In Too Deep | Feysand + Nessian + Elriel POVs (on hold)
ACOTAR x It Happened One Summer AU
Invisible Thread | Feysand (complete)
Urban Fantasy AU where Rhys is a vampire and Feyre is a witch.
Marry Me | Feysand (complete)
Modern friends to lovers AU based on the song Marry Me by Thomas Rhett.
The Boogeyman | Nessian (complete)
ACOTAR x Halloween AU
This Means War | Nessian (complete)
Modern Neighbors AU where Nesta and Cassian become locked in an intense prank war.
What’s Your Favorite Scary Movie | Feysand (complete)
ACOTAR x Scream AU
Crescent City
Lunathion After Dark | Collection of One-Shots (complete)
One night. Three glimpses into the lives of a few of our favorite Crescent City residents. In Lunathion, anything can happen after dark.
Playing With Fire | Flynn & Ariadne (complete)
A moody dragon. An arrogant fae lord. Matchmaking fire sprites. What could go wrong?
Marvel
Always Looking For You | Drukkari (complete)
Druig & Makkari have longed for each other for 500 years. They may have secretly looked in on each other a time or two.
Let’s Fall In Love For The Night | Drukkari (complete)
Loosely inspired by the FINNEAS song. Focuses on one night in France when Druig assists Makkari with a heist and they make the most of their time short together.
Stay With Me | Drukkari (complete)
Makkari is injured during a jungle excursion
Ted Lasso
Chances Are | Roy & Keeley (complete)
The chances that Roy & Keeley didn’t take prior to S1 of Ted Lasso (plus one more). Title based on the song Chances by Five for Fighting
Twisters
Not Without Me | Tyler & Kate (complete)
Tyler & Kate have a protective, private moment before setting out to tame their first tornado as a team since El Reno.
Stormgazing | Tyler & Kate (complete)
Tyler & Kate finally have a chance to be alone together and can't fight their growing feelings for each other any longer.
Summary: Tyler and Kate finally have a chance to be alone together and can't fight their growing feelings for each other any longer.
Kate
She usually loved the rain, but at this very moment Kate didn’t think she’d ever hated anything more. “Did I mention that I really don’t like surprises?” Kate groaned as she pulled away to peer at Tyler through the rain.
He tossed his head back and laughed, even as the rain began to soak through their clothes. The sound warmed her from the inside. Was there any better sound than Tyler’s sincere and boisterous laugh?
His hands spanned her waist as he lifted her off him and followed her up. “Come on, let’s get to the truck!”
Kate stooped to gather the blankets, but Tyler grabbed her hand with a laugh. “Just leave it!” He pulled her toward the edge of the deck and down the stairs, going slowly as the rain intensified. She was still wound up from their kiss, blood pumping, heart racing, and the feel of Tyler’s hand in hers was simultaneously everything she’d ever wanted and still not enough. Not after she’d felt his hands sliding across the rest of her body.
He turned and held out his arms for her at the bottom and she leaned into him, expecting to jump the last few stairs with his help. Instead, Tyler caught her around the waist to lift her in the air and when he didn’t let her go, she had no choice but to wrap her legs around him and hold on.
“Tyler!” She squealed as he began to run with her in his arms.
“You were too far away.” His voice was low and rough in her ear. “I needed you closer.”
She trailed her fingers up his neck and into his hair as she angked her head to place a kiss at the corner of his jaw. He gripped her tighter in response, so she placed another kiss just below his ear.
“Kate.” Her name was a warning on his tongue, one she didn’t want to heed. She lightly raked her nails through his hair as she kissed down the column of his neck, grazing him playfully with her teeth. Kate swore she heard a low growl rumble through his chest. She loved that she affected him like this, so she kept going as he ran the last few yards to the truck.
When they reached it, Tyler pushed her back against the passenger side, one hand anchoring her hip and the other flattened against the truck by her head. “You drive me wild, woman. You know that?” The heat in his gaze, illuminated only by the flashes of distant lightning, rendered her speechless.
Rain continued to pour around them, and they were both soaked through, but Kate no longer cared. She couldn’t wait another minute to have him again.
She pressed herself closer and kissed Tyler hard, pouring every ounce of the passion she felt for him into it. He returned the kiss tenfold, and leaned into her fully, pinning her hips in place with his own. She couldn’t stop the moan that escaped her as he moved against her, creating a delicious friction that only heightened her desire.
He pulled away with what seemed like great effort, chest heaving as he looked at her. “If you don’t want this to go any further, just say the word. We’ll hop in the front, and I’ll drive you back to Sapulpa without so much as a hesitation.” Kate knew that wasn’t what he wanted, could feel the proof of it hard against her. She also knew that Tyler always meant what he said and would never push her further than she wanted to go.
But it had been a long time since Kate let herself feel anything and somehow, in the last two weeks, this man had made her feel everything: capable, valued, secure, desired.
She knew what she wanted. And it didn’t involve Tyler driving her home just yet.
“I want this,” she said as she tightened her arms around him. “I want you.”
“Thank Christ,” he growled as he took her mouth in another searing kiss. She could feel his hand moving blindly behind her but couldn’t focus on much of anything other than the electric sensation of his lips on hers until she felt herself being lifted. She hadn’t even realized he’d moved them to open the rear passenger door until he set her in the back seat.
Kate scooted further into the truck to make room as Tyler followed her in and shut the door behind him, locking out the rain and the rest of the world. They’d been alone all night, but this was a different kind of alone. Outside, they were surrounded by the weather and the fields and the air. In here it was only the two of them and the small space that separated them across the bench seat.
And suddenly, that was gone too. In one swift motion Tyler pressed her back into the seat and covered her body with his. She savored the feel of his weight on top of her as he nuzzled her neck, teasing her with a graze of his teeth the same way she’d teased him. “Holy cow.” She felt him smile against her, but he didn’t stop, just kept trailing his lips across her skin until she was nearly shaking with need.
Her hands roamed his back, feeling every contour until she reached the hem of his shirt. She pulled at the fabric, desperate to rid him of it. “Tyler, please.” He lifted off her for a moment and pulled at the back of his flannel to whip it over his head. The action drew off his t-shirt as well and she was met with the sight of Tyler Owens’ bare chest. She’d pictured him shirtless countless times, but the real thing was so much better than anything her mind could have conjured up. His skin was tanned and so muscled it looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine. A faint dusting of hair covered his broad chest and tapered off into a thin trail that disappeared into his jeans. God, she hoped she wasn’t drooling.
“See something you like, city girl?” he asked with a wink that made her insides flutter.
“Oh, definitely.” She couldn’t stop herself from reaching out to touch the bared skin.
Tyler traced his own hand down her neck, across her shoulder, following the neckline of her tank top. “Take this off for me?”
Kate leaned up to pull her top off and felt a small hint of satisfaction when Tyler’s gaze dropped and his grin slipped. He was riveted to the sight of the simple white bra covering her breasts.
“See something you like, cowboy?” she asked, throwing his own words back at him.
“You are so fucking beautiful,” he rasped as he leaned down to place a kiss at her collarbone, her breastbone, the scalloped edge of her bra. His hand slid across the planes of her stomach to curve over one breast, caressing her through the fabric. She moved beneath him so that her legs bracketed his hips as he pulled down one of the cups to swipe a thumb across her nipple. Kate arched into him with a gasp, loving the feel of his rough fingers on her. He mirrored the motion on her other breast, pushing her pleasure higher and higher.
She writhed under him, desperate to ease the ache inside of her. He ground his hard length against her in response, giving her exactly what she wanted. But it still wasn't enough. “Oh God, Tyler, I need…”
“What do you need, Kate?”
“You. Inside me. Now.”
“Yes ma’am.” He pulled away briefly and stretched across the center console to reach for the glove box. She heard him rustling through the contents for a moment before he came back to her with a foil packet in his hand and a wicked gleam in his eyes.
“You truly have everything in that glove box, don’t you?” she giggled.
“These have only been in there since the night you decided to stay, smartass.”
She gasped jokingly. “So sure of yourself?”
“Just hopeful.” He grinned as he undid the button on his pants and shucked them off. Kate followed his lead and shimmied out of her shorts before she took his outstretched hand.
“Come here,” he crooned and pulled her up with him until she was straddling his lap for the second time that night.
She was distantly aware of the rain still hitting the truck outside, filling the silence with a steady rhythm. The rain had always been there, a soundtrack to her life. It now felt only right that it was present in this moment too.
Kate watched as Tyler rolled on the condom and pinned her with an intense look that betrayed every single emotion he was feeling. She was certain they were all reflected in her own eyes. His hands guided her up until he was positioned at her entrance and they both groaned as she sank onto his length. She went slowly, allowing her body time to adjust to his size, and by the time she was fully seated, they were both nearly panting. “God, Kate, it’s…”
“So good,” she finished for him as she lifted her body and sank back down again, making them both groan.
“Have you thought about this?” he asked roughly as he reached around to unhook her bra and gently drew the straps down her arms. His fingers brushed her nipples over and over, working her into a frenzy as she moved faster on top of him. “Thought about riding me like this?”
“Yes.”
She planted her hands on his shoulders for leverage and increased her pace, chasing the release she could feel building inside of her like a storm. “That’s it, sweetheart, take what you need.” His words only fueled her urgency and suddenly Tyler was there with her, lifting his hips to meet her stroke for stroke.
That was all it took to send Kate headfirst into the most intense orgasm she’d ever experienced. She cried out as her body convulsed around him and Tyler immediately captured her lips in a kiss, even as he continued to drive into her.
A few more thrusts and he followed her over the edge with a hoarse shout. He stilled inside of her but wrapped his arms around her tightly, as if she were his lifeline. It wasn’t the first time they’d clung to each other in the aftermath of some powerful phenomena and Kate was sure it wouldn’t be the last. Now more than ever, she was certain that she wanted this.
She wanted Tyler and she wanted Oklahoma and she wanted the unpredictable, exhilarating lifestyle that came with storm chasing because all of those things felt right.
And it was about time she stopped depriving herself of things that made her feel good.
Tyler
Tyler couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt more content than he did lying in the back of his truck with Kate tucked tightly against him. Neither of them had felt like letting go of each other, or putting back on their wet clothes, so he’d grabbed an extra blanket and pulled Kate down to lay across him.
Every part of her fit perfectly against him, as if she were made for him. Even now, the memory of her beautiful body moving expertly beneath him, on top of him, had his heart racing.
Kate traced a finger lazily across his chest as he tucked a stray piece of blonde hair behind her ear. “What are you thinking about?”
“Mm, how good you look without a shirt on,” she said, flashing him a sly grin.
Tyler couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh yeah?”
“Only partially.” She paused a moment, and her cheeks turned the prettiest shade of pink. “I kind of can’t believe we just did that. It was so…”
“Different?” he supplied, hoping that she felt it too.
“Yeah.”
“In a good way, right?”
“The best way,” she said with a smile before she dropped her head on his chest again. Thank God.
Truthfully, he was still trying to wrap his head around what they’d just done too. He’d been with women before, but never like this. Never in a way that seemed to change some vital part of him. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be the same and definitely didn’t know how he was going to say goodbye to this incredible woman tomorrow.
“Do you really have to leave?” he asked against her hair. He’d tried to avoid thinking about it all evening, but the night was ending and the fact that she was leaving suddenly weighed heavy on his mind.
She lifted her torso more fully on top of his, propping her arms under her chin as she looked at him. “I have to secure the funding. Meet with investors.” He knew all this, of course, and he wouldn’t dream of asking her to put her plans on hold. This project was important to her, and it was important to him too. It could change the lives of so many people in the Midwest, the people he and his team fought to help in even the smallest ways each summer. But it wouldn’t make it any easier to say goodbye to her.
“You’d better come back to me, city girl.” He hoped to God he didn’t sound desperate. Even though he was. She’d only been in his life a short time, but if faced with the decision of living without Kate, Tyler knew he’d do whatever it took to be with her. Even move to the city if he had to.
But when Kate looked up at him, he could see the truth in her eyes. She didn’t want to go back to the city any more than he did. “Nothing could keep me away,” she promised.
Tyler realized then that he was in serious danger of losing his heart to this girl. Might have already. And he wasn’t going to do a damn thing to stop it.
They were quiet for a while, content to just exist together in the moment. He could sleep here like this, with only the stiff truck seats beneath him as long as Kate was in his arms, but he knew it was getting late.
He rubbed a hand up and down her arm lightly, hoping she was still awake. “You want me to drive you back, sweetheart?”
Kate’s head moved slightly at his words, but only to burrow closer to him. “Can we stay here just a little longer?” she asked sleepily.
“Yeah,” he smiled. “As long as you want.”
The rain still poured, the lightning continued to dance in the distance, and Tyler tightened his arms around Kate, happy to stay with her in the storm a little longer.
Summary: Tyler and Kate finally have a chance to be alone together and can't fight their growing feelings for each other any longer.
Kate
Was he going to kiss her? Kate’s breath quickened at the thought and her skin sizzled with awareness. Tyler was so close and staring at her mouth like he wanted to devour her. She was pretty sure she wanted that too.
But then thunder rumbled in the distance, the first they’d heard, and the sound seemed to snap them both out of whatever trance they’d been in. Tyler stepped away and she immediately felt the loss of his warmth. Wanted it back.
With one last heated glance, Tyler seemed to mentally shake himself. “Come on, you haven’t even seen the best part.” He grabbed her hand in his and pulled her along with him toward the barn. It was an impressive structure, recently renovated from the looks of it, and built into the roof was what looked to be an observation deck. Tyler led her up the staircase around the back of the barn and suddenly it felt as if they were standing on top of the world.
Kate couldn’t stop her excited laugh. “This is incredible!” The high vantage point provided an even better view of the land: the smooth-as-glass pond below them, the slight shift in elevation across the neighboring fields, and the golden light that bathed everything. She could see for miles and miles in practically every direction but, as usual, what drew her attention most was the sky. It was pink above them and cast the fluffy clouds in shades of orange until it met a wall of darkness in the distance. The horizon line was almost completely obscured by the far-off storm that looked more and more beautiful every second.
“My uncle built this add-on for my aunt when they decided to use the land for a getaway spot instead of a farm.” Tyler said from behind her as she grabbed her camera to snap a few more pictures. “Said he always wanted her to have a place where she could get a good look at the sky.”
“That’s really beautiful.” Kate turned around to see that while she’d been admiring the landscape, Tyler had laid a plush blanket and a few pillows across the ground. He rummaged around in the bag for a moment more before he pulled out a small lantern and set it in the middle of everything. When he switched it on, the light shone beautifully through intricate little cutouts in the casing, painting the space around them with pinpricks of light. It was all so simple but so unexpectedly romantic.
“Not murder supplies then?” she joked, pulling Tyler’s attention away from his task.
“Sorry to disappoint.” He matched her grin with one of his own that always seemed to make her heart race. The man had no right being this attractive. The rich sunlight seemed to illuminate his green eyes from within, making them almost glow as they peered at her. She adored the laugh lines around his eyes and mouth, loved how prominent they were when he smiled at her.
“Who knew you were such a romantic?”
“I tried to tell you. Killer seduction skills, sweetheart.” Her stomach fluttered at the endearment, but then he had the nerve to wink at her, turning the lone butterfly into a whole swarm.
“I bet you bring all of the girls here,” she teased. And she wouldn’t even blame him. As far as views went, it may be the best in Oklahoma.
“No, actually. I’ve never brought anyone here.” Was that a hint of red on his cheeks? Was Tyler Owens blushing?
“Well, I’m honored,” she said, hoping he could tell that she genuinely meant it.
He looked at her a beat longer before he crouched down and sprawled across the blanket. “Are you gonna stormgaze with me or not, city girl?”
Kate sat next to him and though they were meant to be watching the sky, though thunder continued to rumble in the distance, they both seemed content to watch each other instead. There was maybe a foot of space between them, but Kate could still feel the heat radiating off Tyler’s body.
She reached across the space to nudge him with her foot. “I feel like you know so much about me. Tell me more about you.”
“What do you want to know?” he asked as he reclined back and propped his arms behind his head.
“Are you giving me free rein to ask questions?”
He chuckled as he rolled his eyes playfully. “Yes, Kate, ask your questions.”
There were so many things she wanted to know about him. “Hm, I’ll start off with an easy one. What’s your favorite color?” Kate mentally smacked her forehead. “Wait, I’m pretty sure I already know that one.”
“Oh yeah?” He raised a brow at her, a hint of mischief in his eyes.
“Red truck, red flannels, red blanket.” She pointed to each of the items in their vicinity and his smile only grew wider.
“So observant.” His gaze fell to her torso. “And you just happen to be wearing what you guessed to be my favorite color tonight?”
Kate willed her cheeks not to blush. Truthfully, she had selected this shirt with Tyler in mind. She dared him to say anything else about it with her eyes.
He chuckled but relented. “What’s your favorite color?”
It was a question she’d been asked plenty of times but never really had an answer to. There were so many colors she loved but they were tied to very specific things: the golden hue of a wheat field in the late evening sun, the deep blue of the high Oklahoma sky, the eerie green hue that preceded a tornado. “There are too many to count. Golds, blues, greens.”
Tyler nodded as if it were obvious. “The colors of the Midwest.”
Kate blinked once. Twice. “Exactly.” How could he possibly know her so well? They’d met not even two weeks ago, but this…thing that existed between them somehow made it seem as if they’d known each other their whole lives. It was like they were always operating on the same frequency. They may not know each other’s comfort foods or favorite TV shows, but they understood each other on some deeper, more fundamental level.
But Kate still wanted to know those things about him. Wanted the whole picture of who Tyler Owens was. So, she asked her questions, he answered, and the conversation flowed as evening turned to night. Soon she knew that his comfort food was pizza, he knew that her favorite TV show was Yellowstone, and they both about died laughing when he recounted a story of the time he’d gotten lost at a supermarket when he was eight. The weather continued to shift around them, but they weren’t paying attention anymore, too lost in each other to notice anything else.
“How did you meet the Wranglers?” she asked.
A small grin tugged at his lips. “Well, Boone and me go way back. All the way to high school. We were young and bored and maybe a little drunk the first time we chased a tornado. Neither of us had ever experienced anything like it and the chase, it was addictive. We had no idea what the hell we were doing but spent the next few summers through college learning the ins and outs.” It was a familiar pattern for storm chasers; learning on the job, fumbling their way through it until they became experts.
“The rest we met along the way. One time the truck broke down and left us stranded on the side of the road ’til Dani and Dexter showed up. Dani offered to take a look at the truck and had us up and running in no time, but we probably spent hours on that road talking shop with them. We were all heading the same way and just kind of stuck together.”
“And Lily?”
“We went head-to-head chasing the same tornado once. Didn’t even know she was there until her drone sailed past. She was playing with us, slowing down and racing ahead. We never finished chasing the twister, just watched her do her thing and get what had to be the most incredible shots from the air. She rolled up in her car after it was all done and Boone said anyone who flies a drone that well had to be part of our team.”
“I love that.”
“We’ve chased some wild tornadoes over the years. Had even wilder nights working off the high of the chase.” She could hear the pride in his voice, his love for his team.
Kate couldn’t help but let her thoughts wander to her own team. Her friends. The Wranglers’ dynamic reminded her so much of what they’d had. Chasing all day. Making memories all night.
“Do you want to talk about them?” Tyler asked quietly, once again knowing exactly what was in her head.
Normally Kate avoided this subject like the plague, but here, tonight, with him, she thought she might be able to speak about them without falling apart.
“We all met at college. Had a lot of the same classes, same interests. I don’t even remember whose idea it was to chase our first twister, but we all felt it. That high you talked about. From then on, we were obsessed.”
Tyler nodded in understanding as she went on. “They were all so smart, so talented, and devoted to the science in different ways. And we just…had fun together, traveling around, free to go where we wanted.” She thought of all the little moments that turned into such precious memories for her. “Addy and Praveen bickered all the time. They’d be arguing from the backseat one minute over some piece of data or another, and the next they’d be howling with laughter. And Javi…” Kate giggled as she thought of the boy he used to be. “He may seem a little stuffy now, but back then we were lucky if he even knew what day it was.” She was quiet for a moment. “Then there was me and Jeb. We always had our noses in our notes. Strategizing. Theorizing. Dreaming.”
“They sound like damn good chasers.” Tyler said quietly.
Kate nodded. “They loved it. They lived for it.” They died for it. The truth crashed over Kate like a tidal wave, but the overwhelming grief that usually accompanied it was…milder. Manageable.
They were quiet for a few long moments before Tyler spoke again. “I can’t begin to know what you must feel, Kate. What you went through…it would’ve broken most people.” He reached across the small space between them and took her hand in his. Squeezed it lightly. “But you’re still here. And I’m sure glad you are.”
So was she. But it had taken five years of hell to convince herself of that. “It did break me, Tyler. For years I was a shell of the person I used to be.” Even just two weeks ago that had been true. But then she’d set foot back in Oklahoma and, somewhere amidst the chaos and destruction, she’d started to live again. “But I think I’m getting better.”
And when she really thought about it, the first time she’d felt like her old self was when she’d watched Tyler race headfirst into a tornado to shoot fireworks straight into its heart. “And I think I have you to thank for that,” she added.
Tyler’s brows raised in surprise. “Me?”
“You reminded me that the storms weren’t always something to be feared. That it’s okay to feel excited and enjoy the chase.” She didn’t remember when they’d moved closer to each other, but suddenly they were only a few inches apart, their bodies nearly touching.
“You changed me too,” Tyler admitted quietly. “I’d become so caught up in the social aspect of storm chasing that I’d forgotten how much I loved the science of it all. Until you came along with your theories and experiments and your weird weather intuition that I still don’t really understand but admire the hell out of.” He reached out to push a lock of hair behind her ear and Kate couldn’t help the shiver that worked its way through her as his fingertips grazed her jawline.
Tyler noticed. He always noticed.
His hand fell to her shoulder and worked its way up and down her arm, warming her, leaving what felt like a trail of fire in its wake. Kate had felt attraction before, had felt desire, but she wasn’t sure it had ever been this potent.
They both sat straight up when a bright flash lit up the horizon. She hadn’t realized that the stars above them had become obscured, but a thin layer of clouds now rolled above them so quickly it was like someone had pressed a fast forward button on the sky.
And the space between the distant horizon and the cloud line? That’s where the lightning began to dance.
It struck over and over in what looked to be only inches apart but she knew must be miles across the actual ground. Each of the jagged bolts was uniquely shaped, never striking the same place twice. It looked as if the sky were giving them a private performance, dancing in time to a beat that only the earth understood.
“That’s…” Kate couldn’t find the words to describe it. “Have you ever seen anything like this?”
“Never.” When she finally pulled her gaze away from the sky, it was to see that Tyler wasn’t looking at the light show unfolding across the fields. He was only looking at her.
Some sort of silent communication passed between them and had them reaching for each other at the same time. Tyler slid his hand into her hair, she grabbed the collar of his shirt, and they both leaned in, needing to know each other in this way too.
Tyler groaned as their lips met and Kate felt the sound beneath her hand, against her chest, all the way to her core. The kiss was soft at first, gentle and exploring and oh so sweet, but it quickly turned into something much more frenzied. His hand fisted her hair and tugged lightly, angling her head to deepen the kiss. She felt the delicious slide of his tongue against hers and reciprocated as she slid her hands from his collar, up around his neck.
Kate couldn’t get close enough, needed to feel every part of him against her. As if sensing exactly what she needed, Tyler’s hands skimmed down her hips until he gripped the back of her thighs to bring her closer. Without ever breaking the kiss, he maneuvered her so that she straddled his lap, bringing the place where she ached most in line with the very hardest part of him. She couldn’t help but rock against him and his hands tightened on her thighs in response.
“God, I’ve wanted this. Wanted you,” he muttered between kisses.
“Me too.” She sounded breathless. She was breathless. He made her that way and she couldn’t pretend otherwise. His hands slid up her thighs again and slipped under the edge of her shirt. He caressed up her side, continuing to climb higher until his thumbs rested just below her breasts, stroking the sensitive skin there.
She knew the small hesitation was his way of asking permission. As if she would ever refuse? She loved the feel of his hands on her and wanted him to touch her there more than anything.
But, of course, the sky chose that moment to open up over top of them.
Summary: Tyler and Kate finally have a chance to be alone together and can't fight their growing feelings for each other any longer.
Tyler
“Won’t you tell me where we’re going?” Kate asked for the third time as she flipped aimlessly through the radio stations. Tyler couldn’t help but smile. She was always messing with something in his truck, and he fucking loved it.
“No can do, city girl. You’ll just have to enjoy the surprise.”
The withering look she shot him didn’t quite have the desired effect considering he could see a glint of humor in her eyes. “I don’t really love surprises, cowboy,” she grumbled halfheartedly.
“You’ll like this one,” he grinned. Kate turned her head to look out the window, but he could still see her small smile that only made his own grin wider. He looked back to the road and knew that nothing had ever felt so right; having her here with him, by his side, in his truck.
His heart squeezed at the thought of her leaving tomorrow. It had been a week since she’d decided to extend her stay in Oklahoma after her canceled flight, and they’d spent nearly every waking moment together since…but never alone. They were always surrounded by the rest of the Wranglers, who he loved like family and who were clearly just as enamored with Kate, but he’d selfishly wanted her to himself. It had taken all week, but when he finally saw an opportunity to steal her away for a little while, he took it.
Tyler hung a right at a familiar billboard and continued down what had to be the smallest dirt road in the county. He hadn’t been to this spot in years, had never even taken the rest of the Wranglers here, but he’d suddenly wanted to share it with Kate.
“Oh, I see,” she said as she surveyed the isolated surroundings. “This is the part where you take me out into the middle of nowhere under the guise of seduction to murder me.”
Tyler barked out a laugh. “Are you trying to say I have killer seduction skills?”
“Now, how would I know what your seduction skills are like?” she asked teasingly. A jolt of heat coursed through him when he noted the playful challenge in her gaze.
“Do you want to find out?” he asked, only mildly embarrassed by how rough his voice had become. His serious tone turned their casual teasing into something totally different, something that caused Kate’s cheeks to turn pink. God, he loved it when she blushed. It was proof that she was even a little bit affected by him.
When he finally managed to pull his eyes away from her, it was to see that they’d arrived at their destination. He took a left at the discreet wooden sign and drove through the small grove of trees that separated the property from the road. When they broke through the other side, Tyler was quickly reminded of why he loved this place so much.
Late evening light bathed the open fields around them in a deep, orange gold and in the middle of the property stood a multi-story barn beside a small pond. Overhead, the sky seemed to be locked in an intense standoff with dark storm clouds gathering on the eastern horizon and a brilliant sunset raging behind them.
“Wow.” Kate breathed as she leaned forward in her seat to gaze up at the sky through the windshield. “Where are we?”
“This land belongs to my aunt and uncle,” he explained as he maneuvered the truck across the field toward the barn. “It used to be a working farm, but they found a couple other pieces of land around the county that are more suitable to growing. They didn’t want to part with this lot on account of it being so beautiful, so now they just come out here when they want to get away from everything.” Tyler thought of all the times he’d come out here to escape whatever had been weighing on his mind when he was younger. “I guess I do too.”
“The aunt you mentioned at the rodeo? I didn’t realize she lived in Oklahoma.”
Tyler nodded as he pulled the truck around and put it in park. “Yeah, we’re actually not too far from the Arkansas state line here. They got a better price for land in Oklahoma but wanted to stick close to my parents. I grew up not from here actually.”
“I can see why you like this place.” Her voice was full of awe as she glanced around them, taking it all in. “It’s beautiful.”
On any other day Tyler would have been equally mesmerized by the land, but today he couldn’t seem to look away from the woman next to him. The orange glow of the setting sun filtered in through the back window of his truck and cast Kate in a warm light that only highlighted her beauty. Her blonde hair hung loose around her shoulders that were bare thanks to her deep red tank top that hugged her torso. Her lips were tinted to match, and it struck him that he’d never seen her with this much makeup on. She was beautiful without it, but he’d be lying if he said the sight of her red lips wasn’t doing something to him.
“You ready, city girl?”
“For what, exactly?”
“You’ll see.” He smiled as he opened his door and hopped out.
She climbed out of the truck before he could come around to her side and met him by the tailgate instead. “Are you always so mysterious?” she asked.
“Do you always ask so many questions?” Tyler grabbed the bag of supplies he’d stashed in the truck bed before leading them toward the barn.
“Yes,” she replied matter-of-factly, which had him chuckling again.
Had anyone ever made him laugh this much? “I believe that.”
“A ‘city girl’ has to keep her wits about her, you know.”
“Still think I might murder you?”
“I haven’t decided.” She shrugged and her gaze dropped to his hands. “Depends on what you have in that bag.”
“Now you’re just fishing for clues.”
The sunset scattered swaths of pink and orange across the surface of the pond as they walked by, even as the storm clouds continued to create an impressively ominous display off in the distance. The point in the sky where storm met sunset was breathtaking, hard to look away from.
“Are you tracking cells out this way?” Kate asked as she stopped in front of the pond and grabbed the camera she’d slung over her shoulder. She gazed at the sky for a few moments through her viewfinder before snapping a few shots of the very point in the sky that had pulled Tyler’s attention.
“That system is a whole line of storms crossing the state. Nothing close enough or strong enough to chase, but it should be a pretty show. I figured we could do a little stormgazing.”
Kate glanced back and raised a brow at him. “Stormgazing?”
“Stargazing seemed a little boring for the Tornado Tamer herself.” Tyler shrugged. “Plus, the sky just seems to move differently out here. The way the weather rolls across the land…you have to see it to believe it.”
In truth, Tyler figured they could both use a little distance from the storms. He knew Kate still had nightmares. In the past week, he’d had them too. Nightmares that he’d lost her; that she’d been swept out from under him in that swimming pool or that she’d never crawled out of his truck in El Reno.
Tyler stepped forward on instinct, needing to feel close to Kate to remind himself that this was real and that she was okay. It helped him breathe a little easier.
“Do you think–” Kate turned quickly and stumbled a bit when she realized how close he was. They reached for each other at the same time, her hand fisting his shirt to keep her upright and his arm snaking around her back to steady her. Her blush returned as her wide eyes snapped to his and Tyler couldn’t stop his gaze from dropping to her lips.
Suddenly, all he could think about was kissing her. He should’ve done it at the airport, or when she hopped into his truck a week ago and said she was staying a few more days. And now, when she was looking at him the same way she so often looked at the sky, he didn’t think he was strong enough to hold back anymore.
******
Planning three-ish parts for this right now. Stay tuned to see if Tyler really does have killer seduction skills 😉
I’ve seen Twisters a couple of times now and something that isn’t being talked about enough is the way Tyler looks at Kate.
The best scene for this example (I can’t find a gif) is when they’re at the lunch with her mom and he tells Kate to keep her clothes on and she stands up.
He looks at her like she hung the fucking moon.
And I fucking LOVE IT.
How he comes to her and gives her the pizza, how he WAITS FOR HER TO OPEN THE DOOR AGAIN. How he talks with her at the rodeo and they work together to get people to safety. How he covers her from the car during the tornado. How he goes and finds her after it and he looks up at her bedroom window the day he leaves. How he brings her into the Tornado Wrangler Family and she’s herself again.
And THAT PICTURE SCENE. Oh my god- I’m melting. At first I thought he was the one taking it but when he was stood to the side watching and asked for a copy….god I love them.
I can imagine Kate finding that picture one day - maybe inside his cowboy hat, maybe somewhere in his truck so he can always see her when she’s not with him - and Tyler getting all smitten and blushing as she teases him relentlessly.
There might not have been a kiss scene but seeing the bts helps heal that small hole. But either way, Tyler and Kate’s foundation and growth of relationship is one of the BEST ever! And with the extra scenes after it ends, helps solidify the happiness and exterminate the fear that their story is left so open it might not exist after the movie.
But it does. It does exist.
This man DRILLED his truck into the ground outside to go after her. (Which is Iconic, by the way.)
That man fell in love at first sight, even if he didn’t fully know it yet. The minute he saw her, his eyes never left her. And I loved every second of their rivalry (and the way it hops between them both explaining a twister) and friendship and relationship.
This movie will forever be one of my top favourites.
Whether you like disaster movies, with a sub-plot of romance and comedy or not— please. Everyone. Go and watch this movie. Even if it is just to see the chemistry between these two characters.
Summary: Tyler & Kate have a protective, private moment before setting out to tame their first tornado as a team since El Reno.
Tyler felt a crackle of electricity amidst the heaviness around them, just before a vicious wind cut the air. The dark wall of clouds in the distance had already spawned a decent sized funnel that steadily swirled closer. It was showtime.
“Lily, is the sensor still standing?” Kate asked over top of the wind as Tyler helped her lift another barrel onto the trailer.
Lily scanned the ground from her aerial vantage point for the dark object that Javi had left out in the field just minutes earlier. He felt a trickle of unease when it took her too long to respond. “What do you see Lil?”
She shook her head. “I can’t…wait…I see it but it’s not where we left it!” she cried as she hit a few more buttons on the on the drone’s control pad. “It’s tipped over about three quarters of a mile from the funnel.”
“Kate, I’m not getting a signal!” Javi yelled from the door of the camper. Shit. They needed the data from that sensor to help prove Kate’s method.
Kate glanced at Tyler, at the barrel he’d just picked up, and the four that still needed to be loaded. He could already see the decision in her eyes, was already shaking his head when she spoke, “You take the barrels, I’ll fix the sensor.” Too quickly she turned, her gaze solely focused on the funnel that was less than two dozen football fields away.
“Kate!” he bellowed over the wind as he struggled with the heavy barrel in his arms. Panic gripped his chest as he watched her run for the van and his mind filled with flashbacks of El Reno, of standing in the door of that theater and watching helplessly as she rode into the storm.
No. Not again.
Tyler hefted the barrel onto the trailer without ever taking his eyes off Kate and set across the dirt lot after her. “Boone! Finish loading those up!” he called over his shoulder without waiting to see if his friend did what he asked.
Kate managed to wrench open the driver’s door, but Tyler was faster. He flattened a hand on the metal frame to slam it shut and caged her between his arms against the side of the vehicle. The wind whipped her hair across her face as she turned to look at him in surprise.
“What do you think you’re doin’?” he asked, his voice rough with emotion.
“Tyler, I can do this,” she insisted. “You can’t keep me on the sidelines.”
He blinked a few times, as if it would clear the roaring in his head. She assumed he didn’t believe in her? Didn’t she know that he thought the world of her, that he’d never keep her from this? “Christ, I know you can,” he said softly. “I’m not tryin’ to sideline you, Kate, but I will not stand by and watch you drive away into another storm. Not without me.”
Realization dawned and her face softened. “Ty.” She lifted a hand to his cheek, and he instinctively leaned into her touch. They’d spoken about El Reno several times, late at night when the team was asleep, and the sky was quiet. What he’d gone through was nothing compared to the hell that Kate had faced, but it still killed him that she’d faced it alone. He just wasn't ready to let her out of his sight yet.
Tyler leaned down until his forehead was pressed against hers. “I can’t lose you; do you hear me?”
Her brown eyes were full of emotion as she nodded. “You won’t,” she promised. He savored the feel of her pressed against him, safe between his arms where she belonged.
The moment was interrupted when Boone came over and slung an arm around Tyler’s shoulders. “I really hate to break this up, but that there tornado is at least an F3 and unless we all want to make a trip to Oz, y’all really need to get moving.”
Kate giggled as his friend darted away to where Lily, Dani, Dexter, and Javi all stared at them with identical, knowing looks.
“Don’t y’all have anything better to do?” He threw a hand in the air to shoo them away and couldn’t help but grin as the team hooted and hollered around them.
Tyler shook his head as he looked back at Kate who smiled up at him with an adoration and eagerness that erased the panic he’d felt only moments before. He’d like nothing better than to push her up against the side of the van and kiss her senseless but, unfortunately, now was not the time or the place.
With a quick kiss to her forehead, he pushed away from her and held out his hand. “Now, if you’re done scaring the hell out of me city girl, let’s go tame that tornado of yours.”
The familiar thrill of the chase settled over him as Kate slipped her hand into his and let him pull her away from the van. “Get in the truck, we can grab the sensor on the way!”
The team jumped into action as Tyler and Kate hopped into his new and improved wrangling machine. Lily appeared at his window to show them the image on her monitor. “It’s less than half a mile from the funnel now!”
“It’s still in the direct path,” Kate said, gaze fixed to the screen intently. He could practically see the gears turning in that beautiful brain of hers. “We can anchor the truck right there while we fix the sensor and just let it come to us.”
Kate looked up at him expectantly, waiting for his input. He knew it was her way of factoring him into her decision, but he was more than happy to let her call the shots so long as she took him with her. “I'll follow your lead, city girl.”
They shared a grin over the console as Lily slapped the side of the truck. “Y’all be careful!”
Tyler pulled his eyes away from Kate to glance at his team, his family, gathered around their vehicles, preparing for the main event. They all twirled their fingers in the air when Tyler shifted the truck into gear.
“See y’all on the other side!” He shouted as he aimed them straight at the oncoming tornado. Kate reached across the console to link her fingers with his and neither of them dared take their eyes off what lay ahead, but he knew she felt it too. The exhilaration. The apprehension. The thing that raged between them as strong as the storm itself.
Whatever came next, they’d face it together.
******
Disclaimer: This is not at all grounded in actual tornado science and maybe not even logic, but the scene demanded to be written. God I love them. Hope you enjoy!
Where is my Rowan Kane who goes and books a whole author meet and greet just for me then whisks me off to NY to attend said meet and greet then treats my body like it's the most decadent feast he's ever had while taking in the view of NYC.
Summary: The chances that Roy & Keeley didn’t take prior to S1 of Ted Lasso.
Title based on the song Chances by Five for Fighting
“Chances are we'll find a new equation
Chances roll away from me
Chances are all they hope to be”
It was late. She and Roy had gone to bed almost an hour ago but Keeley’s mind still raced. She often had trouble going to sleep, usually because she was too busy thinking up a new campaign or mentally tallying her tasks for the next day, but tonight she was caught up in the past. Her and Roy’s past.
With Roy, she was happier than she’d ever been. But sometimes, she couldn’t help but wonder if they could’ve found this happiness sooner.
“You awake, Roy?” she asked, nudging him lightly with her elbow.
She felt him stir beneath her before he grumbled, “I am now.”
Keeley chewed her lip as she stared up at the ceiling. “Do you ever think about all that time we wasted?” she asked quietly.
“Whatd’ya mean?” Roy rasped.
Keeley climbed to her knees to face him. The street lamps outside provided just enough light for her to see how adorably sleepy he looked with his dark hair slightly mussed, one arm folded behind his head. She reached out and tugged one of her fluffy pillows to her chest before she continued. “I mean we were in each other’s lives for years before we started dating. We had loads of chances to be together and we just…didn’t take them.”
Roy propped himself up on an elbow. “Chances like…?”
“Like if I’d been more forward the day we met and just said I thought you were the cat’s pajamas instead of playing it cool. Or if I’d asked you to come home with me the night you stopped that cab.”
His dark eyebrows raised even as one corner of his mouth turned up. “You wanted me to come home with you?”
“Yeah, you looked totally fucking hot that night.” she grinned. “Or if–.”
“If I’d gotten off my arse and danced with you at that gala?” Keeley smiled as she remembered the night they’d both been ditched by their dates and had shared a moment. More than a moment, really. After their heart to heart, she’d ended the night back out on the dance floor and had felt his eyes on her the entire time.
“You don’t dance.” she shrugged.
“For you I would. And I decided so that night after I kicked myself for saying no.”
Keeley felt herself blush at his admission. Even after an entire year together, he still managed to give her butterflies.
He leaned forward to brush a lock of hair behind her ear before he continued, “I don’t look at those years as time wasted. We were both figuring out our own shit so that we could be what each other needed. I think it all worked out the way it was meant to in the end.”
He was right. She knew he was right. His eyes darkened as he angled his head even closer. “Make no mistake though, Keeley. I wanted you. I wanted you just as much then as I do now and I think that makes every minute we spend together even more valuable. Because I know what it was like to go without you for so long.”
Oh. Oh. For a man who didn’t say a whole lot, Roy Kent sure had a way with words. Keeley flung the pillow she’d been holding across the room and crawled into his lap. His hands settled on her thighs as she gripped both sides of his face. “Has anyone ever told you that you can be extremely romantic, Roy Kent?”
“There you go again. Ruining my image.” he grinned as he pulled her closer.
“I love you, you know that, right?” she said, holding his dark gaze, letting him see everything she felt for him and more.
“Yeah, I know. And I love you too.” Keeley nearly sighed when his lips found hers. She didn’t think she would ever tire of kissing Roy. His hands flexed on her hips as he moved under her slightly, creating a delicious sort of friction that had her gasping.
She could feel Roy smile against her lips before he broke away and began to kiss his way down her jaw. He nipped at her ear as he rasped, “Well, since we’re both awake…”
Keeley squealed as Roy flipped her beneath him and covered her body with his own. Any worry she had about going to bed at a decent time evaporated as Roy kissed a trail down her neck, across her chest, lower.
And Keeley knew then and there that she wouldn’t have changed a single thing about their past. Why would she when they could share a million more moments like this in the future?
Here and now, with Roy, she had everything she needed.
******
Ugh. These two have my heart. I’m gonna need an HEA for them in S3.
Summary: The chances that Roy & Keeley didn’t take prior to S1 of Ted Lasso.
Title based on the song Chances by Five for Fighting
“Chances are we'll find a new equation
Chances roll away from me
Chances are all they hope to be”
Keeley
“Oi, these are free, yeah?” Keeley asked one of the bartenders over the music as she gestured at the bottles below the bar. The man looked at her strangely before he turned to finish helping someone else. She shrugged as she snagged a bottle of champagne and turned to survey the room for a familiar face.
Keeley had been to dozens of these football galas, but didn’t know too many other people in attendance apart from the wanker she’d arrived with. Which was a shame because she was suddenly desperate for a bit of company. She searched the sea of strangers until her eyes landed on a dark, familiar figure on the outskirts of the space.
Roy Kent: football sensation, extreme grump, occasional cab whisperer. He looked mad fit tonight in a sexy dark on dark suit, tightly fitted to his broad shoulders. Apart from his kit, Keeley had only ever seen him in black, but with the man’s rugged good looks, it didn’t really matter what he wore. He could make anything look good.
Roy sat alone at the farthest table from the action and surveyed the room with his signature scowl. Maybe he could do with a little company too? Keeley turned back and discreetly snagged a bottle of whiskey from the bar for Roy. She didn’t know his drink, but he seemed like a whiskey man.
Keeley was halfway across the ballroom before Roy locked eyes with her. His face showed no emotion but he became utterly still as she approached. She was fairly certain he didn’t even blink and she suddenly felt flushed under his intense gaze.
Being a semi-famous model, she was used to people looking at her; her clothes, her hair, her body. But Roy Kent didn’t care about any of those things and he didn’t just look at her. He saw her.
Keeley flounced over to his table and sank into the chair next to him with a small sigh. “Roy.” she said by way of greeting.
“Keeley.” he grumbled in return. It was the closest she ever got to a hello from the man.
“Care for a drink?” she asked as she extended the whiskey bottle to him.
He stared down at the bottle for a good long minute before he accepted it and lifted one dark brow at her. “Did you steal these?” he asked. Was that a hint of humor she detected in his voice? She glanced over hoping to catch a smile. No such luck.
“What? No! The bartender had plenty of warning before I took ‘em.” Keeley answered as she wrestled with the cork of her champagne bottle.
Without a word, Roy took the bottle from her hands, effortlessly loosened the cork, and handed it back to her. “Right.”
Keeley bumped his shoulder with hers. “You really going to complain about free booze?”
“Good point.” Roy took a long swig of the amber liquid before he asked, “So, where’s your date?”
Keeley followed suit with her own hearty sip of champagne straight from the bottle. “Don’t know. Don’t care, really. Caught him snogging another girl at the bar. Can you believe that? He didn’t even have the decency to do it where I wouldn’t see.”
It had felt like a slap to the face when she’d spotted Antony with another woman. Keeley was used to idiotic men, but it had been a while since she’d been so blatantly disrespected. Most women would’ve screamed in his face or stormed out of the gala…but then he would’ve won. And Keeley wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
“Fucking prick.” Roy growled. “Want me to beat ‘im up for ya?”
Her heart stuttered at the notion of Roy Kent defending her honor. “That’s okay. I appreciate the offer though, Roy. Real gentlemanly of ya.” He grunted as Keeley leaned back against the wall with another sigh, “She was fucking stunning too. Gorgeous purple dress.”
Roy stilled next to her. “Dark hair? Giant earrings?”
“Yeah, how’d you know?”
Roy
Roy huffed out a humorless laugh. The woman in the purple dress had been his worst mistake of the night. “Because she was my date.”
Keeley’s mouth fell open. “Oh shit! Are you serious?”
“Yeah.” Roy said as he knocked back another sip.
When Keeley threw her head back and laughed, a warm feeling settled over him, as it almost always did when she was around. “Well, would ya look at us.” she giggled. “Just a couple o’ rejects.”
“I don’t blame the girl, honestly. I’m a shit date.” Roy used to enjoy these things, but the older he got, the more he hated them. His date had wanted him to dance and introduce her to every major player in attendance, neither of which Roy was interested in doing. So, she’d stomped off and apparently found another poor sop to irritate.
Keeley smacked his arm and fixed him with an adorable glare. “Oi, don’t say that. I bet you’re a wonderful date. Any girl would be lucky to go with you.” The compliment made his heart beat faster. Roy knew he wasn’t great company, but that never seemed to deter Keeley. From the moment they met, she’d treated him as if they were old friends. And somewhere along the way, he’d begun to actually like her.
Roy had a very short list of humans he tolerated: Phoebe, his sister, the sweet yoga mums. That was about it. But then Keeley had wandered into his life and made space for herself on that list as well. Christ, she was the only reason he even agreed to make appearances at these stupid events. He could almost always count on her to be there, tearing up the dance floor and lighting up the room with her smile. The woman was a goddamn ray of fucking sunshine and Roy couldn’t help but be drawn to her light.
So yeah, he was a shit date because no matter how beautiful the woman on his arm was, he only ever had eyes for the golden-haired fairy sitting next to him.
Tonight she looked stunning as ever in a shimmery light blue dress that clung to every single one of her curves. The sparkling material caught the light every time she moved and tossed multi-colored pinpricks all around the immediate area. It was flashy, alluring, and beautiful…just like her.
Keeley fluffed her loose curls a bit as she went on, “Plus, I happen to know I’m a fantastic date, and I still got ditched. We are not the problem. It’s them.” she said, gesturing towards the bar angrily. “Christ, and they’re still going at it! Like we aren’t sitting right fucking here!”
Roy followed her gaze to the bar where, sure enough, his date was engaged in a rather detestable lip lock with Antony from Man City. Keeley had come here with that prick? Roy’s earlier urge to pummel the man returned tenfold.
“Fuck him.” Roy said.
“And fuck her.” Keeled agreed.
They glanced at each other and swapped angry looks for a brief moment before they both broke down laughing. “Oh my god, was that a real actual laugh from Roy Fucking Kent?” Keeley snorted.
“Might as well savor it. Won’t happen again.” he teased.
Keeley’s smile only widened. “Wanna know what I think?”
“Not really.” Yes, always.
“You’re always like ‘I’m Roy Kent.’” Her voice dropped an octave to imitate him. “’And I hate everyone.’”
Not quite everyone, he thought. “You making fun of me now, Jones?”
“But I think you’re really just a big ol’ softie inside and don’t want anyone to know.”
“You think that, do you?” She nodded, eyes smiling as she took another drink of champagne. Roy just shook his head. “Clearly I’ve been too nice to you. You’ll ruin my image if we keep this up.”
“Ha! As if anyone would believe me anyway.” she giggled. “Nah, it’ll just be our little secret.” Our little secret. For some reason, the idea of he and Keeley sharing a secret made his heart kick up speed.
“Alright, I’m done being sad.” Keeley announced, her tone far cheerier than it had been a few minutes ago. She hopped up from the table and her skirts sparkled with the moment. “I’m going to get back out there. You want to join me?” she asked, waggling her eyebrows at him.
“Fuck no.” he said. His coarse language didn’t deter her and only seemed to egg her on.
Keeley began to shimmy in place before backing away slowly towards the dance floor, beckoning him with the champagne bottle. “Oh, come on, Roy. I know you want to.”
“I would rather walk across hot coals that get out on that dance floor.” he said even as his eyes tracked every seductive sway of her hips. “But you go ahead. Show that prick what he’s missing out on.”
Keeley grinned at him before she turned and sashayed straight into the pulsing crowd. She was suddenly the sparkling centerpiece at the middle of the dance floor; as if the scene had been incomplete without her. She fit in so seamlessly wherever she went and, as impossible as it seemed, this vibrant woman even seemed to fit with…him.
As Roy watched her twirl blissfully beneath the neon lights, he started to feel like maybe he was the one missing out…
******
I’m thinking there will be one more small chapter, a glimpse at Roy & Keeley reflecting on these chances once they’re together.
Summary: The chances that Roy & Keeley didn’t take prior to S1 of Ted Lasso.
Title based on the song Chances by Five for Fighting
“Chances are we'll find a new equation
Chances roll away from me
Chances are all they hope to be”
Keeley
The vicious winter wind had Keeley burrowing deeper into her gold puffer coat for warmth. After a night of clubbing, she’d been unsuccessfully trying to hail a cab on the busy street of Brixton for the better part of ten minutes. Not a single one had stopped. Dressed in only her usual club attire beneath her coat, she was certainly showing plenty of leg, so that wasn’t the problem…
“Keeley?” At the sound of her name, Keeley turned to see none other than Roy Kent standing behind her; a solid, unmoving presence amongst the bustling thoroughfare.
She couldn’t help but grin at the sight of him. They’d run into each other a few times over the years; at games, league events, or parties of mutual friends. But never out in the wild like this, in real life.
And Keeley decided that she quite liked real-life Roy. He looked handsome as ever but seemed a bit more relaxed, almost approachable. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his sharp black winter coat and Keeley could detect the slightest hint of red on his cheeks beneath the scruff of his dark beard. Roy Kent made cold weather look hot.
“Roy! What’re you doin’ here?” she smiled.
“Just coming back from a pub.” he said with a nod in the opposite direction.
“A fun night out with friends I hope?”
“Mandatory team outing.” he smirked.
“How dare they make you socialize with them.” she giggled.
Keeley thought she saw his lips twitch with a smile but his scowl returned when his gaze swept over her bare legs. “What’re you standing out in the cold for?” he asked incredulously.
“Oh, I was just tryin’ to get a cab.” She’d just turned back to the road to scan for a cab when she felt movement behind her.
“Right.” Roy said as he brushed past her and stepped into the street. Keeley thought for a moment that he’d gone mad until he thrust his hand out. The very next cab that tried to pass was forced to stop for him.
Roy’s aggressive assistance caused her heart to flutter. She’d said she needed a cab and he’d immediately stepped into traffic to procure one for her. No hesitation. Roy wrenched open the back door of the vehicle before he turned back to her with an outstretched hand. “Now get in before you fucking freeze.”
“I think that was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.” Keeley said as she took his hand and let him help her into the back seat of the cab. “Your new moniker could be Roy Kent: Cab Whisperer.”
Roy just shook his head as he closed her door and rapped a knuckle on the driver’s window. He handed the man a few bills before he said, “Wherever she wants to go. It’s on me.”
Roy moved to step back, but Keeley quickly put down her own window and leaned out to get his attention. “Roy, wait!”
He immediately stepped closer and braced one large hand on top of the car, caging her in the frame of the window. His nearness provided immediate relief from the frigid winter air and made her heart kick against her chest. Their faces were only inches apart. Had they ever been this close?
“Yeah?” he asked roughly, almost expectantly. As if he were desperate to hear whatever she had to say.
She could’ve said, ‘Thanks for getting me a cab.’ or ‘What’s your number so I can pay you back the fare?’ Even ‘Come home with me so I can lick your entire body.’ would have been more interesting.
But she panicked under his undivided attention and instead blurted out, “Good luck at the match next week.”
There it was again, the slight twitch of his lips that gave away his urge to smile. Keeley found that she suddenly wanted to trace his firm lips with her thumb, with her tongue. Was it just her, or did his gaze darken, almost as if he could sense the direction of her thoughts? It would be so easy to lean up and press her lips to his, to finally find out if real-life Roy kissed as good as he did in her fantasies…
But then he took a few steps back and shoved his hands into his pockets again, effectively silencing her rampant thoughts. “Goodnight, Keeley.” he rasped, voice as rough as sandpaper.
Keeley pushed down the small feeling of disappointment as she settled back into the plush leather seat. “‘Night Roy.”
As the cab pulled away, Keeley told herself not to look back at him. The fact that he’d forcibly hailed her a cab to keep her from waiting out in the cold didn’t mean anything. He was just being nice to an acquaintance because that’s what they were. Acquaintances. Nothing more.
Still…she couldn’t stop herself from turning and seeking him out. She immediately locked on to his retreating form that seemed to part the busy sidewalk like the Red Sea. Everyone noticed him. Of course they did; he was one of the most famous footballers in the country.
Roy, however, couldn’t be bothered with their stares or whispers. In fact, he barely even seemed to notice them.
But he’d noticed her. He always seemed to notice her.
Summary: The chances that Roy & Keeley didn’t take prior to S1 of Ted Lasso.
Title based on the song Chances by Five for Fighting
“Chances are we'll find a new equation
Chances roll away from me
Chances are all they hope to be”
Roy
Walking through the crowded arena at halftime was a specific kind of torture for Roy. Greener footballers would love it; the praise, the attention…but Roy hated every second. He normally wouldn’t be caught dead outside of the locker room but his blasted knee hurt and he needed to prep his ice bath for after the match. Unfortunately, the supplies were housed on the opposite side of the arena, which meant Roy would have to quickly maneuver through the rowdy mass of fans.
What a joy.
Roy just gritted his teeth and steeled himself as he began the trek through the stands. He barely made it twenty paces before a small blonde woman bumped into him. “Oi, watch it.” he growled.
“Shit, sorry!” Roy was ready to fix her with a scowl until she turned to face him and he suddenly found himself lost in the largest pair of green eyes he’d ever seen. Roy quickly took note of her other features: sun-kissed skin, wild golden hair, small nose, full lips. But it was her eyes that captivated him. They didn’t glaze over with adoration at the sight of him like most fans. She simply looked at him, regarded him as a person rather than some famous footballer.
And when she smiled, it was as if they rest of the world fell away. The woman standing before him was radiant. Beautiful. Even if she was wearing the other team’s colors…
“S’alright.” he muttered once he finally found his voice again.
“Hey! You’re playing great out there today!” she said cheerfully.
“Thanks.”
“Man of few words. I like that.” she grinned as she thrust her hand out between them. “I’m Keeley by the way.”
He took her hand as if on autopilot. “Roy.” he replied. And for some reason, he found that he couldn’t quite let go of her hand. It felt good in his; warm and small. Just like her.
“Nice to meet ya.” she said honestly. “Ya know, blue is a good color on you. Thank god you play for Richmond, eh?” She leaned a little closer as if she were about to tell him a secret. “Much better than this god-awful green the other team is sporting. Don’t tell them I said that though.”
Roy knew fuck-all about what colors looked good on him, but this vibrant woman was telling him blue was his color and he couldn’t help but hang on her every word. In fact, he’d gladly stand there and listen to her ramble on about anything she liked because it was suddenly the most at ease he’d felt in weeks. She spoke to him so normally, in a familiar way as if they’d known each other for far longer than the past sixty seconds.
Roy didn’t get a chance to respond before a brunette appeared behind Keeley and gripped her arm insistently. “Keels, come on, we’ve gotta go.” The friend’s eyes widened as she looked between Roy and Keeley but she didn’t say anything as she urged Keeley in the opposite direction.
Roy finally let go of her hand.
“See ya around, Roy. Good luck with the rest of the match!” Keeley said, keeping eye contact with him even as her friend pulled her away.
“Thanks, Keeley.” he nodded.
Her mouth dropped open in shock but her eyes were smiling, teasing. “Two whole words that time!” she giggled before she turned around to follow her friend.
Roy watched her disappear into the crowd for far longer than he’d care to admit before he finished his trek toward the storage shed. And when the game was over? He feigned an extended rest on the bench and pretended to wipe his face with a cold towel, all so he could scan the arena for one more glimpse of Keeley’s golden hair.
They’d only spoken for a minute, maybe two, and yet her green eyes and quirky personality had invaded his mind. Roy couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a genuine interaction with someone who wasn’t trying to get something out of him. Keeley hadn’t come to him with a hidden agenda; she’d just been genuinely friendly. And there was something Roy found really endearing about that.
When he finally spotted her, it was to see that she now stood rather close to a player from the opposite team. A wicked midfielder if he remembered correctly. Keeley smiled at him the same way she’d smiled at Roy and damn if that didn’t cause the smallest twinge of pain in his chest.
Which was ridiculous. He didn’t know this woman. She didn’t know him. Why shouldn’t she give her smiles to another player?
Roy looked away, unable to watch the rest of their interaction. He’d never been a particularly jealous man, and he wasn’t about to start now. As he stood and tossed the towel into the bin of discarded linens, Roy forced himself to push all thoughts of Keeley out of his brain.
What were the odds they’d run into each other again anyway?
******
I just binge-watched Ted Lasso and am in LOVE with Roy & Keeley!!! I immediately became obsessed with the idea that they’ve shared all of these little moments; moments that were chances they didn’t take.
I’m planning 3-4 parts for this fic, so if you’re a Roy & Keeley lover, stay tuned!
Okay but watching the grumpy Roy Kent fall for the absolute ray of sunshine that is Keeley Jones has been the highlight of my entire life. This man is such a goner for his hot, girl-boss girlfriend and I am SO HERE FOR IT.
There were a great many things Nesta didn’t enjoy about Velaris, but after a day of exploring the town, she’d finally discovered one bright spot in the form of a small bookshop on Main Street: House of Words. Based on the less than stellar aesthetic of the other local businesses, she hadn’t expected much from the shop. She’d never been so happy to be proven wrong.
The second she stepped into the shop, she was met with warm lighting, relaxing vibes and the comforting smell of books. The small space was painted blue and white and a gorgeous array of mismatched freestanding bookcases filled the room. All wooden. All handmade with intricate nautical carvings. Each case was filled with row after row of colorful books that brought life and energy to the space.
As she wound her way further into the store, she discovered even more hidden treasures. Beautiful driftwood shelves covered the entirety of one wall and displayed recommendations for every genre and there was even a sitting area at the back of the store with a leather couch and a few plush chairs situated around a brick fireplace.
The shop was truly stunning. Nesta immediately felt at home.
And to her delight? They had a rather robust romance section, which was rare for indie bookstores. After perusing the shelves for close to an hour and finally selecting two novels that piqued her interest, she made her way up to the counter where a pretty redhead sat reading a book.
The woman looked up at Nesta’s approach and offered a warm smile. “Did you find everything alright?”
“I did, actually. You have an impressive romance collection.” Nesta said as she handed over her selections.
“Thank you! I’ve been slowly building it up since I started working here.” The redhead rang up both books and smiled. “These two are so so good. It’s always nice to meet a fellow romance reader.” The woman stopped typing for a moment to extend a hand toward Nesta. “I’m Gwyn.”
“Nesta.” she replied as she shook Gwyn’s hand.
“Are you new in town?”
“Sort of. My sisters and I are renting a place.”
“Oh yeah! I heard someone was staying in the apartment above Rita’s. You guys have been the talk of the town.”
It had been over a week and Nesta still got stares everywhere she went. “So it would seem.”
“It gets better, I promise. I moved here about five years ago and got the ‘you’re an outsider’ stares for at least the first six months.” As Gwyn bagged both of the books, Nesta didn’t have the heart to tell her she probably wouldn’t be here longer than a month.
Once Gwyn handed over the bag, Nesta found that she wasn’t quite ready to go back to the apartment. “Do you mind if I just…” She motioned toward the sitting area and Gwyn just smiled.
“Yes, please! Our sitting area is one of the coziest reading spots in town. Do you want a glass of wine?” Gwyn asked,
“You serve wine? In a bookshop?” Was Nesta in heaven?
“We have coffee too, but I find that wine pairs nicely with a steamy romance. It’s a big hit with some of the other ladies in town too! We even hold a Words & Wine book club every week.” Nesta wasn’t big on group activities but that actually sounded…nice. She didn’t always connect well with other people, but Gwyn truly seemed like someone she could be friends with.
If she were staying in town longer. Which she wasn’t…
“I think I’ll take you up on the wine.” Nesta said with a smile.
“Great! Please make yourself at home and I’ll bring it right over.” Nesta did just that and settled into one of the plush, blue velvet chairs near the back picture window that overlooked Main Street. Gwyn brought over a glass of white wine which Nesta graciously accepted and, after a few generous sips, she was ready to get lost in the pages of her new romantic suspense.
Reading was her favorite hobby. When she couldn’t handle her own reality, she turned to books where she could escape into another life, even if just for a little while. And to be somewhere, anywhere, besides his sleepy little town was exactly what Nesta needed at the moment.
Thirty minutes later Nesta was on the fifth chapter and her second glass of wine, so totally engrossed in the story that she hadn’t even heard anyone come up behind her until… “Mm, looks like a stimulating book, sweetheart.”
Nesta jumped at the interruption and slammed the book shut as she whirled in the chair to see Cassian leaning over her with a smug grin. “Were you just reading over my shoulder?” she asked incredulously.
Cassian straightened and shrugged. “Maybe. Is that a crime?”
“It’s certainly rude.”
“Embarrassed by a little sex scene, Nes?”
“Hardly.” she scoffed. And she wasn’t. Nesta had never been ashamed to read romance, or for anyone to know it. But reading was a private activity for her, and Cassian had invaded that privacy. “Please leave.”
He didn’t. Instead, Cassian skirted the perimeter of the small sitting area and dropped into the chair opposite her. “What are you doing?” Nesta asked warily.
“Relaxing.”
“You don’t even have a book.”
“Can I not just sit and enjoy the ambiance?”
Resigned to the fact that she wasn’t getting rid of him, Nesta rolled her eyes and settled back in with her book. “It’s a free country, I suppose.”
She was determined to ignore Cassian, but only received two pages of silence before he spoke again. “So, do you exclusively read books with shirtless men on the cover?”
She glared at him over the top of her book that did indeed feature a rather attractive male torso. “Does it bother you?”
It was Cassian’s turn to scoff. “Of course not. There’s nothing that special about his physique.” he said, motioning toward her book cover. “I see a sight like that every time I look in the mirror.” Nesta couldn’t help but drop her gaze to his chest. Although she’d yet to see him without a shirt on, she’d seen evidence of his muscular build more than once. Nesta was certain he had a body worthy of a romance cover, a body she’d kill to get a better look at…
When Nesta finally managed to drag her gaze back up to Cassian’s face, it was to see his dark brows drawn together. He was still scowling at her book cover.
Was…was Cassian jealous? Of a cover model?
For some reason the notion struck her as funny and, thanks to multiple glasses of wine, Nesta couldn’t hold in the laughter that came bubbling up.
Cassian
Cassian froze at the sound of Nesta’s laugh; it was warm and inviting, two words that he’d yet to associate with Nesta Archeron. But he suddenly couldn’t tear his eyes away from her, from the slender column of her throat as she tossed her head back or the ridiculously cute way her nose crinkled as she snickered at him. And, it seemed, her laughter was infectious because Cassian soon found himself chuckling along with her.
If someone had told him he’d be laughing in the back of a bookshop with Nesta Archeron this evening, he’d have called them a liar. He’d done a double take when he spotted her through one of the Main Street shop windows, curled up in that blue velvet chair with a book. She hadn’t seen him from the angle she was sitting at but he, much like now, hadn’t been able to look away from her.
Cassian told himself the only reason he’d walked into the shop was because it was a perfect opportunity to annoy Nesta. In reality, he was just drawn to her. Inexplicably so. She irritated him and he set out to do the same to her, but the raw attraction he felt toward the woman was nearly unbearable.
Nesta stopped laughing when she caught him staring. Cassian thought he witnessed the slightest blush sweep across her cheeks, but she quickly ducked her head to look at her watch, hiding her face from him.
“I think it’s time for me to go.” she announced as she slammed her book shut. When Nesta stood and swayed a bit, Cassian was on his feet and at her side in an instant. Before he’d even thought about what he was doing, his hand was at her elbow, steadying her. He glanced at the empty wineglass next to her chair and realized that she’d been drinking.
“How many glasses of wine did you have, Nes?” he asked, fighting a grin.
“Just two.” she scowled.
“Two? You can still read straight after two glasses of wine?”
“Of course.” she said as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Cassian just shook his head at her response. “Come on, I’ll walk you home.”
“Uh, no, I am perfectly capable of walking myself home.”
“You can barely walk straight. I’d prefer you not stumble out into the road and get yourself run over.”
“I’ll call an Uber.”
“No one in this town Ubers. A driver would have to come from the next town over, if anyone’s available. You’ll wait at least an hour.”
Nesta blinked at him for a few moments before she lifted her chin and grabbed her bag of books. “Fine.”
Shocked that she’d even relented, Cassian followed her out of the bookshop and waved at Gwyn who waggled her eyebrows at him when they passed the counter.
Cassian was on Nesta’s heels as she exited the shop and immediately shouldered his way between her and the road as she veered toward the edge of the sidewalk. He’d joked about her getting run over earlier, but after seeing just how unsteady she was on her feet, he wasn’t taking any chances.
“It’s so quiet out.” Nesta remarked as she glanced down at her watch again and made a face. “And it’s not even eight o’clock yet.”
For Cassian, this was a just a normal evening in Velaris, but he supposed someone used to the hustle and bustle of LA would find it strange. “Most everyone is in with their families by now. Or down at the bar.”
“Not you?” she asked, raising a brow at him.
Damn. What to say? He very well couldn’t tell her that he’d changed his course just to see her. “No family. And I was just on my way to the bar when I realized that I needed to buy a gift for a friend at the bookshop.”
“But you didn’t buy a book in the bookshop.” she pointed out.
“Couldn’t find any I thought she would like.” Cassian lied.
“She?” Was Nesta phishing for more information about him? That was…unexpected. And had him grinning like an idiot.
“Maybe. What of it?”
“Nothing. I just didn’t have you pegged as the girlfriend type of guy.”
His grin only widened. “And why’s that?”
“Because you’re…you.” She waved a hand through the air at him. “You don’t exactly look like the commitment type.”
Cassian stopped when they arrived at her apartment building, but Nesta kept walking. “Nesta.” he called after her. She wasn’t listening.
“I mean it’s not like I really care, I just figured since you brought her up you might be trying to say something…”
“Nesta.” This time he grabbed her hand to pull her to a stop just inside the alleyway entrance. The sudden movement sent her stumbling towards him and Cassian caught her against his chest.
She looked up at him with those stormy eyes, not in disdain but in wonder. “What?” she asked breathlessly.
“You walked past your apartment.” he said quietly. Nesta spared the apartment a small glance before she blinked up at him again, as if she couldn’t understand what was happening. Cassian barely held back his grin as he leaned down to whisper in her ear, “And I don’t have a girlfriend.”
He pulled away just in time to see her eyes round at his admission and drop to his lips. Was it possible that Nesta wanted him? He’d seen the way she looked at him in the shop, the heat in her eyes as they discussed cover models’ physique. It was exactly the way she was looking at him now.
And damnit if he didn’t lean in a little closer, until their lips were only inches apart. It would be so easy to close the distance between them, to kiss her as he’d stupidly fantasized about since the moment they met.
But Nesta was a little drunk. Not thinking clearly. If he kissed her now, he’d be taking advantage of her, something he wouldn’t even think of. “Nesta, I think it’s time to–” He didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence because Nesta suddenly lifted onto her tiptoes and pressed her mouth to his.
At the first feel of her soft lips, Cassian’s control promptly snapped. He snagged her around the waist to bring her closer, slid his hands along her sides, her hips, lower. Nesta moaned audibly in response, a sound that shot straight to his cock and had him deepening the kiss.
Cassian had told himself he wouldn’t pursue her, wouldn’t kiss her like this, but how could he not when she tasted so fucking good? When she felt so damn good in his arms? And God, the way she responded to him, moaned into his mouth and pressed impossibly closer with every caress he gave her.
He was on fire for her, so far gone that he’d do anything she asked of him in that moment.
But he wouldn’t get the chance because a moment later, Nesta pushed him away and held him at arm’s length as if she needed space to breathe, space to think. “I…that was…” Nesta’s eyes widened as if she only just realized what they’d done. “I’m sorry.” she whispered before she turned and ran.
“Nesta, wait.” She didn’t stop and, against his better judgement, Cassian let her go. He watched as she fled up the back staircase to the apartment and disappeared inside without a backwards glance.
The second she was out of sight, Cassian fell back against the side of the building. He’d kissed his fair share of women, but this kiss, Nesta’s kiss, was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. Not once had he thought of the bet or the fact that he was meant to be running her out of town. There had been only Nesta, the feel of her lips on his, and sensation of her body pressed against him.
And it had felt so right. Somehow, this woman that couldn’t appreciate the kind of life he lived and didn’t belong in the town that he loved, suddenly mattered to him.
Which meant he was royally fucked.
******
You know that scene in The Proposal where Ryan Reynolds nonchalantly corrals Sandra Bullock to the inside of the sidewalk? Yeah, I just love that shit and had to include it for Nessian 🤗
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Summary: Every night Feyre, a star above the Prythian sky, wholeheartedly shines her light, looking forward to watching her Prince of Night below—that is, until unexpected trouble finds her.
Notes:
- This is inspired by Neil Gaiman's Stardust. 🌠
- Characters and text taken from ACOTAR belong to SJM.
- Yes, I could have posted this under the starfall prompt, but I'm saving that day for a bonus chapter I haven't written yet.🙈
Word Count: 1860
Fluff and Angst
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Feyre was a star above Prythian. She wasn't the sun that shone bright in the morning waking everyone up to start their day or the sleepy moon telling everyone it's time to go home to rest for the night; no, she was a star, beauty for those who knew where to look, an enduring guiding light for lost souls, and a quiet wish maker as faceted as the night.
When the sun sets and darkness blankets the realm, Feyre and her sister stars wake to shine their light upon the seven courts: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Dawn, Day, and Night. Looking below, her sisters would set their sights on the ongoings of a different court each night, but not Feyre, for she had only eyes for one court: her beloved Night and its beautiful Fae Prince, who seeks her out every night.
Rhysand was his name, although he preferred to be called Rhys by his friends, as he had told her once. How Feyre wished she could tell him hers, but to him she was just a fixed luminous point in the night sky. He was a prince unlike any other, masking as a dark and malevolent fiend to his enemies but was a compassionate and self-sacrificing ruler to his people, and every night he would stroll to the open veranda of his moonstone palace to look up at the night sky and find her. Sometimes he would find her in the early evenings after spending a pleasant day with his inner circle to tell her his hopes and dreams for the future, while on other nights he would jolt awake from a nightmare, causing him to seek her out at midnight to tell her the painful regrets of his past that still haunt him in his sleep. It warmed Feyre's heart that he would share with her his secrets, both good and bad, and she found herself shining brighter each night for him.
Tonight, Feyre was a celestial deity sparkling in the skies, dancing with her sisters. Rhysand hadn't shown himself yet, but nonetheless, she was jovial and ecstatic to see him, causing the light emitting from her skin to be the brightest it had ever been, and she didn't care because what's a star meant to do if not shine? Unfortunately for her, she had forgotten that those who shine brightest above often attract wicked beings below who plot their demise, so when an enchanted arrow painfully struck her left arm, she was wholly unprepared and could only scream in horror as its trailing thick chain wrapped around her body, pulling her downwards and causing her to fall from the sky.
No star that had fallen in a millennium had ever survived to return home, and thus Feyre was terrified as she thrashed against the chain, refusing to go down without a fight before she finally lost consciousness. She had no idea that her Rhysand had finally appeared on the palace's veranda, seeking her out from the night sky, only to have his heart shatter as he saw his beautiful star falling and, amidst it all, hear her last coherent thought of his name as she plummeted towards the ancient forest in the Middle.
Rhysand knew it was foolish to have winnowed alone to the ancient forest at night without his brothers, but he acted instinctively, even foregoing making a plan first, because the moment he saw his favorite star falling, a breathtakingly beautiful female who thought of him, something tugged in his chest, and what happened next was out of his hands.
He had tracked three naga which were fairies made out of shadow and hate and rot that served the dark, twisted witches. They had laid her, his bright fallen star, on a large, flat gray boulder in a small nook in the moss thick forest of gnarled beeches. Her braided golden brown hair was loose from her fall as it fell on her freckled pale face, obscuring her still closed eyes, and her starlight was dimming each second that passed by as the arrow still protruded from her arm, causing stardusted blood to drip on her simple slip dress, though the chains around her body had gone limp, its magic exhausted. It made his blood boil to see her treated like that, and it got worse as he heard the naga's thoughts and what they planned to do. His magic begged to be released into the world, all the more so because he remained hidden behind a tree while he kept watching the naga move about.
One naga trifled with the chain, unlatching it from the arrow, causing it to slide off to the ground. "What do you say, brothers? Shall we wake her? Have a little chase?" it said, an impish smile forming on its face.
"Mistress will be displeased; she wants the star's heart ripped in haste and brought to her," said another, flexing its claws in the air.
"You're no fun, brother. Let's have our sport. She'd be an amusing thing screaming for mercy as she bleeds," the third said as it lunged for their captive, its razor-sharp teeth and silvery forked tongue darting out.
Rhysand had heard and seen enough. Thunder cracked as he unleashed his darkness that frightens, letting it erupt and slither throughout the forest. The shadows of the night covered every inch of that nook the naga occupied, binding them to the spot where they stood, unable to move.
A normal creature would have feared the naga's horrendous combination of dark scales, serpentine features, and male humanoid bodies whose arms ended in black, flesh-shredding talons, but they were nothing compared to what he was capable of as a Prince of Darkness gifted with Daemati powers, a more lethal nightmare that had beings running away at the mere sight of him.
A fissure appeared in the middle of the darkness as Rhysand let the naga see him prowling towards them as he slid one hand in his pocket. "Well, well, what prey do I have here caught in my spider's web?" he taunted.
The naga's amber eyes bulged in terror. Two were frozen speechless, but one was brave enough to retort, hissing, "You have no power here; no claim on us."
Rhysand tsked. "Yes, but the strongest, meanest, and most cunning do." A cruel smile formed on his face as he flicked an invisible fleck of dust off his black tunic, masking the cold rage he felt. "Any last words?" he asked, as his claws sunk, gathering any vital information from their feeble minds.
"The Dark Mother—" began stuttering the naga, but they never got to finish their thought as Rhysand's fingers curled into a fist, causing their eyes to widen and glaze before they collapsed dead on the forest's floor.
Darkness still ebbing and flowing from him, Rhysand stepped over their bodies and with feline grace gently lifted his fallen star from the boulder, cradling her to his chest before winnowing them both away.
Feyre awoke to a sharp throbbing pain as an arrowhead was being extracted from her arm, followed by a gentle, soothing warmth. She sat up abruptly, her hands clutching tightly to the blanket covering her on a large bed, and scampered backwards, still dazed from her ordeal and thinking she was in danger. "Get away from me!" she shouted, trying to scan the room for weapons or anything to throw but failing miserably as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the brightly lit room. It was morning, and the stars weren't used to waking up to so much light.
"I'm sorry," she heard a rich male's voice she recognized say, and she turned towards its direction. "I didn't mean to startle you."
Her eyes focused on a pair of dazzling violet eyes, followed by gleaming raven black hair and a perfectly shaped nose and mouth on a tan face, and she instantly felt at ease because standing before her was him, her prince, in an immaculate black tunic and pants. "Rhys."
"Yes," he said, giving her a heart-stoppingly beautiful smile as his shoulders relaxed in relief that she recognized him. He gathered from her thoughts that she was aware of who he was from listening to him confide in her each night, but he was uncertain if she would be pleased to see anyone after her fall. He took the fact that she was then now curiously sliding her hands over the ivory silk nightgown the half-wraiths put on her and wasn't running away from him as a good sign.
"How do you feel?" he asked, showing her what he held in his hands—a small tray with pieces of the arrow he just pulled out of her arm—before setting them aside on an end table.
"Confused," she admitted, looking down at the healed puncture wound on her arm before raising her gaze to the open windows, where a gentle breeze fluttered the amethyst curtains, and then out to the sky. "I was up there with my sisters last night, and now I'm not." She looked back at him and asked, "How?"
Rhysand bore so much sadness in his eyes as he said, "I was looking for you, and then there you were falling." He nearly growled the next few words. "And all because of those nagas who did the bidding of a witch who wanted your heart."
She shook her head in frightened understanding. She knew witches craved the hearts of stars to strengthen their spells, but none had dared to capture them for so long that they had forgotten the dangers of shining their light too bright. "Then you saved me from them," she said while moving to the edge of the bed closer to him, realizing it to be true. "Thank you."
"You are most welcome," he said, offering his hand to her if she wanted it as he gazed upon her blue-gray eyes.
She accepted his hand, and he had helped her out of the bed, so she was standing right in front of him when she realized she could finally tell him her name. She opened her mouth to tell him, but was easily distracted by the stars sparkling to life in his eyes that she paused. She never knew his eyes could be magnificently wondrous up close, as if her home in the faraway skies were saying hello.
"Hello, Feyre darling," he whispered, having read her thoughts, and she smiled widely up at him, not just because his knowing her name made her giddy with delight but because it felt right as something tugged at her chest, pulling her to him and making her skin incandescently glow. She was afraid he would be taken aback by the sudden shift in her appearance, but instead he closed the distance between them, letting his darkness loose, filling the room with star-speckled night as he looked down on her with wonderment and awe, cupping her face as she set her starlight free. And as she stood on her toes and he leaned down and kissed her, she realized that maybe her home wasn't that far away after all.
Thank you for reading! 🥰
Tagging friends who might like to read it: @shallyne @msfeyredarling @the-lonelybarricade
