Cassian and the Archerons (good band name??) because I know there were supposed to be themes for each day of Cassian week but life got lifey and I forgot, sorry!
First up we have him spending some quality time with Feyre, as they’re… strongly encouraged to not get involved with the decorating this year.
Then his morning check-ins with Elain. Just in case. Not that he’s worried. But… did she see anything?? (Also, fresh baked goods!)
Last, but not least, here he is with Nesta. Because pollen be damned, she deserves some pretty flowers.
“I know all of your secrets, Nesta,” the gargoyle tells her, the sound of her name falling past his lips leaving goosebumps pebbling across her skin. “You whispered them to me every day.”
— My Heart of Stone
I seriously cannot thank @krem-does-stuff enough for taking my silly little monster fic idea and turning it into this absolutely GORGEOUS piece that just screams romance novel cover. Do you see it? Do you see him? Do you see the lines in his wings that look like stone? I'm obsessed, and I hope everyone else is too. A very happy @cassianappreciationweek to us all! (cropped of just Cassian below the cut)
He let his lips linger for far too long against her skin. Far too long to have been considered proper or polite. She was so soft against him, the brush of her divine— something reverential, and gods, he had only kissed her hand. The pulling in his chest had turned frantic, frenetic, as though it were rejoicing, celebrating, worshipping the press of his lips against her skin.
And it was just her hand.
Chapter 8: Begged and Borrowed Time by the incredibly brilliant @whyisaravenlike-awritingdesk
Because this scene was so beautiful that I knew I had to see this immortalised into art the moment I read it (right after I scooped my melted brain off the floor🫠).
Thank you to the amazing @lomakes for bringing my dream to life.
No repost, aside from the event organisers, allowed. Reblogs are welcomed. Characters belong to Sarah J Maas.
I can totally imagine myself trying to run away from him because he's handsomely intimidating
Someone made the request, and then I scrolled down through Cassian Appreciation Week and BOOM idea
"6. Day Six: Lord of Bloodshed X Cassian is
one of the most powerful Illyrians in history.
How do you think he earns - and continues
to earn - his unofficial title?"
Answering now: he has his fandom, every famous person has one, it wouldn't be different for him
Idk if the time is over for this prompt, but in my time zone there's still one hour left so
Kiss The Girl
As a single mom, you had always been supportive of your daughter's interests, even when it came to her fascination with the General of the Night Court. Despite the warnings from her classmates and teachers at school, she was determined to prove that he was awesome and cool. Since the first time her grandmother (your mom) told her about the day the General saved her life during the attack against Velaris, your daughter has been obsessed with him.
From wearing something red in every outfit (her dress, her lipstick, her shoes, her ribbon, her socks, or anything like that) to reading every single book of history she could find in the public library that told some tale about her. And then she would tell you over and over again during dinner.
She was his biggest fan (or smallest, if we are talking about height), how couldn't she be? He was the greatest warrior in all of Prythian, the best General in the history of the Night Court, the best Illyrian male, the Lord of Bloodshed, the Prince of Bastards. Oh my, and wasn't he the strongest and bravest soldier in history?
Your daughter kept rambling about it over and over again as you walked through Velaris, buying food and some other supplies for the dresses you had to make during the week. Eloise loved this type of walk since she was always excited with the possibility of finding the General somewhere. As you chose some strawberries and raspberries for a future cake she suddenly started to shake your hand and jump up and down.
-Mom! Can I walk alone? I saw something I like - She started tugging the hand you held her, quite stronger than usual if you could say.
-Let me just pay for the fruits and we can go together, love - You drop her hand to grab money, counting the coins you had.
-No, mom! It needs to be now! Pretty please? - She sounded almost desperate, making you laugh a bit, but one look at her pleading eyes you could only smile and nod, dreading the power she held over you.
-Alright you can go, but be careful, sweetie - To your surprise, instead of walking to a store close to where you were she started to scream with joy and run though the streets, leaving you behind in one of the fruit tents - Eloise, wait! - You called after her, your heart already pounding with worry.
She bolted towards an aleatory spot while you tried to see where exactly she was going to follow her after you finish you payment, since you don't want to steal everything in your bag (although from the laugh the tent owner was holding you don't think he would care that much if you ran behind her too). What you didn't see was the glimpse she got of Cassian walking down the street, two siphons around his hands shining bright red, just as her dress.
The General was just a few streets away trying to look for the art supplies Feyre told him to get when he spotted a little red thing running towards him. It took him some seconds to identify the red running thing as a mini fae and he immediately crouched down, trying not to look intimidating when he confirmed that she was indeed going toward his direction. But your daughter was the most fearless child you ever met. She went straight up to him and wrapped her tiny arms around one of his arms, her tiny frame not even rounding one big muscled arm.
-Well, hello there, little one. Is everything alright with you? - He said as he smiled wide and tapped her back.
-Yes! I just wanted to say that you're the best, General Cassian! I love everything about you! - She jumped up and down on his arms as small tears started to form in her eyes.
-Oh, do you now? That's very kind of you to say - He quickly dried the droplets that threatened to get out of her eyes, the bag with requests from Feyre long forgotten on the ground.
-No, really! I want to be just like you when I grow up. Can you teach me to fight and be a general too? - She let go of his arm to look at him from the front view, but never let go of him, fearing he might disappear.
-What's your name, small thing? - He played with some strands of her hair, making her even more excited with the situation.
-I'm Eloise, sir - She said confidently, straighten up the posture and all.
-Well, little one, being a general takes a lot of hard work and hundreds of years of pure training. But I'm honored that you look up to me. Maybe one day we can talk about it - Eloise's eyes sparkled with admiration, and she continued to pour her heart out to him, sharing all the reasons why she thought he was incredible. Cassian listened attentively, his heart melting at her genuine affection.
-You are my favorite person in the whole wide world, Cassian! I mean… after my mommy and my granny, but then you are my favorite - She said convincingly, making the General throw his head back in laughter, adoring the attention.
-Thank you so much, Eloise. This makes me happier than you can imagine. I'm glad to know I have such a brave and wonderful fan like you - She squealed in happiness as she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him as tight as she could ‐ I believe you're not here alone, right?
-Of course not! Mommy is here with me… somewhere - She said sheepishly, almost if she just remembered about her mother.
-Hold on tight, little warrior - Cassian said before lifting her up with one of his arms, letting her rest on his waist - Let's go find your mom, shall we? Can't have her worrying about you.
Meanwhile, you finally caught up to them, slightly out of breath from the chase after running around the blocks searching for your daughter. You were both relieved and a bit mad, but it all disappeared in amusement after seeing Eloise fearlessly chatting with Cassian. And oh my, wasn't he as amazing as your daughter mentioned.
-Eloise, there you are! I was worried about you. Don't ever run away from me like that again - You said as you tried to make sense of your surroundings and not keep looking at the General like a crazy person.
-Mommy, look, it's General Cassian! Isn't he amazing? - She said pointing at him, he turned at you with such a big and radiant and beautiful smile that almost made you weak on your knees. Almost.
-Yes, he is, sweetie - His smile got even bigger if that was possible, he seemed to enjoy the attention, and you kind of felt inclined to give it to him every day of your life.
-You have an incredible daughter. She made my day with the amount of praises, it's hard for me to get those.
-Really? How so? You're so amazing and look so good that… - You seem to catch your train of thought as you laugh nervously, almost making a fool of yourself - I mean, that's what Eloise always says, so… I would imagine that is a routine for you to be… praised? - You smile as best as you can and take your daughter back, trying your best to not touch any part of that very well toned and built muscles - Anyway, thank you for taking her. She really adores you.
-I think I adore her too. She's quite… remarkable - Cassian's eyes met yours, and there was an instant connection. He seemed to look at you as if the rest of the world didn't matter, in a way that your late husband never looked at you.
Cassian couldn't help but search for an engagement ring on your hand, but as he found none he felt a mixture of relief wash over him that almost made him feel sorry for himself. Meanwhile, you couldn't help but notice how tall, big, and undeniably handsome he was, which definitely made you feel a little intimidated. Feeling ridiculously overwhelmed by his attractiveness, you decided to take your daughter away, practically running from him.
-Come on, sweetie, let's get going! - You said quickly as none of you seemed inclined to look away from each other - Thank you very much for talking with her. It was nice to meet you.
-Nice to meet you, General Cassian - Your daughter practically screamed as you took her away, scared that he might scent the interest you took on him.
-It was nice to meet you too, little warrior - Cassian, however, was determined to win you over, just as he had already conquered your daughter's heart.
Days went by and you couldn't get Cassian out of your mind. You even started to pay a lot of attention to your daughter's tales about him, making her more excited to tell you over and over again. You worked quietly every day in your sewing shop thinking every single detail Eloise told you about the General while you made the dresses to sell, it didn't took you long to realize good part of your drawings and works were coming out red, you let out a laugh when you noticed the amount of red dresses you had around.
Your late husband wasn't exactly the love of your life, you could say. He was a nice gentleman that took responsibility for your daughter once you found out that you were pregnant after one good night with him. There wasn't desire between you two, there was love, but more like friendly love. And when he died in the war against Hybern you mourned him like a friend. It was always you, your mother and your daughter, there was no space for love or anything else. And you were still young, once Eloise would grow up you could find a love for you to settle for and finally relax. So it was hard to understand whatever you were feeling for the General, why your thoughts went to him all the time even if you barely talked to him that day.
As you continued to work in your studio, you were completely surprised when Cassian suddenly appeared in the store. His tall form almost touched the ceiling as he looked around as if searching for something. Or someone.
-Hello there. May I help you? - You blushed slightly at his presence, feeling uncertain yet intrigued by his sudden approach.
-Your daughter told me you had this store and I wanted to check it out by myself - He said it as if he wasn't certain of any of his words, smiling nervously at you.
-She really told you? Why? - He took time to think, you could almost see the parts of his brain trying to come up with an answer until he sighs and gives up.
-Okay, I lied, she didn't tell me about the store. I don't even know why I tried to lie. I think I'm nervous, sorry - He started to rumble a lot and you tried to make sense of his talk, at the same time as you tried to calm down your heart at the mere sight of him - Hm… I asked Azriel- do you know Azriel? Spymaster and stuff? Yeah, I asked him to find you for me and we found out you worked as a seamstress, which made the opportunity to talk to you fall like a glove since Feyre- you know, the High Lady? She's looking for someone to make some dresses for Nyx's birthday and I thought "uh, I can ask you if you can do it and then I can talk to you like I've been wanting to since the day we met" and here I am.
-Wait, wait, wait. Calm down - Your mind was turning over and over as you processed the whole situation - Yes, I can make a dress, but… you were searching for me?
-Yeah, I actually promised a good amount of food and wine to Az for him to find you.
-Why? - The question left your mouth as if you were asking yourself, not him.
-Hm… so, about that. You daughter, Eloise, right? - You only nodded your head, still confused about everything - So, she mentioned she wanted to train. And I can do it, you know? I have a lot of experiences with kids, they love me.
-You have a lot of experience training kids?
-Yes! It's more like the basic, only self defense and basic knowledge on punches and kicks. I am in charge of training Nyx, actually - He said convincingly, trying his best to keep the smile on his face.
-You are in charge of training a barely two years old kid?
-Yes… when he grow up - You couldn't help but laugh at him, his face seemed to chill once you smiled at him - I must admit, your daughter's energy and spirit impressed me. I believe I could help her practice her skills, if you'd allow me, obviously.
While you felt drawn to his charisma, you couldn't shake off the feeling of intimidation caused by his undeniable attractiveness. People simply shouldn't be allowed to look so good. However, the thought of your daughter spending time with someone she admired excited you, and you kind of wanted her to get to know him better.
-Well, I suppose... Maybe we could have dinner together someday, my mom needs to know you too, since you will be taking her granddaughter to kick and punch. That way, Eloise can decide if she wants to train with you - Cassian's face lit up with delight, clearly pleased with the invitation.
-That sounds wonderful! I promise I'll behave, and we'll have a lovely evening. If Eloise agrees we can discuss what exactly I can do.
-And the dress for the High Lady? - He looked at me like he completely forgot about that, the nervous smile coming back to his face.
-She will come by to talk about that - And so, you set a time for dinner at your home.
You were never the best cook in your family, far from that. But you had your skills to be proud of. Your nervousness made you spend hours preparing a delicious meal while your mother laughed at you for feeling like that for a male, a mix of anticipation and fear rising in you as the evening approached. When Cassian arrived, he was the epitome of charm and warmth, making your daughter feel excited right away and your mom turning to you and raising a thumbs up.
-Wow, you're even cooler when you wear normal clothes! Can you really teach me how to fight? Mommy said you wanted to - She pointed at you, who was still helping to set up the table.
-Of course, little warrior. I'll teach you everything you need to know - He even had the audacity to blink at you! Your cheeks burned as if fire was rising inside of you.
Throughout the night, Cassian regaled your small family with tales of his adventures before becoming the General, the ones that weren't written in the books, and your daughter hung onto every word, captivated by his bravery and humor. As the time went on, your initial uncertainties began to fade, replaced by the genuine connection and shared laughter as he made all of you feel at ease.
In the following weeks, Cassian kept his promise and started training your daughter in combat and self defense. It turned out he actually didn't have much experience with kids, but his genuine passion for teaching and caring nature won your daughter's heart even more. As time passed, you found yourself not only appreciating the mentorship he provided to Eloise but also enjoying his company more and more.
He grew closer as a family, helping your mother with her garden by bringing new seeds from every Court and asking tips for Elain or always taking your daughter to eat some sweets after training and always making sure to give her some red gift (her obsession with the color never fading), or even stopping by your store to leave something to eat or taking and fetching Eloise at school so you or your mother wouldn't have to stop working. And easy like that your feelings of intimidation were replaced by a deep admiration for the kind, caring, and honorable male Cassian truly was.
In the end, it was clear that Cassian wasn't just a charming and handsome general; he was also a genuinely good person who cared deeply for the ones he loved. The once-feared general of the Night Court had found a special place in your heart. Not that Cassian's compliments about your looks or scent always helped you ease your growing feelings for him, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to deny the attraction you felt.
One day, as your daughter caught her breath on the ground after a particularly intense training session, Cassian turned to you with that all-too-familiar mischievous grin he wears everytime you stay longer to watch their sparring.
-You know, I can't help but notice how your eyes sparkle when you're watching. It's rather enchanting - Your face flushed deep, not knowing how to react once his tall form reached the bench you were sitting on, you quickly rose from your position to look at him from a better view - I always try to know if it is because of Eloise improvement or if it's just you really happy to see me - Before you could respond, your daughter chimed in, playfully teasing the both of you.
-Come on, kiss the girl already so I can call you my dad! - She said breathlessly but with a smile that reached both sides of her face.
You and Cassian exchanged surprised glances, both of you slightly caught off guard by her remark. However, her words seemed to break the tension that always formed when he flirted, and you decide to take a leap of faith. You leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss on Cassian's cheek, despite feeling like your face was on fire from blushing. He looked at you even more surprised as a smile started to play on his lips.
-Well, I don't know about calling you dad just yet, but I can't deny my daughter's wishes, you know? - Cassian's eyes sparkled with delight, and he chuckled warmly.
-I couldn't agree more. How about we have that dinner we talked about last week? Just the two of us? - He pulled you closer by the waist, your hands resting on his chest.
-Yes, I'd like that - With that, he leaned in, and this time, he gave you a soft, lingering kiss, your daughter's squeals making you smile during the kiss, feeling as happy as she was.
As the days turned into weeks, your relationship grew stronger, both of you falling into an easy routine. Your daughter's admiration for Cassian only deepened as she saw how much he cared for her family, and in time, she called him "dad" without hesitation.
In the end, this unexpected journey brought love, happiness, and a newfound sense of belonging to your heart. And it all started with your daughter's innocent fascination with the once-feared Lord of Bloodshed, also known as your husband (and Eloise's favorite daddy).
A/N: Cassian has My heart, but I rarely can write him as a love interest the way some people so amazingly can. When I think of Cassian, I think of my older brother. A kind, loving, and gentle person who, due to his larger size, was cast into this role of a dominating force, and Cassian embraced it. "Gentle" is my absolute favorite prompt from this week, and I had planned to keep this to myself, but I have so many little fics and drabbles already locked away that I wanted to make sure anyone else who sees Cassian as the safe big brother also had something to read.. So enjoy 💜
Warnings- implied injury and unedited (you know the best warning)
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Reader is the youngest Archeron sister, and after being made, has begged Rhysand to allow her to have combat training. Hand to hand doesn't go as planned, though, when Azriel gets asked to spar her so Cassian can watch and take notes on her progress.
—----------
Your back hit the training mat with a loud thud. All you could do was blink the shock from your system as Cassian ran over to your side separating you from Azriel. The loud cough and gasp you released as your body screamed for oxygen had you rolling to your side.
"What the fuck, Az?" Cassian was in shock. His voice was muffled to your ears as you tried to focus on calming the burning sensation in your lungs.
"She was doing so well, I just-" Azriel sighed at the look Cassian shot him, "I got caught up in thinking it was someone more experienced. I thought she could handle it." Azriel's own guilt hit you instantly as he watched you curl up on the ground. "Y/N, I am so sorry. I didn-"
"We haven't even begun to discuss what to do when someone is about to throw you or slam you down. She has only trained for a few weeks, Azriel." Cassian moved to you, kneeling on one knee at your side as your body continued to try to breathe through the pain in rushed pants. "Y/n, are you okay?" Cassian's rough hands braced your neck softly as he sat you up and leaned you against his thigh. "Arms above your head, baby. You knocked her breath straight out of her." Cassian moved you again, trying to stop you from decompressing your chest and stomach, "Next time, push your body weight the opposite way he is throwing, y/n. Do not let Azriel rag doll you." Azriel scoffed at the comment, kneeling down next to you on the other side and holding your hand in his.
Cassian pulled you in closer to him with a glare. He was softly rubbing his hand up and down your spine slowly to coach you into deep breaths. "Breathe sweetheart, you're okay. In through your nose, out through your mouth. There we go, just like that." Cassian smiled brightly at you as your breathing became more regular. "Rhys and Nesta are going to kill you." He looked at Azriel with a serious expression. "Ness already is upset we are forcing her to train. She might actually steal a knife and stab you."
Azriel sighed deeply. "That would get Nesta out of her room at least." They both watched as you cracked the smallest smile before leaning into Cassian more. "I think she's done for today. That will leave a nasty bruise. I'll have one of the twins go to the room to rub salve on it."
Cassian nodded in agreement. Your eyes met the upset ones of another male as Cassian began to speak again. "I'll carry you up to your room, y/n. Az, can you clean up here? I want to talk her through what she did well and wrong. Y/n, Please don't tell Rhys about this.."
"He already knows," you whispered softly before pointing to the doorway where your sister's husband stood. His hands were tucked into his pockets as he studied the scene before him. Anger graced his face as he took in your disheveled, messy braid of dark brown hair, your red face, and your soft pants from being unable to take a full breath yet. Cassian chuckled lowly while looking between Rhys and Azriel. "Be nice, Rhys. I asked. It was-"
"I told Cassian to train you," the high lord said sternly. "Strictly for this reason. Now I get to tell Feyre you were hurt tonight when we speak."
Azriel was the first to turn as Cassian gently picked you up, supporting your knees with one of his arms. "Let's go get you a bath, princess," he whispered gently into your ear. "They're about to fight and it might get ugly. Our dear Rhysie has some pent up anger that he does not want to admit to, and Azriel is always more than happy to fight him."
You nodded, arms going around his neck so you could tuck yourself further into his chest. "Why did he want you to train me?"
"I would never throw you this early. Soft gentle movements until you have more experience, more balance, better strength. Az didn't want to baby you. Rhysand and I did. Because. Well. You are the baby." His voice was soft as he reached the room you and Azriel had begun to share since being made.
He continued after opening the door. "Azriel felt that was unnecessary. That you were capable and babying you after you begged us to ensure you never felt helpless again was unfair."
"And he won because of the bond?" Cassian nodded to the question as he set you down on the bed and Sat beside you.
"We compromised. I told him I would train you with progress updates every two weeks where he was involved. That is why he was there today. To spar you while I watched to see what I needed to fix, what we could progress on. I will be talking to him, though. You were not ready for that level of hand to hand. He needs to be more gentle with my baby sister."
Cassian's hand continued rubbing up and down your back as he held you. "Your footing was wonderful. You have made so much progress in the past couple of weeks. Feyre would be proud." He smiled down at you, then switched to a serious face, "You had a few strikes we need to work on, and we need to teach you how to get out of a few holds again. You did very well, though. I am very happy with your progress."
You smiled against his chest. "It must be the good, gentle teacher."
Cassian hummed as he placed a kiss on your head and pulled you in for another warm hug. "Or the aggressive dedicated student."
Summary: After the birth of his daughter, Cassian reminisces over the lucky moments in his life.
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: none
Read on AO3
@cassianappreciationweek
Day Two: Gentle
Cassian could count his lucky moments on one hand.
His father had raped his mother, so his start in life had been less than ideal. Ripped away from her at a young age, he’d had to fend for himself—survival of the fittest was the life for bastards in the Illyrian camps, kill or be killed. So Cassian had taken care of earning the clothes on his back, making sure people knew he was not to be messed with, and then he had met his brothers. That was the first time he considered himself lucky.
They’d conquered Ramiel together, dropped on opposite sides of it with no powers or weapons to aid them other than what they made for themselves on the go. Still, they’d found each other, and they’d mastered the sacred peak at the same time, inseparable and invincible together.
They’d been sent to war, separated from each other because their high lord feared their combined powers. During the seven years the war lasted, Cassian had dreaded every casualties list, fearing he would read their names. Every time he hadn’t, and when the war had ended and they’d all made it out alive, he had considered himself lucky again.
He’d been aware that things didn’t come easy to bastards like him, so he had worked hard for every single thing he had achieved, partly because he had drive, but also because he’d always held out hope he’d one day be accepted by the Illyrians, seen as more than just a bastard. He’d expected resistance when Rhys made him general, and while he’d found none, he knew better than to read into it. Acceptance was not something he had, but Illyrians respected genuine power and strength, and that was something no one could deny he had.
Still, Cassian had always been a bastard, and he’d owned it so no one could use it against him. But it had always bothered him, the festering root of all his insecurities, which he hid so well behind a veil of sarcasm and playfulness that only those he let get close knew what truly lay in his heart.
He had fought against the love he had for his brother when Rhys had been trapped under the mountain, and had nearly lost it by the end of the longest fifty years of his life, when Feyre had freed Rhys and the rest of Prythian. When Rhys had come back, Cassian had considered himself lucky for the single fact that his brother had come back alive. He had quickly learned that Rhys had returned half broken, had hidden it behind the same façade Cassian himself had used his whole life, and had gotten back to work as if nothing had happened. So Cassian hadn’t forced him to talk about it and had stood on the sidelines as Feyre slowly brought Rhys back to life.
Feyre was another person Cassian considered himself lucky to know, not just because what meeting her represented for him personally, but because he saw himself in her. Forced to fend for herself at a young age, Feyre had known desperation and hunger, just like he had. They had become fast friends, and she was someone he could talk freely to, more so than the rest of his family, simply because she knew. He considered himself lucky to know her, not just because of what she meant to his brother, or the fact that she was his High Lady, but because through Feyre, he had met the one person that had made him feel beyond lucky.
Nesta had been another less than stellar start. She had been volatile and angry, with words able to cut deeper than a knife, and more often than not he had been on the receiving end of that viciousness. He’d taken one look at her, however, and had fallen in love. He'd suspected she was his mate from the beginning, but Nesta hadn’t been ready for the truth so he had kept his suspicions to himself. He had known from the start that winning her over would be a hard, long battle, one he’d been more than willing to fight. He’d known she wouldn’t make it easy for him but he’d fought, and when it had looked like she was finally warming up to him, when he’d been on the verge of death, he had poured his heart out to her on the battlefield.
Everything after that had been a giant mess, a dark tunnel with no end in sight. Watching her waste away day by day, refuse help, and throw herself in the path of destruction had been the hardest thing to witness. He’d forced himself to keep out of it until he had no longer been able to, and when she’d finally been ready, Nesta had gotten back up all on her own.
It hadn’t been thanks to her friends, though they’d helped. It certainly hadn’t been thanks to his family, he could admit that. It hadn’t been because of him either, though he’d have handed the universe over on a silver platter to help her. Nesta’s road to self discovery had been because of her, her hard work, and relentless drive. That, he knew, they shared.
It was her whisper that brought him out of his thoughts, her voice so soft and loving he could feel his heart expanding in his chest. He looked at her, as beautiful as the day he had met her, as confident and resilient, if not more.
“I can take over, you know that, don’t you?” he asked, one eyebrow raised, trying to keep a straight face lest she thought he was joking. He could see the exhaustion on her face, but he could also see the Archeron stubbornness, the unwillingness to ask for help.
“I know,” she said, giving him the kind of soft smile she reserved just for him. “I’m just, you know… scared somehow. Like-” she gestured vaguely with one hand.
“Like you’ll blink and she’ll disappear into thin air?”
“Yeah. Exactly like that.”
Cassian took a seat on the bed next to her and she carefully inched closer. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders, and she positioned herself so that her back was resting against his side.
“Can you believe we made her?”
No, Cassian almost said. I can’t believe we did.
After they’d been mated in a ceremony which, thanks to a very grateful Rhys, had been extremely lavish, Cassian and Nesta had thrown themselves into reviving the Valkyries. They had, together with Gwyn, Emerie, and Az, trained new recruits, mostly made up of priestesses that had braved the outside world again and any Illyrian females that had wanted to join. That had been another thing for which Cassian felt particularly lucky.
Devlon and the rest of the Illyrians had been forced, albeit begrudgingly, to accept the fact that females were just as good (if not better, in Cassian’s completely unbiased opinion) at fighting as males were. Rhys liked to tease Nesta that she had worked her “witch magic”, and the Illyrians hadn’t had any choice but to accept if they didn’t want to run the risk of her being hexed. The Illyrian females had laughed themselves hoarse when they’d realized she was no witch and had no magic, and had made sure to keep it to themselves. Thus, Nesta had become the most feared female to an entire camp of Illyrians.
Azriel had cracked a big smile at that.
They had both put in a lot of hard work, and after a few years they’d had a solid Valkyrie unit. The day they’d reached one hundred of them, Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie had all cried tears of joy, and Cassian had been so proud.
A few months after that, lying in bed sweaty and spent, Nesta had told him she was ready. He had understood right away what she meant, and they’d eagerly gotten to work.
Now, half-sitting in bed, Nesta curled up against him, Cassian looked down at their infant daughter. Aoife had been alive for exactly one week and there wasn’t a single soul she didn’t already have wrapped around her tiny finger. Elain and Feyre had lost it, squealing in delight when they learned Nesta was having a girl, Gwyn, Emerie, Mor, and Rhys had cried, Amren had cracked a smile, and Az had clapped his back, telling him he couldn’t imagine Cassian as a father to anything but a daughter.
Cassian himself had simply never thought he’d be here, with a mate and a daughter, had never considered himself good enough for it. He’d been a nervous wreck the entire pregnancy, hiding it from Nesta as well as he could. Madja had told them the baby had wings and, while it wouldn’t have mattered to him if she hadn’t, he had still felt an indescribable amount of joy at learning their daughter would get to experience the freedom of flight.
The moment Aoife was born had been one he would never forget in a million lifetimes. His heart felt like it resided in both his own body and the small infant in her mother’s arms, his entire being attuned to her breathing and heartbeat. He had cried from the sheer force of love that filled his heart, and he had thanked the Mother for the blessing.
He snapped out of his thoughts again and found Nesta looking up at him. “You’re thinking too hard.”
Dropping a kiss to her forehead, he smiled. “Sorry. I still haven’t wrapped my head around it to be honest.”
Nesta was looking at him in that way of hers that left him feeling utterly naked and exposed, that brought all his walls crashing down. It was too soon to tell, but he prayed day and night that their daughter had Nesta’s eyes.
“I’m suddenly feeling very tired,” she said. He eagerly took over, Nesta transferring Aoife to his waiting arms. “Can you wake me up in an hour so I can feed her?”
He was glad for all the practice he had gotten holding Nyx. The old him would have pissed himself at the thought of holding a baby. The new, fun uncle version of him had thanked Rhys and Feyre for letting him use their son as a test subject.
That had earned him a glare from Feyre.
He nodded, waiting until Nesta was fully lying in bed. “Rest,” he said, pulling the covers over her, and dropping a kiss on her forehead. “We’ll be fine.”
Closing the door behind him, he headed to Aoife’s bedroom, the House turning the lights on and preparing her a bath. He mentally calculated the time since her last feeding, muttered a sorry to the House for doubting it and, deeming it safe, he washed his daughter, changed her into a fresh set of clothes, then sat on the reclining chair with her in his arms.
She was so small and vulnerable, yet so quiet in his arms, as if she felt safe.
Lord of Bloodshed. He snorted. More like Lord of Diapers these days. He wasn’t remotely bothered by it, however. This was the happiest he’d ever been.
“You know, I hope you’ll end up taking after your mother. She’s beautiful, and perfect, and loves fiercely. She’s brave, and she is strong, and she really won’t take anyone’s shit.”
The lights flickered, the House scolding him for using that language in front of the baby.
“Lighten up, she doesn’t understand,” he said, and the lights flickered again.
Aoife yawned and he nearly melted at the sight of it. “I can’t wait to teach you how to fly. You’re going to love it. There’s just something about the freedom of it that makes you feel invincible, like there is nothing you couldn’t do. When you’re old enough, you can join the Valkyries, if you want to. Or you can go into politics. Or you can paint, like Feyre, or grow beautiful gardens like Elain. You could end up loving dancing like your mother. Or you could end up doing none of those things and doing something else, something purely you. I hope your whole life ends up being a big, beautiful dance. I’ll make sure there’s never a day where the sun doesn’t shine for you, I swear it.”
Aoife’s eyes closed softly, her breathing evening out.
“You’ll always feel loved, and appreciated, and have our support in anything you choose to do. There will never be a day I won’t tell you how much I love you, and how much you and your mother mean to me. You’ll have the freedom to be whoever you want to be, because you’re you, and you’re special, and you can do anything you set your mind to. And I’ll always hold your hand every step of the way.”
He kissed the top of her head, the hair there impossibly soft, her baby scent something he would never tire of.
Yes, he could count his lucky moments in single digits. But this, right here. This was the happiest he’d ever been.
Happy @cassianappreciationweek everyone! I had a lot of fun with this one and major shoutout to @c-e-d-dreamer for giving me the plot idea for this ❤️🔥
Summary: Cassian and the guys spend a weekend in Vegas to celebrate his upcoming marriage to Nesta.
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Cassian
When Cassian had agreed to let Rhys take him to Vegas for an all-expenses-paid bachelor party weekend, he’d been so excited that he hadn’t been able to stop talking about it for days.
He just hadn’t factored in how much he’d miss Nesta.
“You have everything?” Nesta asked, leaning against one of their living room walls as Cassian wheeled his suitcase to the door.
“I think so,” Cassian answered. He did a last-minute check that he had his phone, wallet, and keys, along with a light jacket for the flight. “If not, I can just buy it there.”
“Assuming you’ll be sober enough to think straight,” she teased, following him as he walked to the front of their home.
When they’d been throwing around bachelor party ideas, originally Cassian had wanted to do something chill. He wasn’t into the stereotypical strip club party — especially not when he had Nesta at home waiting for him — but Rhys, Azriel, and Lucien had managed to convince him to visit Vegas for the weekend. Cassian wasn’t a huge gambler, but there were lots of things to do other than throw money away at the casinos, and he’d always wanted to go to Vegas. So he’d agreed to make the trip, and now the moment of truth had finally come.
Cassian wheeled his suitcase outside to see that Rhys’ familiar black Range Rover was sitting in front of their townhouse, the trunk already open for Cassian to add his suitcase to the mix. He waved toward the car and turned back to Nesta so he could give her a proper goodbye, leaning in and pulling her into his arms in a fierce hug. He buried his face into the side of her neck and inhaled the familiar smell of her perfume while she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into his embrace. Maybe he was being a little dramatic, but who cared? She was the love of his life. He could be a little dramatic if he wanted.
“I’ll miss you,” Cassian murmured. He pulled back from the hug to fix her with what was probably one of the dopiest looks he’d given her yet. “So much.”
“I’ll miss you too, Cassian,” Nesta replied, the hint of a pleased smile making the corners of her lips turn up. “Have a safe flight.”
“Let’s go, lover boy!” Rhys called out from the car. He honked the horn like an asshole and Cassian whirled around to flip him off. “We’re gonna be late for our flight!”
“Shut the fuck up, Rhys, I’m saying goodbye to my wife,” Cassian yelled back. “Who I love very much!”
Nesta laughed, pulling Cassian’s attention back to her. “I love you too. Now hurry up, I have to keep packing for my trip.”
Nesta had decided on taking a beach trip for her bachelorette party, her and the rest of the ladies deciding to drive down to Myrtle Beach to spend a few days relaxing by the water. She and her sisters – along with Emerie and Gwyn – had rented out a beach house for a long weekend, and Cassian couldn’t wait to see just how many freckles would appear on her skin.
“Have fun at the beach,” Cassian said. He leaned in for a goodbye kiss and forced himself to eventually pull away, but not before he cupped her face and ran his thumb across her cheek. “Bye, sweetheart.”
“Bye, baby,” Nesta said back. She waited until he’d put his suitcase in the trunk and got in the car before she turned around and went back inside, though not before blowing him one last kiss.
God, he loved her.
“Fucking finally,” Rhys muttered once Cassian had strapped himself into the passenger seat. “You’re leaving for a few days, not going off to war.”
“I’m not going to apologize for giving the love of my life the goodbye she deserves,” Cassian said primly.
“Cut him a break, you know he can’t help it,” Azriel chimed in from the backseat. “We might as well get used to it. He’ll probably call her every night for a bedtime story.”
“If you got the kind of bedtime stories I did, you’d be calling every night too,” Cassian fired back with a smirk.
“I don’t think any of us want that level of trauma,” Lucien teased, pulling
Thankfully, once they made it to the airport, the rest of their traveling went smoothly. They made it through security without any problems, their flight left on time, and Cassian even got to take a nap in first class, all while he was texting Nesta about how nice it was to have real legroom. By the time they touched down in Vegas and made it to their hotel, Cassian was more than ready to walk around and see all that Vegas had to offer.
Rhys had gotten them some super fancy suite that had a loft and room for everyone to have their own bed, and Cassian could hardly believe the view when they got upstairs. They were so high up that all of Vegas was spread out below them, and Cassian couldn’t stop gaping at how expensive everything must have been.
“Rhys—” Cassian tried to thank him once Rhys had emerged from putting his stuff away, but he only waved Cassian off.
“Don’t even think about it,” Rhys replied. “Come on, we have reservations in an hour.”
Cassian obliged and went to get changed, the four of them eventually making their way downstairs to the hotel’s restaurant. The food was amazing and the service was impeccable, and by the time they made it back upstairs, Cassian’s stomach was pleasantly full and was more than ready to pass out.
“You’re getting an hour, and then we’re going back downstairs,” Azriel told him, waggling his phone at Cassian to show him the timer. “Chop chop.”
“Fine,” Cassian huffed. Once he reached his bed, he kicked off his shoes and stripped down to his underwear before flopping on top of the comforter. “Good night.”
When Lucien came to shake him awake, Cassian was abruptly pulled out of his dream and nearly rolled off the bed. “Morning, sleeping beauty.”
“Fuck off,” Cassian replied good-naturedly.
Lucien just laughed and left him to get dressed, and once Cassian was presentable, he left the warmth of his bed to find Rhys pouring out a round of shots.
“Look who’s finally back to the land of the living,” Rhys said as he put the cap back on. “Nice of you to join us, lover boy.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Cassian said back, flipping him off. “What are we drinking?”
“Tequila,” Azriel answered. He pushed everyone’s shots toward them before moving a little bowl of limes to where the glasses had just been. “If you want one.”
Cassian took one and turned toward Rhys expectantly, since he tended to lead their toasts. His brother was already holding his little shot glass up in the air and waited for the rest of them to follow suit before saying, “To Cassian, who I still can’t believe managed to convince Nesta Archeron to let him follow her around for the rest of their lives. Salud.”
“Trust me, I can’t believe it either,” Cassian joked once he’d tossed back his shot and sucked down on his lime. He’d hardly believed it when she’d said yes to a date, let alone to spending the rest of their lives together, but he wasn’t about to question any of it. “Hit me again.”
By the time they all made it downstairs, they were three shots down and ready for more. Cassian had never really been much of a gambler, but it was cool to see so many different games spread out across the casino floor. There were slot machines and card tables and people cheering or booing depending on how things were going, and Cassian was feeling just enough of a buzz for it to all be exciting.
Of course, it didn’t take long for the buzz to turn into being full-on drunk. Lucien got him one of those enormous daiquiris while Azriel showed him how to use the slot machines, and Cassian felt like a kid in a candy store. He wanted to try everything at least once no matter how much money he won or lost, and his friends were more than willing to encourage him. There were also plenty of women willing to help him out, but Cassian was far too quick to mention Nesta for any of them to get too close.
“You want another one?” Azriel asked once Cassian hit the bottom of his daiquiri. It was so loud inside the casino that it was almost hard to hear him.
“Yeeeeeeeah,” Cassian answered, grinning widely for no reason. Well, not for no reason. He had the greatest friends in the world. “I love you so much, man.”
“Likewise,” Azriel replied. He looked only a little alarmed when Cassian leaned over and threw his arm around him.
“Nooooo,” Cassian whined. “You gotta say it back. Stop being so repressed. And depressed.”
“Yeah, Az,” Rhys chimed in, laughing. “Tell the man you love him, for God’s sake. It’s not healthy to keep everything inside.”
“He knows that I care about him,” Azriel responded with a heavy sigh.
“Just say it,” Lucien told him. “He’s not gonna let it go until you do.”
“Fine.” Azriel turned to Cassian and awkwardly patted the side of his face. “I love you too, Cassian. Now can you please let go of me?”
“Yes,” Cassian replied with a big grin. “You’re the best.”
Azriel patted him again before extracting himself from Cassian’s grip, muttering about how he preferred sober Cassian before he and Lucien headed off to the bar.
“You’re a mess,” Rhys told Cassian fondly.
“I’m your mess,” Cassian replied just as happily. “Well. Mostly Nesta’s mess now.”
“And isn’t that something,” Rhys said, chuckling. He let Cassian lead him over to another slot machine and made a disappointed noise when he didn’t win. “Let me try.”
Halfway through the game, Rhys frowned and pulled his phone out of his pocket. Cassian saw Feyre’s photo lighting up the screen and he couldn’t help but pout. He wished Nesta would call him.
“I’m gonna talk to Feyre for a few minutes,” Rhys said, leaning over to poke his finger into Cassian’s chest. “ You better stay right here. Do you hear me?”
“Yup,” Cassian said back. “Stay right here. Got it.”
Naturally, the moment Rhys walked away to call Feyre, Cassian couldn’t help but wander a little too. He didn’t go far, he just wanted to go somewhere that wasn’t as loud as their corner of the casino was, but that was basically impossible. So he just ended up at one of the smaller bars, sighing as he fiddled with his phone and wished Nesta’s photo would show up on his screen.
Cassian wished Nesta was here. He’d wanted her here with him the entire time, of course, but he was really feeling her absence now.
Maybe he should call her.
Yeah. Yeah. He really wanted to hear her voice, and tell her how much he loved her in case she forgot, which she definitely wouldn’t, but it never hurt. Just in case. And if she wouldn’t call him, then he could always call her to remind her. The perfect compromise.
He dialed her number from memory just because he could, and pressed the phone to his ear while the line rang. He hoped she picked up because he really missed her and wanted to talk to her about Vegas and hear her laugh. God, she had the best laugh. The best everything, really. She was so perfect it was almost too much to handle. But he could manage. For her, he’d do anything.
Nesta didn’t answer, which — Cassian was not going to cry about it. He was not. She was having a good time with her friends, and between the time difference and her being on a well-deserved girls' trip, no way she was picking up the phone right now.
Still. He could be a little sad about it.
“Hi, you’ve reached Nesta Archeron,” came the start of her very professional voicemail. “I’m not available right now, but please leave a message and I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”
“After the tone, please record your message,” the automated voice told him. Cassian blinked away the not-tears in his eyes as he waited for it to finish. “When you are finished recording, you may hang up or press one for more options.”
“Heeeeeeey, sweetheart,” Cassian began once he heard the beep. “Nes. Nesta. Babe. I don’t wanna be annoying or anything. But. I miss you. So, so much. I know it hasn’t even been a day but I wish you were here. I lost all the money Rhys gave me and I wanted to buy you something good but you’re not even here to make me feel better and I hate it.”
Wait. Fuck. It wasn’t her job to make him feel better.
“Not that that’s your responsibility because I am a grown man.” He made sure to stress those last two words so she knew he was being serious. “I just. I’m having fun, but I know I’d have a lot more fun if you were here too.”
He took a deep breath before continuing. “Not that I’m not having fun. I hope you’re having fun. You work so fucking hard and you never do nice things for yourself even though you deserve it. You deserve all the nice things because you are the best fucking person I know.”
God, he was so drunk. Nesta was definitely going to laugh at him about this later, but then she’d kiss him and it would all be worth the embarrassment.
“I just love you so much,” Cassian said, a distressing sniffle making its way out of his nose before he pulled himself together. “Okay. Okay. I’m okay. I’ll see you when you get back. I love you, sweetheart. Okay. Bye.”
Cassian forced himself to hang up and then released a heavy sigh, putting his head in his hands for a few moments to collect himself.
“You alright, man?” someone asked.
Cassian pulled his head out of his hands to see the bartender giving him a semi-worried look. “Yeah. I just really miss my fiancée.”
“Bachelor weekend?” the bartender asked with a sigh. At Cassian’s nod, he added, “You should be enjoying yourself.”
“I am,” Cassian insisted. “I just. Really miss her.”
The guy’s name tag read Kallon, and he looked distinctly unimpressed. “Aren’t you going to see her in a few days?”
“Yeah,” Cassian answered slowly. “So?”
“So?” Kallon repeated. “So? So you’ll see her in a few days, man. You gotta get it together.”
“I’m trying,” Cassian told him.
“Maybe you could order a drink and that would make you feel better,” Kallon suggested pointedly. “Or maybe you could go mope upstairs in your room?”
“Trust me, you’d be moping too if you had a fiancée like mine and she wasn’t here,” Cassian promised.
“No, I think I do.” Cassian fumbled with his phone before pulling up some of their engagement photos, his heart squeezing all over again at how gorgeous Nesta looked in them. “Here.”
“Huh,” Kallon said, surprised. “Would you look at that.”
“See?” Cassian said back smugly. He accepted his phone and slid it into his pocket so he wouldn’t lose it. “I told you so.”
“Yeah, alright,” Kallon replied. “You can have that one. She’s beautiful. You two look great together. Now are you gonna order a drink, or are you gonna keep moping?”
Cassian was just about to pull up some more photos and keep being snarky when he felt someone’s hand roughly spin the back of his barstool around. “What the fuck — Rhys?”
“Where the fuck have you been,” Rhys hissed into his ear.
“Right… here?” Cassian replied, confused. He hadn’t gone that far. “I just went to sit down somewhere else.”
“We have been looking for you for the last fucking half hour,” Rhys continued. “We thought we lost you!”
“How the fuck could you lose me? I’ve been here the whole time,” Cassian told him. He turned toward the bartender and made a flapping motion with his hands that he hoped got his point across. “Tell him!”
“It’s true,” Kallon replied resignedly. “He’s been here the whole time, moping about missing his fiancée and not ordering anything .”
“Yeah, yeah, the sun shines out of Nesta’s ass, we get it,” Azriel chimed in, sounding exhausted.
“Let’s just be grateful nobody had to tell her we lost him,” Lucien muttered. He exchanged a relieved look with Rhys and Azriel before turning his attention back to Cassian, pulling one of Cassian’s arms over his shoulder so he could bodily haul Cassian out of his seat. “Come on, lover boy. That’s enough shenanigans for one night.”
For @c-e-d-dreamer and @cassianappreciationweek day 4. The request: Nessian. Any setting of your choosing, but how about something soft and sweet?
Nessian ✦ Rated M ✦ 867 words ✦ on AO3
CW: CANON-TYPICAL DEPICTION OF VIOLENCE
They sat on the river bank until the sun was fat and low in the sky, its orange fingers slinking through the willow boughs.
There was only the steady rise and fall of Cassian’s chest at her back, the warmth of him bleeding into her veins, and the I-love-you-s murmured back and forth at the same volume as the Sidra’s soft rush.
“Are you awake?” he whispered against her temple after a longer stretch of silence.
“For now,” Nesta replied, shifting to look at him. “But I’m not sure for how much longer.”
The reality of the last two days was finally settling into her bones now that the adrenaline had evaporated. The Rite, Briallyn, Nyx’s birth… exhaustion was lead seeping into her limbs and weighing them down, trying to draw her wholly into its grasp.
“Let’s go home then.” Cassian stood, then scooped her off the grass and into his arms. He launched them skyward and Nesta closed her eyes.
The next thing she knew, the world had stilled again and Cassian was saying something. “... know you’re tired, but I need you to try to eat something first.”
He sounded so gentle, so worried about her, and Nesta smiled as she opened her eyes. This male—capable of a ferocity to rival the gods, yet wearing his heart for all to see… “I love you,” Nesta told him again, just because she could and it was decadent.
The house delivered them enough food for a small army, and Nesta managed to put away a plate and a half before her yawns began arriving at a frequency that made eating inconvenient.
Cassian noticed, of course he did. “Let’s get you cleaned up and then we can sleep.”
Nesta considered protesting, a testament to the extent of her exhaustion considering that she hadn’t bathed in over a week, but knew she would regret going to bed layered in the residue of the Rite.
Cassian ran the bath as she sat on the edge of the counter and watched him move about the room. He helped her out of her clothes, his touch mindful of the bruises still littering her skin. He joined her in the bath, carefully maneuvering her tired limbs until she was leaning back against him again.
With a soft cloth, he worked honey-scented soap into a lather and began to clean away the grime. It was all Nesta could do to keep from dozing off.
But her closing eyelids snapped open when her mate took a shuddering breath that turned into a bitten off sob. Nesta turned around so quickly that she sent water careering over the sides.
“I could have killed you,” Cassian whispered in horror, looking down at his hands—they were trembling.
She took his shaking fingers in her own and squeezed. “You didn’t. You fought her.” Nesta shuddered as she remembered the sight of Cassian plunging that knife into his own chest rather than hers.
He shook his head, “I wanted to hurt you, Nes. It was…” he trailed off, looking to the side and squeezing his eyes shut.
A crystalline droplet streaked down his stubbled cheek and Nesta caught it with her thumb, coaxing him to face her.
“You weren’t yourself. That feeling wasn’t you—it was Briallyn and the Crown.”
The pain in his hazel eyes echoed through her and she drew him into her arms, holding him as tightly as she could.
“I thought…” Cassian drew a deep breath and held it, blowing it out slowly. “I thought I might never see you again. When I arrived at Emerie’s and you were missing, the smell of those males, of the drugs…” he shivered, putting his nose to her neck and taking another controlled breath.
“I thought I might have lost you and then to see you on that mountain, to be a puppet, forced to watch myself try to harm you without knowing if I could resist it… gods, Nesta, I was so scared.”
He lost his grip on the rhythm of his lungs, breaths turning shallow again.
“You did resist her, Cassian. That’s the only thing that matters.” Nesta traced patterns on his back and around the base of his wings as she held him.
The house kept the water at a steady temperature even as their fingers wrinkled. Eventually, the tide of emotion Cassian had clearly been holding back receded. They took turns helping each other wash.
A tired yet comfortable silence settled between them as they climbed out of the bath, hastily dried off, and then collapsed into her bed.
In the darkness, her mouth found Cassian’s, and she kissed him, pouring everything she felt into the touch: relief, gratitude, and more love than Nesta had ever imagined herself to be capable of.
Her friends and family were safe and healthy. She had her mate, and her home. There were many unresolved problems, sure, but they would still be there in the morning.
All Nesta cared about now was the steady beat of Cassian’s heart beneath her ear. His even breaths filled the quiet, starlit room and Nesta’s lungs slowed their pace to match as she finally allowed reality to drift as dreamless sleep embraced her.
