How Paper is Made - Nesta teaches Feyre how to read. | AO3 | Tumblr
Nessianโ๏ธ๐ฅ
An Eye for an Eye - Nesta makes a bargain with devastating consequences. ACOSF alternate ending. | AO3 | Tumblr
In Search of Cassian - Whereby Nesta searches the Night Court for Cassian with Rhys in tow. Fluffy. | AO3 | Tumblr
Chasing The Demons In My Head - Exploration on Nesta coping with her Lady Death Powers. | AO3 | Tumblr
The Writing's on the Wall - She's a demon, he's a hunter. Can they overcome all odds to be together? Ancient Chinese Wuxia AU. AO3 | Tumblr
We're Not Strangers, We're Lovers - Another take on a reincarnation/soulmates fic. AO3 | Tumblr
Crimson Blade - Vampire Cassian and Human Nesta Victorian love story. AO3 | Tumblr
Heavy Is The Head That Wears The Crown - The Trove continues to haunt Nesta even after she gives up her Cauldron stolen powers. Post-ACOSF. AO3 | Tumblr
Losing My (Gear)Head For You - Street racer modern AU AO3 | Tumblr
In Between The Lines - Nesta and Cassian secret texting. Canon-divergent. Set before the main ACOTAR series AO3 | Tumblr
Take Shelter - Nesta escapes to Summer Court after the events of ACOFAS. AO3 | Tumblr
The Connoisseurs - A series of edits and drabble of art thieves Nessian. AO3 | Tumblr
Emorie๐
Girls like Girls (like boys do) - Emerie volunteers for shelving duty to catch sneak peeks at the pretty blonde. Mor frequently studies at the library to sneak glances at the pretty brunette. Modern AU. | AO3 | Tumblr
Why do my gods look just like you? - Is this a dream or real life? Modern AU | AO3 | Tumblr
Elucien๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ป
Hey Elain - When Elain is left devastated and jilted, a series of voicemails from Lucien is all that keeps her together. Soft Elucien. Hurt/comfort. Modern AU. | AO3 | Tumblr
Effervescence - Unable to resist the call, Elain sneaks into the Night Circus and chances upon the most beautiful man she has ever laid eyes on. Night Circus AU. Three-parter. | AO3 | Tumblr
Something Sweet and Floral - Elain meets the most chaotic florist while picking up flowers for Feyreโs wedding. Modern florist AU. | AO3 | Tumblr
Sunshine in Autumn - Desperate to protect her family's happiness, Elain travels to the past where her sole ally is her mate who has no idea who she is. Time travel fic with baby autumn court Lucien | AO3 | Tumblr
Turning Darkness into Light - Ghost-seeing Elain moves into the flat Lucien is haunting. Modern spooky ghost AU. | AO3 | Tumblr
Love Me Before The Bubble Bursts - Elain and Lucien goes on a date. Modern AU. | AO3 | Tumblr
When Words Fail - Elain and Lucien bond over a shared piano. Canon-compliant. | AO3 | Tumblr
Guard Dog of Your Fever Dreams - After dreaming the death of a beautiful stranger, Elain gets a job at Day Corp to try saving their rising corporate superstar, Lucien Vanserra. Modern Corporate AU. WIP. | AO3 | Tumblr
Touching Me, Touching You - A smutty post-HEA Day Court oneshot | AO3 | Tumblr
Once Upon A Dream - Mark-less in a world where everyone has soul marks, Lucien grows up dreaming of his pretty brunette friend | AO3 | Tumblr
Letโs Fall In Love For The Night - (human) Elain throws a ball for the Spring Court representatives. | AO3 | Tumblr
Feysand๐๐๐
Shouting Down The Void - In a world where all men have been drafted to fight an off-world war, Feyre decides that she's done waiting at home. Modern/Sci-Fi AU | AO3 | Tumblr
Crimson Starlight - Vampire Rhys and human Feyre Victorian love story | AO3 | Tumblr
Til Forever Falls Apart - Loosely inspired by the legend of Houyi and Chang E/Moon Goddess. Ancient Chinese fantasy AU. WIP | AO3 | Tumblr
I think Ten wasn't meant to lose Rose. Not like by plot, but by design.
I think Ten was created by and for Rose. He exists because Nine sacrificed himself for her. He took her accent (yes that's canon), he took a form she'd find more attractive. He popped out of regeneration bursting with joy and energy and love because that's where he was born. He's a product of Nine's love for Rose, he's Rose's Doctor, designed specifically for her, to be with her, to make her happy and be happy with her.
So when he loses her, he loses his purpose. Yeah, he suffers many more times after that, but we all know that's what really killed him. The Tenth Doctor was dead the second he was permanently separated from Rose.
He gets a quick breath, a whisper of hope, when she comes back to him. But he loves her so dearly that he gives her what he's never given anyone, what he'll never have himself. He loved her so much that he let her go.
#THISSSS #this is why | find it kinda silly when people fight over ninerose vs tenrose because to me that's the same ship #tenrose is just the natural progression of their relationship following nine's sacrifice/character development #which results in a happier version of himself who has hope again #and has grown past the need to be a loner as a coping mechanism #ten is literally the manifestation of nine's love for rose #it's why they're so silly and cheerful in series 2 #which is all fine and well and beautiful until he loses rose #and goes from a war veteran (nine) to a widow (ten) #and ten doesn't know how to cope #something about rose and the doctor both struggling to accept loss and how that shared flaw colours both of their arcs #I have so many thoughts on this I could go on forever #doctor who #timepetals
Written for @danikamariewrites as part of the @acotargiftexchange!! I had so much fun writing this, and I hope you enjoy!
Summary:
When Cassianโs new neighbor moves into the townhouse next door, heโs intent to make a good impression.ย
Until he puts his foot in his mouth. Until he discovers just how fun it is to rile up Nesta Archeron.
What starts as a simple neighborly rivalry evolves into something neither one of them can control, especially once feelings get involved.
Aka a fluffy, rom-comy, smutty one shot with plenty of banter and neighborly antics.
Thank you so much to @wishcamper for reading this and to @janearts for letting me reference one of her Nessian book covers!
You can read the whole thing below, or on ao3 here.
Thereโs a giant UHaul parked in Cassianโs driveway.ย
To be fair, itโs not only his driveway; he shares it with the townhouse next door. Luckily thereโs enough space on the curb for him to parallel park his truck, before going inside with Azriel to have their post-workout protein shakes.
The townhouse next to his, at the end of the row, went on sale just over two months ago, and proceeded to go under contract in under three days. If the interior was anything like his, he can understand why. The architecture is stunning, designed before the first World War, and his master suite also has a walk-in closet and a porcelain claw foot tub in the bathroom.
โNew neighbor?โ Azriel asks.
โSeems like it.โ Cassian only hopes that whoever bought the place next to him is decently normal. The last owner rented the property, which led to an interesting assortment of neighbors over the five years that heโs lived here. He remembers one particular instance, the quiet neighbor from two years ago, with the much louder dogs. They would keep him up well past midnight with their barking.ย
They head inside and make their drinks. He can see Azriel is gearing up to turn on the baseball game, so Cassian says instead, โIโm going to go see if my new neighbors need any help.โ
Expecting Azriel to leave, heโs pleasantly surprised when he says, โYeah. Sure, why not.โ
Before they settle in too much, they make themselves get off his couch, and return to the humid, not-air-conditioned outdoors. Moving during the summer must be actual hell. Heโs barely started walking, and already his entire body wants to sweat. Luckily heโs already dressed for the occasion, in a tank top and athletic shorts.
Heโs glad he made the decision to help as soon as he knocks on the door, and the new owner of the house opens it. A woman, about the same age he is, with honey-blonde hair tied on top of her head. Heโs instantly drawn to her eyes: a stormy gray-blue that narrows on him instantly, a question already in them.
โCan I help you?โ she asks.
โI was just about to offer that, actually. To help.โ He combs his hand through his hair. Fuck, sheโs pretty. โIโm Cassian. I live right next door.โ
She hums, her expression not changing. โNesta.โ A glance over his shoulder has her spotting his brother. โAnd whoโs this?โ
โAzriel,โ his brother says, speaking up.
Nesta opens her mouth to say something further, but is interrupted by footsteps coming down the stairs. She turns her head over her shoulder to look at the newcomer.
โThis place is so cool.โ Another woman slides into view, her hair dark like his and braided over her shoulder.ย
Nesta says, โI was thinking we could do girlโs night out back. Thereโs a patio.โ
โSo we donโt have to fit on Gwynโs apartmentโs couch anymore.โ The womanโs eyes land on him, and she cocks her head. โWhoโs this?โ
โCassian. My new neighbor,โ Nesta says. โHe said heโs here to help.โ
โEmerie,โ she returns, before glancing back at her friend, amusement dancing in her eyes. โIsnโt that sweet, Nesta? Youโre so lucky to have such a helpful neighbor.โ
He can almost see the glare that threatens to take over Nestaโs face, before she pushes it away, behind a fortress of steel. โRight. So neighborly. Now that I think about it, Gwyn did say she needed help getting the table out of the truck.โย
โItโs no trouble at all,โ Azriel says, in that polite way of his. Leave it to his brother to show off his charm, in front of a group of girls that heโs trying to impress. Cassian will tease him about it later, even though he knows the sentiment will be returned right back to him.ย
All four of them return to the moving truck in the driveway. โWhat do we have next, Gwynnie?โ Emerie asks.
Gwyn, he assumes, is maneuvering boxes in the back, deciding what to bring out next. โOh, good, youโre back. Letโs get this table insideโoh.โ
She catches sight of them, perhaps a little surprised by the sight of two strangers in the driveway.ย
โTheyโre getting the table,โ Emerie supplies. โThatโs Cassian, andโฆIโm sorry, but I didnโt get your name.โ
โThatโs Azriel,โ Nesta supplies. โNow that all the introductions are out of the way, can we get started?โ
Gwyn looks over the pair of them, especially noting the muscles in their arms. He canโt tell if itโs the heat, but her pale skin is slightly tinged with red on her cheeks. โRight. Yeah.โ She clears her throat. โIf you two get the table, then the rest of us can bring in boxes.โ
With that, they get to work. Between the two of them, they get the table inside to the kitchen quickly, before seeing what else they can help with. Gwyn soon has Azriel bringing in boxes to the kitchen, while Emerie brings boxes upstairs, which leaves Cassian with Nesta.
He has no complaints about the circumstances.
Nesta points to a group of boxes. โAll of these need to go to the room on the first floor. Theyโre books, so theyโre too heavy for me.โ
โIโm on it.โ He grabs a box, faltering a little under the weight of it, the muscles of his arms flexing. Nesta, he notices, pretends like sheโs not looking. โDamn. How were you planning on getting these inside before?โ
She shrugs, and says, โTwo of us carried them out to the truck.โ
He makes it to the room she designated as her library, and sets it in the middle of the floor. Onlyโฆten more to go.
Before he goes back out, Nesta comes in behind him, and leans on the door. Sheโs studying him, similar to the way she did before, but less apprehensive this time.ย
She says, โI appreciate what youโre doing, by the way. I know I didnโt exactly make that clear.โ
He pauses in his tracks. โItโs not a problem. Itโs the neighborly thing to do.โ
โRight,โ she says, unconvinced. โStill. You should let me get you dinner. Or help yourself to one of my bottles of wine. Orโฆsomething.โ
โItโs alright, truly.โ
โIf you say so.โ Her arms are crossed in front of her chest, but her face is softer, and her lips are tugging upwards into something that almost resembles a smile. โCome on, letโs get back to it. I donโt want to keep you here all afternoon.โ
Cassian doesnโt think heโd mind that very much, in all honesty.
The rest of her books go faster than he anticipates, and by that point, the rest of the boxes have been brought inside as well. So Emerie and Gwyn leave to return the UHaul, while Cassian offers to stay and help unload some boxes.
Azriel leaves as well, claiming he needs to go home, but Cassian swears he sees his brotherโs lips rising in a slight smirk.
Bastard.
Cassian opens the first box of books, intent to be as helpful as he can for the next hour before he has to leave.
โYou can just put them anywhere on the shelf,โ Nesta says. โIโll organize them later.โ
The first book he pulls out has a couple on the front, a winged man wrapping a cloak around the woman. โRomance reader, huh?โ
โAmongst others,โ she says. โSome of those are fantasy, and I have a box of crime books, too.โ
"The Witch who was Wickedโ he says, looking over the cover.
She raises an eyebrow at him, almost daring him to make any further comment about her reading tastes. The intelligent man that he is, he decides against it.
โThatโs one of my milder ones, actually,โ she says. โTheyโre both close to being human in this one.โ
He glances up at her before returning his attention to the book. On the endpages, thereโs more art of the main couple. He flips it open to read the description. โA Merchant Princeโs daughter teaches the Night Courtโs General a thing or two about love and war.โ
โBut be really careful with it. Sellyn Drake rarely does signings, I waited in line over two hours for itโโ
Crack.
Horrified, he looks up at her, and her jaw is already dropped, and thereโs no hiding whatโs just happened.
Her voice drops nearly an octave. โYou didnโt.โ
โI didnโt, what?โ
โDid you just crack the spine of that book? Were you not listening when I told you to be careful?โ
โI didnโtโฆโ
โYou didnโt, what? Think? That must be a rare occasion for you.โ
Curse his ability to make a bad situation ten times worse. He should just apologize. That would fix this.
He doesnโt do that.
Cassian flashes his signature grin, the one thatโs all teeth and charm and has gotten him out of countless skirmishes in the past. โAnd here I was, thinking I was making a good impression on my new neighbor.โ
Just like that, any softness remaining on Nestaโs face disappears entirely. What appears in its place terrifies him. Excites him.
She gets in his space, and sheโs so close, that he can see how the colors dance together in her irises. The lines of frustration etched into her forehead. โWell, try not to break my books next time.โ Sheโs scary, and he canโt help but be drawn to it. โThanks for the help. Take one of my wine bottles, but then stay the hell away from me.โ
With that, Nesta storms from the room, properly pissed off.ย
Fuck. So much for first impressions.
***
Nesta is still fuming hours later.
Her new neighbor took the hint after she snapped at him, quickly making himself scarce to leave her to her unpacking.ย
Most of the boxes of her bedroom and her bookroom are now fully unpacked, leaving the items for her kitchen as the last major task. Tonight, before bed, she just wants to determine the placements of her paintings.ย ย
Thereโs a whole box of art that sheโs collected since college. A whole box, and it still wonโt be enough โ the square footage of this place is almost double the size of her last apartment.ย
Her attention lands on the paintings that Feyre made for her. One is of a mountain peak, from the time they visited Katahdin, and the other a landscape of the sunset along the James River.
Maybe sheโs feeling a touch homesick. Out of place, missing her sisters, even though sheโs been living in Virginia for half a decade. Maybe sheโs still upset from earlier.ย
She decides that those paintings will go up tonight.
Her tool box is a dusty, untouched inherited piece of plastic from her father, but it has the essentials: a hammer, and plenty of wall anchors and screws to fix all of her artwork to the wall.
Right before she picks up the hammer, a text notification comes through her phone from Emerie, making her see the time displayed on the top of the screen. Itโs well past eleven, and way past the noise ordinance of this neighborhood at ten pm.ย
But, sheโs the last house on the street, and the only wall she shares is with Cassian. Gritting her teeth, she tells herself he deserves it after what he did this afternoon. He destroyed her book, so he can deal with the temporary lack of sleep.
He destroyed it, and didnโt even seem to care. The rational part of her brain is asking how he could possibly know that Sellyn Drake was the author that got her out of her no-reading-slump. That she stared at the wall, flooded with emotions, the first time she read one of her books. That sheโd been dying to meet this author for over a year, until it was announced that she was having a book signing just half an hour away.
That the book he cracked wasnโt just a book at all.
Sheโs still thinking of this when she drives the first anchor into the wall. It goes in without interruption, but when sheโs halfway done with the second, she hears a knock at the door.
Nesta opens it, scowling.ย
Cassianโs leaning against the porch wall. Thereโs a grin plastered across his face, but his eyes tell her that heโs anything but amused.
Earlier, Cassian was wearing a tank top that showed off the muscles in his arms, but itโs since been replaced with a dark blue tee, paired with a pair of sweatpants. Just like this morning, though, heโs all rugged beauty, with deep hazel eyes that have her frozen in place. Locks of stray curls escape from where he has it tied in a bun on top of his head.ย
She knows how she must look herself, after a day of sweating.ย Thatโs what moving does to a person, she tells herself, even though she wants nothing more than to jump in the shower and scrub every ounce of this day from her skin.
โEvening, Nes.โ
โDonโt call me that.โ
โSounds like youโre being productive.โ He looks over her shoulder, to the paintings leaned against the wall. โIf you want to wait until tomorrow, I can hang anything you want.โ
โSee, I donโt want to wait until tomorrow,โ she says. โI also donโt know why I would trust you with any of my belongings again, when youโve already demonstrated how careless you are with them.โ
โIโll replace the book, Nes. I wasnโt trying to be an assโโ he cuts himself off, then sighs. โJust let me help you. Please.โ
โDo you think I canโt do it on my own?โ
โHardly.โ His body shifts forward, so that all six foot five of him is nearly at eye level. โBut some of us need to sleep, sweetheart.โ
โDonโt let me stop you. Sweet dreams.โ
โThat hammer is going to keep me up. How much are you hanging tonight, anyway?โ
She shrugs. โHavenโt decided yet. Until I run out of energy, I imagine.โ A lie. Itโs just these two paintings, but he doesnโt need to know that. Let the poor man squirm a little.
โSo thatโs how itโs going to be,โ he says. His face shifts, and she canโt tell why the sight of him going distant puts such a pit in her stomach. โWell. It was a pleasure meeting you. I hope you enjoy living here just as much as I do.โ With a final glance over her, he turns, heading back to his own place. โSee you around, neighbor.โ
***
The last thing Nesta wants to deal with on a Friday is a call from her tech startup, informing her that the server hosting half the websites in the country is fucked.
So Nesta leaves home at four in the morning, well before the sunrise, and doesnโt return until after seven.
The sky isnโt dark yet as they still have the July daylight, which preserves a small spark of happiness as she pushes open her door. She has a bottle of wine in her hand, a central coast Sauvignon Blanc that sheโs excited to open once she changes into her silk pajamas.
Finally, once sheโs out of her work clothes, she settles on her couch and clicks the power button on her TV remote.
Her phone buzzes: a text from Gwyn.
Gwyn: You sure you donโt want some company?
Nesta: Iโm sure. Itโs been a long day, I just want some time to myself.
While her phone is in front of her and while she remembers, Nesta places her order for Thai food, which her app says should be at her house within an hour.ย
She gets Pride and Prejudice pulled up, and is cuddled under her blanket, ready to finally relax.
Sheโs on her second glass when the infamous Darcy hand flex scene shows up. Is it too much to ask for, to have an idiot that suffers from foot-in-mouth disease thatโs already half in love with her? Apparently so.
Her thoughts are interrupted by the sound that comes from her shared wall.
โCassian.โ
Said in a breathless sort of way, so that thereโs no doubt in Nestaโs mind what, exactly, is happening on Cassianโs side of the wall.
But instead of the feminine voice that she expects, itโs low. A man.
Interesting.
Whatever. Itโs his house, and Cassian is allowed to have over whoever he wants. Even if the low chuckle she hears through the wall sends shivers down her spine.ย
It means nothing, she tells herself. Just a natural reaction to anโฆattractive man. An attractive voice.
Nothing more.
Curling her lips into a small sneer, Nesta reaches for the remote and turns up the volume of the movie, intent to drown out the noise.ย
It works, for a time, until the movie falls into a lull. Sheโs torn out of focus by the loud thump on the adjoining wall.
Nesta pauses the movie, and narrows her eyes on the wall.
โShit,โ the voice hisses, panting. โYouโre good at that. Canโt believe youโre on your knees for meโโ
The voice breaks off into a high-pitched noise, and Nesta can only imagine whatโs happening on the other side.
โYou liked that?โ Cassianโs voice, this time.
โYeah.โ Thereโs a short pause, before the voice says again. โDonโt you have a neighbor? Should we go somewhere a little more private?โ
โOh, she doesnโt mind. Trust me.โ
Nesta narrows her eyes at the wall. Asshole. He must have seen her car parked in the driveway, and decided to return the favor from a few weeks ago by causing an obscene noise violation.
Sheโs done with this bullshit.
Gathering her blanket and her nail kit from the bathroom, Nesta grumbles all the way to her front porch, and takes a seat on the first step. Underneath the porch light, she files at her nails, intent to at least accomplish some self-care tonight. She tells herself that she needed to do her nails anyway. That she wasnโt driven out of her own home by her ridiculously hot neighbor.
The man of the night emerges an hour later, hair tousled and freshly-fucked.ย
Whoever he hooked up with is attractive, sheโll admit, with a muscular build just like Cassian, and deep onyx hair. On his right ear, a singular golden earring hangs.
She waits until after Cassian gives the man a final kiss, sending him on his way.
โHave fun?โ she asks.
Itโs only then that he sees her, file in hand as she adjusts the shape of her left thumb nail.ย
Instead of appearing shamed like she might expect, his chest seems to puff out instead. โYeah. Nice guy. Youโd like him, I think, if you didnโt tear him to shreds first.โ
Funny.ย
โWhatโs his name? I didnโt hear you say it. You know, when you were fucking against the wall.โ
โHelion,โ he says, eyebrows raising. โWhat, Nesta? You think I donโt remember the names of people I bring home?โ
Redirecting, she says, โI didnโt know you were into men.โ
โIโm bi, so I like both.โ He takes a step forward, now noticeably on her property. โIs that an issue for you?โ
โIโm not biphobic. And itโs not my business who you spend your time with.โ
โItโs just, you seemed invested for a second.โ A moment later, and a revelation shines on his face. โOh. I get it now. Youโre jealous.โ
โIf you mistake neighborly courtesy with jealousy, then thereโs not much I can do for you.โ
โNeighborly courtesy,โ he mutters, lips ticking up. โSure, Nes.โ
โAnd what do I possibly have to be jealous of?โ she says, looking over his entire body. โI assume all that cockiness is overcompensating for something.โ
She expects her words to hit their mark. Most of the time, with men that arenโt worth her time, they do. But instead, Cassianโs eyes only gleam with a newfound challenge, and he folds his arms over his chest.ย
โOvercompensating,โ he repeats, with a small smile. โWell. Let me know if you ever want to test that theory.โ
โAnd why would I ever get within five feet of you?โ For some reason, Nesta feels as if sheโs walked into a trap. Like sheโs a fly thatโs flown directly into a spiderโs web.
She realizes why, exactly when Cassian hits her with, โYou know why, sweetheart.โ The low tenor of his voice, the slight gravel, has Nesta tensing in her chair. โThe question that I have,โ he says, hazel eyes trained on her, and she almost feels his next step towards her, โis whether that scowl will melt away if I get you into my bed.โ When he reaches the base of her steps, he does one last, lingering look over her, noting her every curve. โAnd I donโt think Iโd mind very much if it didnโt.โย
With that, he turns back to his own door, leaving Nesta frozen for a moment before she shakes herself out of her stupor.
No way in hell, she tells herself. Thereโs no way sheโll ever consider sleeping with Cassian.
Heโs entirely too obnoxious, for one. Doesnโt know when to admit that heโs wrong. It doesnโt matter how pretty he is, how deep his hazel eyes are. It doesnโt matter how much she wants to wrap her hands in those curls and tug, how much she secretly loves this fighting between themโ
No. No, sheโll never do it, she tells herself, finally pushing from the stone step and retreating back inside.
***
One of the things Cassian loves the most about Saturdays is that itโs the one day of the week thatโs truly quiet.ย
Dinner with the family takes up most of his Sunday afternoons. So he likes to take a few hours on Saturday mornings to himself, with a cup of coffee and whatever book heโs reading, and enjoy this back porch while the summer allows it. Today, itโs a book on Alexander the Great. Heโs just gotten settled in when he hears Nestaโs porch door open, and sheโs clad in a black silk robe.
โMorning,โ Nesta says cheerfully, but he notes the smugness in her expression.ย
He knows what that look means. Heโs become familiar with it over the past weeks.
In retrospect, itโs no surprise how the two of them devolved into this full-on war. After his hookup with Helion, Nesta ensured one night that he could hear exactly what she was doing with her vibrator in her bedroom.
Then, when her sister was helping her plant hydrangeas in the garden, Cassian made the neighborly offer to mow her lawn at the same time as his.
Without a shirt, of course.
She was furious. She wasnโt able to take her eyes off of him, and he lived for her watching his sweat bead on his chest, and his arms pushing the mower across their grass.
This whole thing is petty. Stupid.ย
They canโt stop.
And, if heโs guessing correctly, today sheโs planned her revenge.
He dips his head in greeting, before returning to the book. But all chances of his attention remaining on the story die when Nesta steps out further, dropping the robe to reveal her cherry red bikini. He doesnโt know where to look first: at the bottoms that leave half of her ass uncovered, or the top that ties around her neck, pushing her breasts together. Heโs rendered mindless for a few moments until he realizes that heโs staring, and sheโs staring right back.
โItโs a lovely day to work on my tan,โ she says with a raised eyebrow. โIs that a problem?โ
โNope,โ he says, emphasizing the end of the word with a pop of his lips. A complete and utter lie.ย
โGood,โ she says, looking like a cat thatโs cornered a mouse. โI figured you wouldnโt mind, given your โฆ display a week ago.โ
What a fool heโd been, if this was how she planned to torture him in turn. โOf course not.โ
She has a ceramic bowl and a book in her hand, which she places on the side table right by the lawn chair on her patio. When she bends over to flatten her towel on the chair, her tits press against the red fabric of her top. Fuck, if she isnโt the hottest woman heโs ever seen. And he knows sheโs just getting back at him for that stunt with the lawn mower, but still. He canโt help where his thoughts go next. He imagines pulling her into his bed and shoving his face into her chest until he can barely breathe.ย
In order to stop himself from looking like a total creep, he clears his throat and turns his face the other direction. He tries to go back to his book, but the words swim on the page in front of him, and his eyes dart back up to Nesta. Sheโs sat down on the chair in the time that heโs been looking down. Her book is open in one hand, and with the other, she reaches into the bowl beside her and picks up a slice of mango between her fingers.ย
Transfixed, he doesnโt realize heโs been staring until she slips the piece of fruit between her lips, and lets out a perfect little sound. It sends a jolt through him, and he thinks of the sounds that she would make if he ever got her between his sheets. If he ever got his mouth between her legsโ
Stop.
Sheโs his neighbor, and no matter how hot he finds her, hooking up with her would beโฆcomplicated. And heโs almost one hundred percent certain that Nesta Archeron would never touch him like that. This is solely to get a rise out of him, nothing more.
โIs thatโฆgood?โ he asks, overly invested in her answer.
โYeah. You want a piece?โ
Yes.
But he canโt risk her seeing the tented fabric of his pants. Canโt give her the satisfaction of knowing the effect she has on him.
โNot a mango person,โ he lies.
She hums, fighting a smile, and her fingers dip back into the bowl. Like she knows sheโs already won.
โMore for me, then,โ she says.ย
He canโt tear his eyes away, not as she places the second piece of fruit in her mouth as well. Nor the third.
By the fifth, he manages it. Then, loses control once more as she makes a small sound in her throat, and he looks up to find her settled deeply into her chair. Fingers softly curled around the edges of the chair. Sheโs relaxed, cheeks tinted red, ready for a nap.
God damn it.
He tries to read his book again, but for five minutes, he doesnโt turn a single page.
Thatโs when he realizes, he is absolutely fucked.
***
The bikini threw Cassian off of his game for a while, which isnโt a surprise. Whatโs more of a surprise is the fact that heโs baking, at close to midnight.
Cookies, probably. Orโฆmuffins. It doesnโt matter, really, except now Nestaโs hungry, and itโs all his fault.
Insufferable man.
Pushing down the plush blanket on her bed, Nesta slides her feet into her slippers before stomping down her steps. Then sheโs knocking on his door, and she hasnโt thought of a single thing to say, other than she wants to pick a fight andโ
โHey, Nes.โ His eyes trail her, noting the pink pegasus pajama set, with a matching shirt and shorts that just cover her ass. โCute,โ he says.ย
โWhat are you making.โ
At that, he opens the door wider, beckoning her inside. She hasnโt been in his house yet, telling herself that itโs most likely a grown-up-frat-boy house, but itโs surprisingly clean. Not as decorated as her own place, but still nice.
โMuffins. You should try one.โ He leads her to the kitchen, motioning to a bar stool by the counter. Heโs been hard at work, a variety of muffins littering his counter.ย
Cassian takes one of the cooling muffins and places it on a plate, then puts it down in front of her. Blueberry, from the looks of it, and frustratingly delicious-looking. At her scowl, his grin only widens.
โProblem?โ he asks.ย
Not able to think of anything to snap back with, Nesta reaches for the muffin. She almost moans into it as her teeth sink down, but restrains herself, if only to prevent his ego from inflating. Itโs good, too good, and sheโs sure that he already knows it.
Cassian picks up a muffin of his own. He breaks a piece off the top with his large hand, before popping it into his mouth. She pretends that she doesnโt notice the way his tongue darts out to catch the crumbs on his lips, or the satisfied hum he makes as he swallows it.ย
โI guess these are passable,โ she admits, taking another reluctant bite. โWhy are you baking this late, though?โ
โTrying to perfect the recipe,โ he says. His fingers place another piece in his mouth, and he chews for a few seconds, thinking. โSay, Iโve got a question. What would you think, if you woke up to these? Would it be enough to impress you?โ
She frowns, and tries to ignore the way something in her heart sinks. โDid you really just get me to try your post-hookup breakfast?โ
He shrugs, nonchalant. โYou didnโt answer the question.โ He steps forward, placing his forearms on the counter. Itโs attractive, unfairly so, the way he has his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, leaving his muscled forearms on display. โSo, Nes? Would you be impressed?โ
โNo, because I canโt even imagine getting past all of your other qualities in order to sleep with you.โ
โIs that so?โ he asks, voice low and curling something in her stomach.
Everything about this man is stupid. From the way his hair is haphazardly tied behind his head, leaving stray strands to fall down and frame his face. From the way his shoulders are so broad they could swallow her whole. All the way to his lips, that look so plush and kissable, but are being wasted on that infuriating smirk.
And so, itโs a perfectly reasonable reaction when she leans forward and kisses him on those stupid lips, if only to shut him up for good. It happens before she can think better of it, before she can talk herself out of the impulsiveness of it all.
If heโs shocked, itโs only for a moment, because afterwards heโs kissing her right back. His mouth opens readily for her, lips sweet from blueberry. When he shifts forward even further, to settle into the kiss, sheโs worried he might lose his balance and topple over the counter entirely.
Nesta feels Cassianโs grin on her mouth. โThought so, sweetheart.โ
Heโs moving, going around the counter to join her on her side. He swivels the barstool so that sheโs facing him, before hefting each of her thighs beneath an arm and pulling them around his waist.
She barely remembers leaving the barstool, but soon she finds the wall of his kitchen digging into her back. One of his hands is beneath her shirt, inching closer and closer to one of her breasts, which doesnโt have a bra covering it.
โBed,โ she gasps, pushing away from his lips only long enough to speak. โNow.โ
Cassian is all too happy to oblige. Itโs all a frenzy after that, and they end up in his bedroom, Nestaโs thighs bracketing his body from where she straddles him. His shirt comes off in the fray, and her hands are against his bare skin, his firm lines of muscle on his stomach. Itโs like magnets draw them together as she leans down to kiss him again, and again.
He wraps his large hands around the strands of hair cascading down her back, tethering her to him.
โIโve been wanting to do this with your hair ever since you had it up with that damn bikini,โ he murmurs. โI love seeing it down like this.โ
She groans into his mouth. Whatever she told herself she was trying to accomplish that day, sheโs almost convinced that this has been on her mind the entire time. Cassian, nearly desperate beneath her. His hands gliding through her hair, across her body.
โIs that all you wanted to do?โ she asks, almost purring.
โNo.โ His mouth trails kisses down her neck, then her collarbone, where his lips are blocked access to her skin by the fabric of her shirt. Parting his hands from her hair, they slide up her bare stomach, her sides, and pull her shirt up over her head. โIโve been imagining that, too.โ
In a move thatโs strangely hot, he pushes from the bed to flip himself over her, now settled in between her thighs. With gentle fingers, he trails underneath the waistband of her shorts, and she lifts her hips so that he can pull them down her legs. โAnd this.โ
Her fingers wrap around the curls atop his head. She knows what she wants already, knows what will get her off properly, and guides his head towards her legs.ย
โWith the amount that you run your mouth, I hope you know how to use it,โ she says, almost out of breath.
He doesnโt resist her direction. Instead, his eyes lock with hers, suddenly a molten hazel that has warmth blooming in her stomach. His fingers hook around the edges of her underwear, and then theyโre thrown behind him, forgotten on the floor.
โYou seem to pay an awful amount of attention to my mouth, sweetheart,โ he says back.
She opens her mouth to protest, but is cut off by the first drag of his tongue. He brings it firmly up her center, sending any further remark scattering from her brain, until all she can say is, โI โ oh.โ
โWhat was it you were worried about, again?โ he asks innocently, pausing to speak.ย
Needing him to do that again, she presses her fingers into his head, and pushes his face where she wants him. โShut up and do what youโre told.โ
โI love it when a beautiful woman orders me around.โ
His tongue is positively sinful. When he lays his forearm across her stomach to keep her hips from lifting up, she squirms in his arms, causing him to chuckle and increase his efforts. Before she knows it, sheโs shattering against his tongue, her hand unwillingly reaching for his. Their fingers interlocked, he gives her hand a small squeeze as she tightens around empty air, desperate for him inside of her.
โThatโs it,โ he murmurs, cheek pressed to her thigh.
โI needโโ she says, hips lifting off the bed. She tugs at his hand, trying to pull the hunk of a man up where she wants him.
โI know, sweetheart.โ
Instead of heeding her direction, Cassian shifts to grab a metal wrapper from the bedside table. He pushes his pants down to his ankles, stepping out of them one foot at a time.
He makes quick work of rolling the condom on, then heโs right back on top of her, his weight settling on her body in the most perfect way.
His hand guides his cock towards her entrance, and he pushes into her. He goes in and in, past where she thinks she can take it, until finally his hips come flush with hers. Thereโs nothing to do but whimper, and grip onto his biceps, as a shudder rolls through her.
โOh my god,โ she breathes, and then heโs pulling his hips back, and thrusting into her again.
โFuck, baby,โ he says. โYou feel so perfect, wrapped around me.โ
Each drag of him inside of her riles her up, making her putty in his arms. He knows it, too, from how his eyes gleam as he watches her take him. Itโs unfair, how his hips box her in on the bed and keep her from moving anywhere. Itโs unfair how the rasp of his voice in her ear has her melting for him, until all she can do is drag his mouth down to hers for another messy kiss.
Nesta comes again a few moments before he does. Then his weight is pressing into her stomach, his damp-to-the-touch hair tickling her cheek. His breath comes in shudderingย
โThat wasโฆโ she says, unable to fill in the rest.
โI know.โ The muscles of his arms flex as he pushes himself off of her body. Hazel eyes look down to meet hers. Theyโre intense, staring at her with an emotion that she canโt name. Canโt place. It has fear crawling into her stomach, crawling through her veins.
Does he regret what just happened?ย
She flees for the bathroom, murmuring some fact about UTIs, but really itโs to stop the fluttering of her heart.
In the mirror, her hairโs a mess, disheveled from Cassianโs large hands. Her eyes are blown, from possibly one of the best hookups sheโs ever had.
Because thatโs what this is, right?
Maybe itโs best if she leaves. Dating a neighbor is messy, after all. Maybe they can say the tension was released and call it that. Just two hot people finally getting it out of their system.
She returns to the room, searching for where he tossed her pegasus pajamas earlier. She only glances at him for a second, and heโs propped up on an elbow, still shirtless, but underneath his blanket now.
Heโs watching her, face careful.
She starts, โI shouldโโ
โStay,โ he says, more sincerely than she expects. It has her halting in place, considering his offer. He tacks on, โPlease.โ
Of all things, she didnโt expect to hear her six-five, overly cocky neighbor beg. Itโs a touch endearing. Maybe she likes the sight of him like this, cast in the light from his ceiling. Fingers clutched around his navy comforter from nerves. Itโsโฆcute, which isnโt a word she ever thought sheโd use to describe Cassian.
The corner of her mouth lifts, decision made. โYouโre making me breakfast to go with the muffins in the morning.โ
โMhmm.โ He wraps a hand around her wrist to pull her back into bed, face nuzzling into her neck. โWhatever you want, sweetheart.โ
Heโs warm, surprisingly so, and even though itโs the end of summer, she canโt say that she minds it. Something melts in her heart, and she thinks that she might be able to get used to this.
๐ ๐ HO-HO-HO ๐๐
It's so very nice to officially announce myself to the one and only @surielteaparty!
Getting to know you this @acotargiftexchange had been amazing and I couldn't wait to show you what I made!!! Believe it or not, this whole idea was born because of your comment about shiny objects ๐ซข I was so happy when I saw Night was your favourite.
โ
I hear the Night Court has the best Solstice Market.
Lucien's mysterious drink of choice: overwhelming sense of longing with a hint of starfruit ๐ซ
We were saving this artwork for the announcement, but a surprise Gwyn is always a good thing. Just ask Azriel and his shadows. We hope it sparks joy in all your hearts too ๐ฉตโจ
katriona_artist your talent is undeniable!! When we first discovered your account, we immediately knew we needed to commission you for a version of Gwyn and you truly brought her to life so incredibly! Sheโs breathtaking. Thank you ๐ฉตโจ
No reposts without permission and do not use this art for anti content please.
Nesta had to learn to dance, but in my headcanon, Elain had been taught the piano. Someday, sheโll sit down at the keys and start playing, and everyone will be captivated especially Lucien, who will undoubtedly swoon.
