back. They remained in silence while they cuddled their daughter then Rowan pulled back “we have one last surprise for you.” He passed Maya to her mum and walked at the back of the shop. When he came back he was pushing a green bicycle and Maya ran to him “Is it for me?”

“Of course,” he grabbed her hand and helped her sit on. The bike still had stabilisers and Rowan showed her how to use the pedals and within minutes Maya was cycling, with a fussy Rowan hovering over her.

“I think you guys topped her presents. Aeds and I tried to give her a cool one.”

“Lys, your presents were great as well.”

Lysandra stared at Rowan with Maya “He is so cute with her.”

Aelin nodded.

“So, are you getting married next?”

She chuckled “Elide asked me the same thing a while ago.”

“Because you both have made some strides and are improving, that is the next logical step.”

Aelin was silent for a moment “As I said to El, we are not there yet. For now, let’s all concentrate on your wedding.”

“Mama look, I am cycling.”

Aelin looked at her daughter on her bike and smiled. Rowan had approached her one day saying that Maya had mentioned about having a bike like the other kids. He said that he wanted to teach her and Aelin had agreed. She loved that Rowan had involved her too after the hockey classes fiasco. Classes that were going to start next week and their daughter was the most excited person ever. 

“You are doing so well, Maya.”

They were all in the middle of having cake when Rowan’s radio became alive. Everyone fell silent and he grabbed it running away to a quiet corner.

Aelin watched him with a tightness in her chest. She knew he was on call and that if an emergency happened he’d have to leave. She just hoped that for one day Orynth would have no drama so he’d be able to celebrate his daughter’s birthday in peace. It was the first one for him and she wanted it to be special for both.

He came back at the front and she knew from his face that it was not good. She had forgotten how easily she could read his expressions “What is it?”

“I need to go. I am sorry.”

Aelin hugged him tightly “Be careful, please.” A soft whisper against his neck, the scent of pine and snow soothing her soul “Come back to me. To us.”

Rowan kissed her on her lips and pulled back, kneeling in front of Maya “I have to go to work and help people.” His heart broke at Maya’s wobbly lip “I will see you later at home, baby.”

Maya threw her arms around him and softly sobbed.

“Happy birthday, my love.”

Rowan then forced himself to stand and take a step towards the door. He cast a last glance at the party and then walked out in a run.

Aelin watched Rowan go.

There was an ache in her chest. An ancient fear rising in her. It was the anguish she had felt when he was on active duty and a regular firefighter. Waiting for him to come home after his shift and knowing he was safe. Aelin had accepted the dangers of his job the day she had confessed him she was in love with him. 

Gods, she loved him. She had to tell him. She let him go to his job without telling that she loved him.

Aelin prayed Mala to bring him back to her.

I will come back to you.

taglist

@rowaelinismyotp @swankii-art-teacher @whimsicallyreading @elentiyawhitethorn @aelin-bitch-queen @bruiseonthefaceofhumanity  @mis-lil-red @thegreyj @sailorsassley @leiawritesstories @clairec79 @morganofthewildfire @sv0430 @heartless--aromantic @autumnbabylon @rowanaelinn @backtobl4ck @susumaus98  @gracie-rosee @mybloodrunsblue @tanvee1231 @avenrebekah @whoever-you-choose-to-love  @theywillnotsingforme @universallytreepost @black-daisy-water @goddess-aelin @whispers-in-the-darkest-heart @lovely-dove-zee @athena127

[rowaelinscourt]

Rowaelin Month: PROMPT LIST

HERE IT IS! The Rowaelin Month 2024 Prompt List! We're so excited to spend the entire month of September celebrating our favorite Fireheart and Buzzard! By popular demand, we're posting the list early this year to give everyone plenty of time to plan and work on their lovely creations!

We’ve included a handy calendar image for you all, but if for any reason the image isn’t working or is hard to read, the full list is written out below the cut.

Please Remember:

1. Participation every day is not a requirement! You can create submissions for as few or as many of the listed prompts as you like! 

2. Please remember to tag your creations with #rowaelinmonth so people following the tag can find your works and give us a mention @rowaelinscourt so we can reblog it!

3. Please remember that all works MUST have appropriate tags/or content warnings. NSFW content is welcome, but MUST be tagged clearly and hidden below a ‘Read More’ cut. We want everyone to have a fun and safe time engaging with content!

4. All genres of work are welcome, but please note any major warnings at the top of the work so that readers or viewers can have some idea of what to expect. 

5. Canon week will be September 15th through the 21st ( indicated by the green squares on the calender/prompts marked with C on the prompt list below. As well as a special canon day on the 30th to end the event. While we encourage Canon Week prompts remain specifically for canon scenarios, remember that any and all prompts are welcome to be interpreted as a canon/canon inspired setting as well. With creativity and imagination, the possibilities are limitless!

6. Any kind of fanwork can be submitted for this event so long as it can be applied to the prompt. Fanfiction, fanart, headcanons, playlists or anything else you can think of! There are no requirements and you can submit multiple works for the same prompt if you so wish! 

HAPPY CREATING AL!

- Your Friendly Rowaelin Month Admin Team

2024 Prompts List

1. Long Distance Surprise 

2. Spies / Heist

3. Idiots in Love 

4. Accidental Nude

5. Birthdays 

6. Misunderstanding Leading to Disaster

7. All Dressed Up 

8. Ocean/Beach

9. Meet Ugly

10. Concert/Music Festival

11. Song fic

12. “But Daddy I Love Him!” / Forbidden Love

13. Rowaelin finding out they’re pregnant 

14. Survival

15. C: What if...?

16. C: Opening of the library or royal theater

17. C: Hobbies

18. C: Anniversary 

19. C: A day with the kids

20. C: Nature

21. C: What happens next?

22. Performers

23. Second Chance Romance

24. Family

25. Strangers on a train

26. Matching Tattoos

27. Single Parent

28. Eloping

29. Percy Jackson / Star Wars / Barbie & Ken au 

30. C: Alternate/Missing Scene from Canon

[acourtofquestions]

Dorian: "The first time you met Aelin, did you know ...?"

Rowan: "No. Gods, no. We wanted to kill each other."

[spookyseasontime]

Would genuinely sell my soul for SJM to write a little happy Rowaelin novella of them with their kids in the future

*or equally them dealing with their kids being absolutely feral

[goddess-aelin]

Hide And Seek

Day 19 of Rowaelin Month: A day with the kids

@rowaelinscourt

Masterlist

Word count: 1k

Warnings: none other than this is unedited and not at all coherent because I wrote it in the dead of night 😂

Aelin watched over her book as her daughter’s blond curls bounced by for the third time. Aelin lounged on the settee near the small, personal, library, romance novel in hand and a glass of iced tea by her side. These were the moments that Aelin lived for: the quiet times where she could take a breath, only interrupted by her daughter’s sweet giggles.

Only, she had no idea what her daughter was actually doing. Alma’s little feet pattered across the wooden floors, quieting as she receded down the hallway and getting louder as she came nearer. The three year old’s cycle seemed to last a few minutes, a ceasing of her footsteps entirely as she ran into the other room.

Aelin was just about to get up and see what exactly Alma was doing in the other room when a muffled “psst,” sounded from nearby. Aelin’s head swiveled, looking for the source of the sound. Her gaze landed on a cracked door to what she assumed was a supply closet considering its position in the middle of the hallway. As she got closer to the door, a familiar tattooed hand pulled her into the dimly lit room.

“Rowan! What are you–.” The rest of her sentence was muffled by a hand over her mouth.

“Shhhh! You’ll give us away!”

Aelin went to bite his fingers, still over her mouth, but Rowan always had a mind for exactly what she was thinking. He pulled his hand away just in time, glaring at her slightly.

“And what, pray tell, am I giving away exactly?” Aelin tried to school a bored tone to her voice but amusement still leaked through.

“Alma and I are playing hide and seek. I’m hiding, she’s seeking.”

“Rowan, you’re playing against a three year old. She’s never going to find you if you’re hiding in here with the door closed.”

Rowan rolled his eyes. “She will. Our daughter is very smart. She has the mind of a future queen.”

Now it was Aelin’s turn to roll her eyes. “Okay, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. She’s three.” Even if Aelin was half-joking (her daughter was, indeed, very smart in her opinion), she couldn’t help but get caught on Rowan’s words: our daughter. Even years after the end of the war, after their second wedding, after having a baby together…sometimes it didn’t seem real. That she was here with her family, that she got to have all of this…that she deserved all of this.

Rowan, the perceptive buzzard, was again able to immediately tell where her thoughts went. “This is real, Fireheart.” His hands came up to cup both of her cheeks, the calluses of his palms a grounding comfort against the softness of her cheeks. “We are here. And we are hiding from our daughter, who we get to love every damn day. It’s real.”

Aelin could’ve sobbed. How he knew her so well, she’d never know. But she was certainly grateful for him. “Thanks, Buzzard.” She gently pulled him toward her, placing a gentle peck on his lips, a kiss that was over before it really started. Just as she was about to go back in for a more hearty kiss, the door was yanked open. Aelin pushed herself away from Rowan, as if they were getting caught by a parent for making out in a closet.

“I found you, papa!” Alma was giggling, her blonde curls bouncing up and down with her movements. “And mama! You’re here, too! I’s found you!”

Aelin swooped down to her little menace, picking her up and snuggling her in her arms. “You found us, little sunshine.”

A feline smile crossed over Alma’s features, looking a little too similar to Aelin’s own expressions. “I fink you guys were kissin’ in here.” Alma put her hands over her mouth and snickered.

Aelin glanced to Rowan, who was already looking back at her with eyebrows raised. “And who told you that?”

“Uncle Moon!” Aelin couldn’t help her chuckle at her child’s nickname for Fenrys. Alma heard him use his full name once and never let it go. “Uncle Fen” was less common than “Uncle Moon,” or “Moon Moon.”

“Well what if we were kissing in here? Huh, sunshine? What then?”

Alma crinkled her little nose, “YUCK! Mama and Papa no kiss!”

Aelin could feel her face mirroring Alma’s earlier expression. “And what if we give kisses to….” Aelin made a good show of thinking about her next words. “...ALMA!” At her words, Aelin peppered kisses all over Alma’s face, Rowan joining in from her other side. Her daughter’s sweet giggles would never get old. The girl didn’t calm down until they all emerged from the closet. Aelin’s cheeks hurt from smiling so hard.

As they made their way back to their rooms, Alma gasped and looked right into Aelin’s eyes. “Mama, ice cream?”

“Hmm…I’m not sure. It’s pretty late already. Someone has to go to bed soon.”

Alma pouted slightly, her lip doing its job well. Aelin was about to give in when the little stinker turned her pout on her father. As their matching green eyes met, Rowan took one look at the pouty lip and was done for.

Aelin laughed as her husband sighed. “Fine, we can go get some ice cream.”

Alma bounced up and down, trying to escape Aelin’s grasp. She ran ahead of her parents, who just shared a look of both happiness and knowing they both had been played by a three year old. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

Tagging:

@cretaceous-therapod @morganofthewildfire @tomtenadia @live-the-fangirl-life @charlizeed @violet-mermaid7 @euphoric-melancholyy @kritical24 @rubyriveraqueen @dealfea @wellofnothing @ayaashryver @moonknight-spector @leiawritesstories @whoever-you-choose-to-love @holdthefrickup @heirofflowers @thecrispypotatochip @shanias-world @rowanaelinn @bruiseonthefaceofhumanity @hanging-from-a-cliff @fantacysoup @swankii-art-teacher @thegreyj @fromthelibraryofemilyj @westofmoon @lovely-dove-zee @books4eva04 @cookiemonsterwholovesbooks @mariaofdoranelle @dreamer-133 @elentiyawhitethorn @writtenonreceipts @shyvioletcat @aelinchocolatelover @captain-of-the-gwynriel-ship @athena127 @tothestarsandwhateverend @highqueenofelfhame