Have you ever seen a cuter family? Super stoked to share this piece I commissioned for Day Four: AU Day for @nessianweek!
As everyone knows, I had a blast writing my Kid!Fic, Let Our Hearts, Like Doors, Open Wide, so I absolutely had to commission a piece of Nesta, Cassian, and Mellie.
Thank you so much to Jade (_jadee.art on IG) who perfectly captured how I imagined this little family.
Y'all didn't think I forgot WIP Wednesday did you? How about some nice juxtaposition between what I posted yesterday and back to kid!fic fluff? Although maybe this snippet isn't as fluffy (you may have to read between the lines). I think we can all agree LOHLDOW featured a lot of big, dumb boi Cassian, and well, now it's time for big, dumb gurl Nesta.
A high pitched scream has Nesta's head snapping up, her eyes darting around the playground looking for the source. She finds Mellie and a little girl with a mop of blonde hair yelling at each other, both girl's faces scrunched up and feet stamping in annoyance. Nesta can't hear what Mellie shouts in the little girl's face, but the little girl gives Mellie a shove in response, causing her to go tumbling hard against the mulch.
Nesta is on her feet in a second, abandoning her book and rushing toward Mellie. She can already see the big, fat tears sliding down Mellie's cheeks, the way her shoulders shake as she cries and clutches at her knee. Every wail that tears from the little girl's throat has a crack ricocheting through Nesta's chest.
"I want my Mommy," Mellie cries out, the words spearing straight through Nesta.
Nesta's feet stutter to a stop, the declaration giving her pause. She can feel a lump trying to lodge itself firmly in her throat, her mind reeling and spiralling. For the first time since she'd met Mellie all that time ago, she feels... unsure, out of her depth. She knew what had happened with Mellie's mother, with Lea, but she'd never heard Mellie speak of her before, ask for her. And now the little girl wants her?
Let Our Hearts, Like Doors, Open Wide: Chapter Masterlist
Main Pairing: Nesta/Cassian
Summary:
One day, at the bookstore, Nesta meets Cassian and his daughter, Mellie. Mellie loves to read and instantly adores Nesta. Will she play mini-matchmaker?
(aka Nessian kid!fic featuring single dad Cassian)
I just reread Let Our Hearts Like Doors Open Wide recently and with it being mother's day today, all I can think about is Mellie doing something special for Nesta
Okay, first of all, lovely Anon, I am honored that you love LOHLDOW enough to re-read it 🥺
Second of all! Can confirm that in that Universe, Cassian and Mellie absolutely woke up early and made chocolate chip pancakes that they brought to Nesta to have breakfast in bed. And the kitchen got a bit messy but it was worth it! And of course Mellie also gave Nesta a homemade card that she drew herself declaring she's the best Mommy ever 😌
A/N: listen, I know what you're thinking: "but Caty, you promised us fluff" and it is still coming, but we have to get through the angsty aftermath of the previous chapter, okay? And besides! This angst ends with smut so like are we not still winning? But seriously. This chapter very much has the NSFW warning. It has smut, it has praise kink. I don't know where it came from within me but I do know I need to bathe in holy water after writing it. Anyways! Hope everyone enjoys :)
Chapter Masterlist // Previous Part // Next Part
Cassian
“Tomorrow morning, Mrs Girard will walk you back home, okay?”
“Okay, Papa.”
“But if you need anything before then, or if you want to come home early, all you have to do is ask Mrs Girard to call me, okay?”
“I said okay, Papa,” Mellie huffs quietly.
Cassian can sense her frustration starting to grow at his pestering, his worrying, but he keeps his hands on her forearms where he’s crouched down at her height, holding her there. Mellie’s gaze turns longingly down the hall to her right where the sounds of little girls laughing and playing can be heard. When she turns back to Cassian, an annoyed pout has taken over her face.
“Alright alright,” Cassian concedes, leaning forward and stealing a kiss to Mellie’s cheek. “Now go have fun.”
“The other girls are in the basement,” Susan Girard explains with a soft smile toward Mellie.
Mellie tucks her sleeping bag under her arm, offers Cassian one last look, and then she’s sprinting down the hall, her backpack knocking against her with every step. Cassian watches her go until she vanishes around the corner before standing up.
“She’ll be fine,” Susan assures Cassian, walking him back to the front door. “But I’ll be sure to call you if needed.”
“Thanks, Susan.”
Cassian heads out of the Girard house, making the walk back to his own. The house feels oddly quiet when he steps inside, and he lets out a sigh as he sets his keys down by the front door. He still has a few hours before he needs to start getting ready, and suddenly, Cassian doesn’t know what to do with himself. A quick check of his phone reveals no new messages waiting for him. Again. He stares down at the screen, thumb hovering over the message chain with her name before he locks his phone with a soft curse.
Maybe a nap will help pass the time.
~ * * * ~
Cassian had always heard that the Vanserra family had a lot of money, but seeing the event space they rented for their New Year’s Eve party is something else. Floor to ceiling windows line almost every wall, offering a perfect view of where the fireworks will go off at midnight. Classy decorations of silver and gold hang from the ceilings, white table cloths dressing the tables that are dotted around the room. Cassian still isn’t sure if it’s Feyre or Nesta he needs to give his thanks to for scoring him an invitation, but he’s certainly glad for it now.
After Cassian checks his coat with the worker near the door, he heads for the bar at the back of the room, ordering a whiskey. A quick sweep of the room, and Cassian spots Rhys and Feyre chatting with Elain and a tall man with long, red hair, his arm slung casually across the middle Archeron’s shoulders. Cassian supposes he should probably go over and join them, should introduce himself to the Vanserra that is Elain’s boyfriend and most likely the real person responsible for his invitation.
“Mother’s tits, this place is fancy,” a voice draws Cassian’s attention.
He looks toward the door to find Emerie and Cresseida walking in hand and hand, Emerie’s face a perfect picture of awe as she takes in the room. His brother and Gwyn are close behind them, Azriel’s head ducked low as he says something in the redhead’s ear. Cassian’s breath seizes in his lungs as he waits, eyes scanning the entrance desperately until finally Nesta steps into view.
She looks absolutely gorgeous in a light blue slip dress that hugs her curves in all the right places, the silky fabric glinting in the high lights above. She’s wearing her hair down for once, soft golden brown waves falling along her shoulders and back, leaving Cassian’s fingers twitching with the urge to run through the soft strands. And then there’s the strappy, black heels she has on, drawing attention to her long legs. Cassian’s mouth goes dry and he has to swallow hard as his eyes sweep over her from head to toe.
Without thinking twice, Cassian turns fully away from the bar. He takes one step, then another toward her, but his steps falter and freeze when Nesta turns her attention toward him. Her eyes meet his, and Cassian stops breathing, his heart pounding so loudly in his chest he can hear it roaring in his ears. He goes to raise his hand in greeting, but Nesta turns away from him, walking after where her roommates vanished into the ever growing crowd.
The blatant dismissal feels like a punch to the gut, and Cassian finds himself standing there dumbly, blinking after where Nesta was previously standing. With a scoff, he knocks back the rest of his drink, the alcohol a welcome burn against the back of his throat. It settles heavy in his gut, though, churning like a stormy sea as he watches Nesta flit about the room, offering smiles and greetings to people who are decidedly not him.
“This is not a good look for you,” Rhys’ voice comes from Cassian’s right. “You know, instead of drowning your sorrows and pining from afar, you could always, I don’t know, make an actual move?”
“Fuck off,” Cassian grumbles, turning back toward the bar and requesting a refill from the bartender.
“Damn. You know, you’ve been grumpy ever since Solstice last week.”
“You try spending the night sharing a bed with a six year old who sleeps like a starfish and see how sunny you feel.”
“Last I checked, that was your choice.”
“Seriously? Where else was I supposed to sleep? All your other guest rooms were taken.”
“You could’ve slept in a different guest room. Perhaps one with a certain woman who I’m sure would have been more than happy for you to join her.”
Cassian lets out a derisive laugh at that, taking a long swig of his now refreshed drink. “Yeah, right. Nesta has no interest in being Mellie’s stepmom.”
A silence follows Cassian’s comment, and when he looks up again, his brother is frowning, eyebrows pinched low. Rhys’ eyes dance out over the crowd over Cassian’s shoulder, probably to where Nesta is, although Cassian doesn’t turn to look himself.
“She said that?” Rhys finally asks, his tone full of confusion.
“Basically,” Cassian tells him with a shrug. “I told you about the bullying that had Mellie so upset, but what I didn’t tell you was how she asked Nesta to be her Mom. And Nesta told her no, not possible.”
Even simply retelling the story has Cassian wanting to deflate, has his stomach sinking and a lump threatening to lodge firmly in the back of his throat. He finishes the rest of his second drink instead. He knows he’s probably going too fast, but he can’t find it in himself to care. This is what New Year’s Eve is all about after all, isn’t it?
“I thought you were smarter than that, Cass.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nesta telling Mellie no doesn’t mean that’s what she wants. I mean, honestly, what did you expect her to say? To tell Mellie yes? Have a Solstice wedding right then and there?”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Cassian growls, turning to glare at his brother.
Rhys is unperturbed though, meeting Cassian with his own hard stare. “And you’re being an idiot. Look, you want to sulk your way into a new year, be my guest, but just remember that’s your choice too.”
Before Cassian can respond, Rhys turns on his heel and walks away, leaving Cassian alone at the bar. Cassian watches as his brother vanishes into the crowd, probably to find Feyre, before turning back and requesting another drink from the bartender.
Cassian spends most of the evening holding vigil at the bar. There’s less than an hour before midnight when Cassian catches Azriel’s eyes in the crowd. His brother subtly urges Cassian over with a nod of his head, and Cassian is about to finally concede and walk over when his eyes snag on Nesta again. His eyes are always snagging on her. It’s like no matter where she is in a room, he can find her, like his subconscious is determined to forever gravitate toward her without his permission.
Except Nesta doesn’t see him, too wrapped up talking with a redhead that Cassian is pretty sure is the oldest Vanserra brother based on the impeccably stylish clothes the man is wearing. Eris says something that has Nesta tossing her head back in a laugh, the sigh leaving Cassian’s stomach twisting into a knot, his grip on his whiskey glass tightening. And when Eris reaches a hand out to trail along Nesta’s arm, Cassian practically sees red.
“Here.” Cassian’s gaze snaps back to the bar, the bartender setting a water down in front of him. “You’ll regret it in the morning if you keep going at your pace.”
Cassian wants to be annoyed, but he also knows the bartender is right. He certainly doesn’t have the same alcohol tolerance that he did back in college. With a soft sigh, he grabs the water, gulping down a few sips of the cool liquid.
“Hey.”
Cassian turns to find Nesta leaning against the bar beside him. The first words she’s said to him all night. A shy sort of nervousness seems to line the corners of her eyes as she watches him, but then she’s turning away and to the awaiting bartender, ordering a glass of wine. When her attention snaps back to Cassian, that anxiety has vanished and she offers him a small smile.
“Hey,” Cassian finally offers, just being back in Nesta’s presence unlocking something deep within him and flooding his senses with a comfortable relief.
“Have you decided who you’ll be kissing at midnight yet?”
The question takes Cassian by surprise, and he blinks a few times before finding his voice again. “I didn’t take you as someone who believed in that tradition. You don’t think it’s a bit cliche?”
“Actually, I think it’s rather romantic. Wanting to spend those first moments of a new year with that special someone, the promise that you want to spend that new year with them. Don’t you agree?”
Nesta’s blue gray gaze pierces into Cassian in a way that has him fumbling for words, clawing desperately at his own mind in an attempt to string something, anything, together. Suddenly, he’s regretting all those drinks. The alcohol has his stomach turning over itself, has a low buzz filling his ears, and it feels like his tongue is now firmly glued to the roof of his mouth.
As another second ticks by, Cassian watches as Nesta’s eyes dim, her expression falling into something cool and neutral. She drops his gaze completely, turning back toward the bar, and it feels like a gaping hole in his chest. Nesta grabs her wine glass, and without another word, she turns and heads back into the crowd. Cassian can do nothing except watch her walk away, her name lodged firmly in the back of his throat, trapped and unable to escape. Nesta Nesta Nesta.
~ * * * ~
Nesta
Nesta can count on one hand the number of times in her life she’s felt truly and utterly stupid. When she genuinely believed her father would step up after her mother passed. When she dated Tomas her senior year of high school. And now this past week and a half.
She doesn’t even know what to think anymore, doesn’t know how many more hints she can drop right into Cassian’s lap until he seems to get it. She’s half tempted to just take Cassian’s face in between her hands and spell it out plain and simple how she feels, but the idea is terrifying when she’s still so unsure if those feelings are even mutual. Sometimes, she thinks she’s going mad, thinks she’s imagining that tension sparking between them, but then Cassian will stare at her in a way no one has ever looked at her before. In a way that has her heart stuttering between her ribs and a mob of wings fluttering to life in her stomach until her breath hitches. And in those moments, his eyes will always glance down toward her lips, whether subconsciously or by choice, and yet… nothing.
After the uncomfortable awkwardness that was Solstice, Nesta decided she was going to leave the ball firmly in Cassian’s court, that she would wait for him to finally make that last move. But all that’s seemed to do is leave this gaping void between them now, an expanse that’s beginning to feel impossible to cross.
Nesta hasn’t felt that void more than she has tonight. She kept waiting for him to approach her, but he spent the whole night hiding up at the bar. And yet, Nesta could feel his eyes on her even from across the room. They’d practically burned a hole into her when she was chatting with Eris, and that had been the last straw before she stormed over to him. She tried to keep things light, even as she dropped yet another hint, but of course, that endless limbo persisted. And if Nesta is being honest with herself, she’s not sure how much longer of it she can take.
Nesta pushes her way through the crowd, making her way toward the bathroom. The door snicks shut behind her, and there’s a moment of blissful quiet, the sounds of chatter and music now muted through the wood. Nesta falls back against the door, closing her eyes and letting out a soft sigh. She allows herself one deep breath. Two. Three.
She stands back up properly and steps over to the sink. She takes the time to run her fingers through her hair, to touch up her makeup. She’s half tempted to hide out here until midnight comes and goes. For all her comments about kissing someone at midnight, the last thing Nesta wants to do is give Eris any ideas with the way he’s been practically following her around all night.
Another minute to gather her thoughts and calm her mind in front of the mirror, and Nesta heads for the door. When she pulls it open, she’s surprised to find Cassian standing on the other side. He has his hands stuffed into his pockets, his shoulders hunched slightly forward, but at the sound of the door, his gaze snaps up to hers.
“Nesta,” Cassian breathes, her name almost swallowed up in the sounds of the party around them. His hair is a bit more disheveled than when Nesta saw him up at the bar, something like pain hiding in the corners of his hazel eyes. He opens and closes his mouth a few times, clearly struggling to find the right words to say.
“One minute to midnight!” a voice that sounds suspiciously like Gwyn calls out.
“Guess you better go find who you’ll be kissing,” Cassian mutters, his eyes skating away from Nesta’s and toward the crowd.
The comment has annoyance flaring through Nesta. Honestly, this whole night has set her blood simmering, but now? Now, it’s practically boiling. She clenches her fists at her side, straightening her spine and raising her chin as she stares Cassian down with challenge sparking behind her eyes.
“Maybe, I’m right where I want to be,” Nesta tells him, keeping her tone steady and sure. That draws Cassian’s attention back to her.
“Ten… nine… eight…”
The crackling tension has returned between them, a fuse seconds away from blowing and wreaking destruction, but Nesta refuses to back down, meeting his stare head on.
“Five… four… three…”
Before Nesta knows what’s happening, Cassian’s hands are coming up, palms sliding against her skin as they cradle her face. Her breath hitches in her throat as Cassian leans in, close enough for Nesta to see every green and gold of his eyes where they swirl together in his irises.
“One… happy New Year!”
Cassian’s lips crash against hers. There’s a brief moment of shock, but then Nesta is meeting his lips stroke for stroke. She reaches her arms up, wrapping them around Cassian’s neck and burying her fingers in the dark strands of his hair. Cassian’s own hands shift down to Nesta’s waist, the delicious heat of them bleeding through the fabric of her dress.
Two steps and Cassian has Nesta pressed up against the wall next to the bathroom. His large frame completely cages her in, sparks alighting across her skin in every place they’re pressed together. Nesta opens her mouth, and Cassian deepens the kiss, the groan he lets out sending a shudder skittering through her.
Nesta isn’t sure who pulls away first, but Cassian uses the opportunity to press kisses along her jaw, down her neck. Nesta tilts her head back, having to swallow down a moan when Cassian’s teeth scrape lightly against her pulse point. Even more so when Cassian slots his hips with hers, pinning her more firmly against the wall.
“Cassian,” Nesta sighs softly, her hand tightening in his hair.
When Cassian raises his head, his eyes are blown out, lips already red and swollen. He doesn’t let Nesta say anything else, closing the distance and kissing her again. His tongue slips into her mouth, and every other thought fades away, all her focus zeroed in on him.
“Do you want to get out of here?” Cassian asks, his breath hot against Nesta’s ear, when he pulls away.
“Gods, yes,” Nesta answers automatically before her senses come back to her. “What about Mellie?”
“At a sleepover tonight,” Cassian explains, pressing a chaste kiss to Nesta’s lips, the softness of the gesture taking her by surprise after the heat of the past few minutes. “I’ll get us an Uber.”
Cassian steps away, and the loss of his presence, his heat, the pressure of his mouth against her is jarring. Nesta gives herself a few moments to compose herself. She takes a few deep breaths, but it does little to steady the thunderous beat of her heart, the organ seemingly determined to break free right out of her chest. She runs her fingers through her hair and smooths out her dress before stepping away from the wall. She catches Gwyn and Emerie’s gazes from across the room, both her friends watching her with matching smirks painted across their faces. At least she doesn’t have to worry about telling them she’s leaving. Nesta flips them both off for good measure then heads for the door.
Nesta finds Cassian waiting for her outside. She presses close to him to help fight off the biting cold, but luckily, it’s not long before their Uber is pulling up along the curb. As soon as they’re both seated in the backseat, Cassian pulls Nesta close again, slotting their lips back together, as if now that he’s had a taste, he can’t get enough. His hand slides up Nesta’s thigh, fingers brushing just under the hem of her dress and sending a thrill up her spine from the promise in the gesture. Their Uber driver awkwardly clears his throat when they pull up in front of Cassian’s house, and they slide out of the car, Nesta tangling her fingers with Cassian’s as he leads the way up the front path.
“Someone’s keen,” Nesta teases, as Cassian uses their joined hands to tug her up the steps and inside quickly.
Once the door closes behind them, their jackets and shoes discarded at the entrance, Cassian’s arms slip around her waist, pulling her body flush to his. “Have you seen yourself in this dress? I don’t think anyone can really blame me.”
“That’s exactly why I wore it.”
“That’s just cruel, Nes,” Cassian whispers against her lips, and then he’s kissing her again.
Nesta wastes no time deepening the kiss, tangling her fingers back in Cassian's hair until he's groaning into her mouth. Cassian's hands trail a blazing path down Nesta's waist, over her hips, and to her thighs. He lifts her up, and Nesta wraps her legs around him. Cassian moves them through the darkened house with ease, Nesta sliding her hands to his chest to start working on the buttons of his shirt. Once her back hits soft blankets and a mattress, Nesta sits up to slide down the zipper of her dress, standing up to slip it fully off.
Cassian's lips are back on her neck in a second. "Gods, you're so gorgeous it's practically unfair."
The compliment has a blush prickling to life along Nesta's cheeks, but she distracts herself by undoing the belt and unfastening the button of Cassian's pants. She shoves the fabric down from his hips and to the floor, her bra joining it soon after when Cassian unclasps it.
They go tumbling onto the bed, Nesta hooking her legs around Cassian's hips and pulling him into another kiss. Cassian's hands slide from her shoulders along her arms. When they reach her hands, he presses them down against the mattress above her head.
"What do you want?" Cassian asks, his teeth nipping at Nesta's bottom lip.
"You," Nesta requests, bucking her hips up and chasing any friction she can get.
"You already have me," Cassian tells her, appeasing her and pressing his hips down against her. "Do you know what I want?"
Nesta tries to find the words, to find the focus to respond, but her mind feels like a haze. Sparks dance down her every nerve ending with each delicious roll of Cassian's hips, and Nesta tilts her head back with a soft moan. Cassian just uses the opportunity to press kisses to Nesta's jaw, trailing a line to her ear. A kiss pressed to that spot behind her ear has Nesta shuddering, and she swears she can feel Cassian smirking against her skin.
"I want to find out if you taste as good as you look," Cassian whispers hotly against her ear. "Do you want that too, Nesta?"
"Yes," Nesta gasps out. "Gods, yes."
Cassian takes his sweet time, pressing kisses along her collarbones first. He spends extra time on her breasts, biting and sucking and teasing until Nesta is a writhing mess beneath him, desperate for more, desperate for release.
"Cassian," Nesta whines, her breath breaking off into a moan as his hands palm her breasts. "Please."
"Well, since you asked so nicely."
Cassian slides further down her body, nipping at the skin of her hip bone. His fingers hook in the waistband of her panties, and Nesta lifts her hips to help as he slides them off. His hands settle at her ankles, slipping up over her calves and leaving goosebumps pebbling in their wake as they inch closer and closer to where she wants him.
Cassian leans down and the first slide of his tongue against her core has Nesta practically arching off the bed. For all his languidness before, he practically feasts now. His large hands span her thighs, holding her how he wants her while his tongue alternates between swirling over her clit and pressing in and out of her. Every moan he pulls from her lips seems to spur him on more, and Nesta reaches a hand down, burying her fingers in those dark strands and holding Cassian right where she wants him. He groans against her, and the vibrations have her toes curling, hips bucking up against his face.
Cassian focuses his mouth's attention on her clit, moving his hand to slide one finger, then two, inside her. He pumps them in and out, curling them just right, until Nesta can feel herself stumbling closer and closer to that precipice, can feel that familiar tightening low in her gut. She looks down, but Cassian's eyes are already on her, the pupils blown so wide they practically swallow his eyes whole. He looks so wild, hair a mess, watching her like a beast with his prey. It has Nesta throwing her head back and moaning again.
Another curl of his fingers, a swirl of his tongue, and Nesta's orgasm tears through her, her blood molten as she arches up off the mattress. When she comes back down, that blissful fog beginning to dissipate, Cassian is pressing sweet kisses along her thighs. But it's with a start, she realizes his fingers are still buried inside her.
"You look so pretty when you come," Cassian tells her, biting lightly at the soft skin of her inner thigh, a mix of pleasure and pain. "I want to see it again. Do you think you can come again, Nes?"
Cassian curls his fingers tentatively, and even though Nesta's still sensitive from her release, pleasure ricochets through her. Cassian keeps his fingers where they are, but he slides back up her body, pressing kisses from her shoulder to the juncture where it meets her neck.
"I think you can," Cassian continues, once again finding that spot behind her ear.
Nesta's not sure she'll be able to find coherent words, so instead she reaches a hand down, wrapping her fingers around Cassian's wrist. It's not to stop him, though. Instead, it's to hold him there, to ground herself, as he shifts her hips up so his fingers slide deeper. It's all the encouragement Cassian needs.
Cassian's pace is relentless, and Nesta has never been more glad for an empty house, the noises falling from her lips sounding loud and desperate even to her own ears. Her free hand grips Cassian's hair where his face is buried against her neck, nails scraping against the scalp as he builds her up toward that ledge again.
He must be able to tell she's close because Cassian lifts his head, his eyes practically burning into her skin as he watches her with raptured eyes. Nesta tries to keep her eyes open, to meet his gaze, but it's easier said than done, her eyes fluttering shut with each pulse of pleasure Cassian's fingers draw from her.
"That's it, Nes," Cassian encourages her, sounding like he's in awe even around the rough hoarseness of his tone. "Be a good girl and come for me."
The praise has Nesta tumbling over with a shout. She feels almost boneless as she sinks back against the mattress afterwards, and she's somewhat aware of Cassian's hand having moved to her hip, thumb driving soothing circles against the skin there. She's even more aware that Cassian is still hard, pressing insistently against her thigh. Nesta gives herself a few moments, gulps down some deep breaths of air to shake the last of the sluggishness from her limbs, then she's pushing at Cassian's shoulders, pressing him back against the mattress.
"Now, it's your turn," Nesta tells him, straddling his hips and leaning down to hover over him.
Cassian's hand is surprisingly gentle as he reaches up and tucks the stray strands of Nesta's hair behind her ears. The kiss that follows is less so, and Nesta groans against Cassian's lips before remembering it's him she's meant to be pleasuring this time. She pulls away and starts to press kisses along his skin, tracing the black lines of his tattoos across his chest. Nesta tries to tease him as much as he teased her, but she doesn't really have the patience. She slides further down his body and toys with the waistband of his boxers, looking up at Cassian expectantly.
"Fuck me," Cassian groans, tossing his head back against the pillow. "I must be dreaming right now."
"Do you dream of me sucking your cock often?" Nesta teasingly asks.
"And so much more."
Cassian blinks a few times in surprise, and Nesta swears there's a blush hiding under the tanned skin of his cheeks, like he hadn't meant to admit that. But the comment has Nesta smirking, and she makes a mental note to ask more about these dreams later.
She slides Cassian's boxers down and off and takes him in her hand, testing out different speeds and pressures until she finds what has Cassian moaning. He's bigger than Nesta expected, but that just has Nesta already imagining what it will be like when he fucks her properly. But for now, Nesta leans down, licking a thick stripe up the underside of his cock before taking the tip in her mouth.
Nesta takes her time, sliding her tongue over him, using her hand for what she can't reach as she bobs her head and hollows out her cheeks. She makes sure to groan around him so he'll feel the vibrations, and the guttural moan Cassian lets out has her doing it again. She can tell that Cassian is trying desperately to keep his hips still, his chest heaving and eyes screwed shut tight. Another mental note for later, as she doubles her efforts, working him until his hand snaps and buries in her hair.
"Nes—"
Cassian's choked off gasp is Nesta's only warning before Cassian finds his own release. She keeps her mouth around him, working him through it until he slumps back against the mattress. She pulls off with a quiet pop, and when she looks up at Cassian, he has an arm thrown over his face, chest still heaving slightly. She uses the opportunity to slip off the bed, padding over to the en suite bathroom to clean up.
Once Nesta is finished in the bathroom and steps back into the bedroom, she goes over to the dresser tucked against the wall. She pulls open the first drawer and peeks inside, finding an array of socks and boxers. The next drawer she tries is workout shorts and sweatpants.
"What are you doing?" Cassian asks, watching from where he's slipped between the sheets.
"Finding something to sleep in," Nesta explains, finally pulling open the correct drawer. She finds a simple, cotton tee, pulling it out.
"Maybe I like this view," Cassian offers.
Nesta scoffs at that, even as she feels Cassian's eyes slide along her body like a soft, tantalizing caress. She pulls the shirt on, the hem hitting halfway down her thighs. When she turns back toward the bed, Cassian's jaw has gone slack, his eyes turned heated again.
"I changed my mind," he breathes. "I like this view much better."
Nesta rolls her eyes at his antics, but if she adds a little extra sway to her hips as she saunters back toward the bed, no one ever has to know. As soon as Nesta is within reach, Cassian's arms wrap snugly around her waist, pulling her back down into the bed. The gesture has Nesta letting out a squeal in surprise, but Cassian seems unperturbed, simply pulling her closer still until they're laying just a breadth apart.
This close, even with just the stray streaks of the moon behind the curtains being the only light, Nesta can count every eyelash, can trace the scar that slashes his eyebrow in two, can feel every breath Cassian takes as his chest rises and brushes against hers.
“You know,” Nesta starts, keeping her voice low in the quiet, dark of the bedroom. "I was beginning to think you were never going to get it."
“Get what?” Cassian asks, his eyes already falling shut.
“That I wanted this.”
Rather than respond, Cassian just lets out a sleepy hum. Nesta isn’t even sure if he heard her properly, and when he starts snoring softly, that feels like confirmation enough for her. With a fond roll of her eyes, she rolls over in Cassian’s arms and gets comfortable against the pillow. Cassian shifts slightly behind her, pulling her closer even in his sleep. It has Nesta biting her lip around a smile as she lets her own eyes close. She’s sure they’ll have a real conversation in the morning, but for now, she allows herself to revel in this moment.
—
Taglist (let me know if you would like to be added or removed): @moodymelanist @hellogoodbye14 @nestaspegasus @nesquik-arccheron @sv0430 @lady-winter-sunrise @talkfantasytome @secretlovelybeauty @dontgetsalmonella @swankii-art-teacher @mis-lil-red @bookstantrash @vinylcryes @sleeping-and-books @wonderland--memories @theoverlyenthusiasticwriter @sayosdreams @ubigaia @cannellefawn @duskandstarlight @live-the-fangirl-life @chosenfamily-valkyriequeens @fromthelibraryofemilyj @luivagr-blog @autumnbabylon @xstarlightsupremex @lifeisntafantasy @deedz-thrillerkilller16
Happy WIP Wednesday, lovelies! Or... not so happy? ;) I’d apologize, but it’s me and we all know my writing, so is anyone really surprised? Hoping to update Saturday, but this chapter is getting lengthy (already at 2,000 words and only 1/3 through what I have planned) on me so we shall see if that’s feasible :)
His silence must extend too long because Nesta scoffs, heading out of the bedroom and through the house. Cassian is hot on her heels. He can already feel the fear, the pain beginning to fester between his ribs. It sends cracks ricocheting watching Nesta walk away from him.
“Nesta,” Cassian begs, reaching a hand out to catch her wrist, but Nesta rips her arm out of his reach.
“You’ve made your feelings perfectly clear, Cassian. There’s nothing else to say.”
“You’re the one who told Mellie you couldn’t be her stepmom.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Nesta drawls, her tone cold and sarcastic, as she pulls on her shoes. “Next time, I’ll be sure to be honest with her. I’ll tell her how honored I would be, but unfortunately, her father is a fucking dick.”
A/N: I would just like to give a special shoutout to my bestie Chelsea (who is no longer on Tumblr booooo) who is a teacher and always gives me a) children's names I can use and b) the best stories to incorporate into kid!fics. In this particular instance, yes, her students did in fact create a bread idol. Kids are weird, man. Anyways! Hope everyone enjoys :)
Chapter Master // Previous Part // Next Part
Nesta
“It was weird.”
“Yeah, but like weird in a good way or a bad way?” Emerie asks, popping another spoonful of cereal into her mouth.
Nesta sighs softly, tearing off a piece of her bagel and pressing it between her fingers. Between Gwyn’s recent research project keeping her busy and Emerie spending the weekend with Cresseida, this is the first time Nesta has been able to tell them about what happened on Friday at Cassian’s house. Although, what exactly did happen, she is still unsure about. Hopefully, her friends can help unmuddle the confusing waters.
“Just weird,” Nesta finally responds. “Everything seemed to be going good, I thought we were connecting, and then the next thing I know, he’s practically kicking me out.”
“Maybe he panicked,” Emerie offers with an easy shrug. “I’m sure dating with a kid can’t be easy. Maybe it’s been so long he forgot what to do.”
“Or maybe he wants to take things slow because he has a kid?” Gwyn cuts in, pointing with her spoon toward Nesta in emphasis.
“Or… you’re both missing the most obvious answer, and I completely misread the situation and he’s not interested.”
Nesta pushes away the plate with her bagel on it, appetite suddenly dwindling, and grabs her cup of coffee instead. Emerie and Gwyn are looking at her like she’s sprouted a second head, so she hides behind the rim of the mug as she takes a sip.
“You’re kidding, right?” Emerie finally speaks up, a smirk pulling up her lips. “Have you seen yourself? You’re hot. He’s definitely interested.”
The comment has Gwyn stifling a laugh and Nesta rolling her eyes. It doesn’t exactly solve anything, a toppling stack of questions still teetering precariously in her mind, but the compliment does make her feel a bit better. Maybe Emerie and Gwyn are right, maybe she’s reading too much into the situation. Either way, she’s glad for them. She can always count on her best friends when she needs them most.
They spend the rest of the morning talking about Emerie and Gwyn’s own weekends before Nesta has to head into the office. She spends the mornings in meetings, discussing the manuscripts with the most potential with her manager and workshopping the best next steps to take. The afternoon involves a late lunch meeting with a writer to discuss their latest work in a romance series. By the time Nesta makes it back to her desk, she’s ready to just take the rest of her work for the day to finish up at home.
“Nesta?”
Nesta turns to find Jacinda, the office receptionist, standing behind her. Jacinda offers her a friendly smile and Nesta offers one in return, pausing where she was packing up her laptop and notes into her bag.
“I’m glad I caught you before you left,” Jacinda continues before Nesta can say anything. “A call came into the office for you, from Velaris Elementary. I had them hold while I checked you were still here. Do you want me to send them through?”
Nesta blinks in surprise, a frown pulling down her lips. A call from Velaris Elementary? For her? They must have the wrong number. She can’t possibly think of a reason for an elementary school to need to speak with her. Unless they’re reaching out to random local companies to speak to the students for a career day. She supposes that’s possible. Not something she’d be particularly interested in though. Maybe she should tell Jacinda to tell them they just missed her. But… she should probably suck it up and tell them herself.
“You can put them through,” Nesta tells Jacinda.
With a nod, Jacinda vanishes down the hall and back toward the lobby and her own desk. Nesta sighs and sets her bag aside, settling into her office chair. It’s not long before the phone on her desk rings.
“This is Nesta Archeron.”
“Hello, Nesta,” a woman on the other line greets. “This is Mrs. Townsend from Velaris Elementary. I’m here with Mellie.”
“Is everything alright?” Nesta asks, worry’s strangling grip suddenly taking root in her chest. “Did something happen?”
“Mellie’s fine,” Mrs. Townsend assures her. “But no one has picked her up from school yet. We’ve tried both her father and the two uncles listed on her emergency contact forms, but there was no answer. Mellie then told me I needed to call ‘Nesta at the penguin book place’. That’s you, correct? Are you able to pick her up?”
“Oh um…”
Is that allowed? Is that even appropriate, her picking up Mellie from school? But then again, she can’t just leave Mellie at school. And if the school has already tried Cassian and his brothers, and there was no answer, who knows how long Mellie may be stuck there.
“Of course,” Nesta tells Mrs. Townsend. “I’ll be there shortly. Thank you.”
After hanging up with the school, Nesta makes quick work gathering the last of her things. She looks up directions to Velaris Elementary as she heads out of the office and down to her car, offering Jacinda a wave on her way out. She’s just sliding into the driver’s seat of her car when she realizes Mellie most likely won’t have keys to her own house. She sends off a quick text to her group chat with Emerie and Gwyn warning them they’ll be having a six year old guest. The array of emojis she gets in response has her laughing softly.
Velaris Elementary isn’t far, and Nesta tries to call Cassian on the drive over. Much like the school, she gets no answer, so she decides to leave a voicemail explaining the situation. The parking lot at the school is nearly empty when Nesta pulls in, most of the cars parked down at the end near the field where Nesta can just make out what looks to be a kid’s soccer practice happening.
Velaris Elementary reminds Nesta of her own school from growing up, a single story building of red brick with large white letters declaring the name adorned on the side. A large colorful bulletin board with construction paper cutouts of bats pinned to it greets Nesta when she first steps inside. It’s almost odd stepping inside a school after hours, the sounds of students decidedly missing and many of the halls stretched out in front of Nesta dark. Luckily, it’s easy enough to find the school’s front office, and she makes her way toward it, pulling open the heavy wooden door.
“Nesta! Nesta!”
Nesta has barely stepped inside the front office before a tiny body is barreling into her, hugging around her legs. Mellie offers a wide, toothy smile up at Nesta, and Nesta reaches a hand down to smooth the flyaway strands of Mellie’s hair away from her face.
“You just have to sign her out.”
Nesta looks up to find who she assumes must be Mrs. Townsend sitting behind a desk. She extricates Mellie from her legs long enough to step over to the desk, signing her name beside Mellie’s in the binder Mrs. Townsend hands over. Once that is done, she and Mellie head out of the office, Mellie offering a big wave goodbye to Mrs. Townsend over her shoulder.
“Did you have a good day at school?” Nesta asks her, as they step outside of the school.
“Yes!” Mellie exclaims, jumping down each of the front steps, her hand clasped in Nesta’s. “Even though Mariella stole my dandelion yellow crayon, so I had to color my flowers periwinkle, and they were pretty I guess, but I still think they would have looked better in dandelion yellow, so I made sure to tell the tattle ear what Mariella did.”
Nesta hums along in acknowledgement of Mellie’s story, even though she has no idea what exactly a ‘tattle ear’ is. She leads Mellie to her car and unlocks it, opening up the backseat door for Mellie to climb inside. Nesta helps Mellie settle into the seat and buckles her in. It’s definitely an awkward fit without a car-seat, and Nesta grimaces softly at the way the seatbelt sits, but luckily, it’s not a far drive to her apartment, and she promises herself to drive extra carefully.
“And then!” Mellie continues once Nesta has settled into the driver’s seat and started the car. “At lunch, we put all our bread rolls together to form the Bread God.”
“Bread God?”
“All hail the Bread God.”
The serious tone of Mellie’s voice has Nesta glancing toward the backseat through the rearview mirror, but as soon as she meets Mellie’s eyes, the little girl succumbs to a fit of giggles. Nesta shakes her head fondly as she turns her attention back to the road. She’s always known kids can be a bit weird, but she’s not sure she’s ever heard of creating a fake idol to worship.
“But then Billy crushed the Bread God,” Mellie explains solemnly once her laughter subsides.
“Poor Bread God.”
They pull into Nesta’s apartment complex, and Nesta checks her phone, but there’s still no messages or calls from Cassian. She helps Mellie undo the buckle, and they head inside. Mellie keeps her hand clasped in Nesta’s, but her wide hazel eyes take in every piece of the apartment complex with rapture, curls bouncing with each whip of her head back and forth. By the time they’re riding the elevator up to Nesta’s floor, Mellie is bouncing in place, a sign Nesta has come to learn means she’s excited.
Emerie and Gwyn are in the living room when Nesta unlocks the door and steps inside with Mellie. Judging by the forcibly casual way Gwyn is lounging and the fact Emerie’s book is upside down, her friends were clearly watching for her from the window. Of course they were.
“Mellie, this is Emerie and Gwyn,” Nesta explains, gesturing to each of her friends in turn.
Gwyn jumps up from her spot, walking over and crouching down to Mellie’s level with a friendly smile. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mellie.”
“Hi. I like your hair,” Mellie tells her softly, eying up the red strands that frame Gwyn’s face.
“I like your hair,” Gwyn offers. “It’s very pretty.”
“Thank you,” Mellie mumbles shyly, pressing her face against Nesta’s legs.
“Do you have any homework we need to do?” Nesta asks, smoothing her hand through Mellie’s hair and giving the little girl a reprieve from the new faces. Do six year olds get homework?
“I have a worksheet I’m supposed to do.”
“Let’s get you all set up then to work on that, and I’ll get you a snack.”
“I have apples,” Emerie pipes up from the sofa. “You can have one.”
Nesta nods her head in thanks. A healthy option is probably best. She helps Mellie find the worksheet in question in her backpack then settles her in at the kitchen table. She makes quick work of cutting up one of Emerie’s apples, setting the plate down beside the little girl. For all of Mellie’s nervousness before, she seems right at home now, happily munching on the apple slices, feet swinging back and forth where they dangle from the chair, quietly humming as she carefully traces the letters on her worksheet. Nesta pulls her computer and notes from her work bag and settles in the seat opposite Mellie at the kitchen table, an easy silence falling through the apartment as everyone focuses on their own task at hand.
“All finished!” Mellie declares some time later.
She looks at Nesta expectantly, and it’s with a start that Nesta realizes she doesn’t quite know what to do, how exactly to entertain a child. Sure, they have plenty of books in this apartment to keep Mellie occupied, but none of them are six year old appropriate. Nesta’s mind stutters, desperately trying to grasp at something, but she hadn’t expected that her evening would go this way. She still hasn’t finished the items she needs to for her own work yet.
“Mellie, do you know how to play checkers?” Gwyn cuts in, much to Nesta’s relief. She makes sure to mouth a ‘thank you’ at her.
“What’s checkers?” Mellie asks, spinning in her seat to face the redhead.
Mellie hops down from the kitchen chair, practically skipping into the living room. Gwyn pulls the game box out of the cabinet of the coffee table, setting the game board up. She explains the rules and how to play to Mellie, demonstrating with the checkers on the board. She double checks that Mellie understands, and then they start a game.
“Are you married?” Mellie asks suddenly, causing Gwyn to pause where she was moving her checker forward.
“Married?” Gwyn repeats, laughing softly. “No, I’m not married.”
“But you’re wearing a ring.”
Gwyn looks down at her hand then holds it up for Mellie to see. “You’re right. I am. But it’s on my right hand. When you’re married, you wear a ring on your left hand.”
“Oh,” Mellie concedes, going quiet for a moment as that new information washes over her. “But do you have a boyfriend?”
“Why? You trying to set her up with someone?” Emerie teases from her spot on the sofa.
Nesta rolls her eyes at the joke, but Mellie seems to be taking the question seriously. Her little face scrunches up, eyebrows dipping down and mouth twisting, as she thinks about it, concentrating hard and checkers game with Gwyn completely forgotten for the moment. Nesta is half tempted to pull out her phone and snap a photo, to capture the adorable expression and send it to Cassian.
“My Papa always says that Uncle Az needs to find a nice girl to settle down with,” Mellie finally offers, smiling brightly toward Emerie.
“And what does your Uncle Az look like?” Emerie asks, pointedly ignoring the exasperated looks both Nesta and Gwyn send her way.
That question seems to confuse Mellie, a frown taking over her face. “He looks like Uncle Az.”
“Of course. That makes sense.”
“Why don’t you ask Emerie if she has a boyfriend?” Gwyn cuts in before Emerie can continue her matchmaking ploy, earning a playful glare from the woman in question.
“Do you have a boyfriend?” Mellie asks dutifully.
“No, I do not,” Emerie explains. “But I have a girlfriend. Her name is Cresseida.”
“Is she pretty?”
“She’s very pretty. Like a princess.”
“I’m going to be a princess for Halloween!” Mellie exclaims, almost falling over in her excitement.
“I’m sure you’ll be a very pretty princess too,” Gwyn assures her.
The compliment has Mellie smiling wide, the dimples popping in each of her cheeks, but then she’s letting out a soft gasp, her hazel eyes going round. “You can meet Uncle Az on Halloween! After trick-or-treating, Uncle Az and Uncle Rhys and Auntie Mor always come over. Gwyn, you can come too and Emerie, you can come too and your pretty princess girlfriend can come too and Nesta can come too.”
“Maybe we should talk to your Papa first,” Nesta cuts in with a soft laugh. “Before you go inviting everyone over to your house.”
~ * * * ~
Cassian
Cassian is going to kill Rhys. Slowly and painfully. And no one can blame him. At least his brother has the decency to look apologetic when Cassian catches his eyes, but it doesn’t change anything. Every time Cassian glances toward the clock, sees that another hour has passed in this godsforsaken meeting, he wants to scream.
The stakeholder clients continue to drone on and on. The whole meeting has been talking in circles until Cassian is sure they’ve discussed every point at least four times. Another glance at the clock, and Cassian has to use all his willpower to swallow down a sigh, his knee bouncing anxiously.
“Alright, gentlemen,” Rhys finally cuts in. “Clearly, we aren’t reaching an agreement today. How about we circle back at a future date?”
There’s grumbles of agreement from around the conference room, and there’s no denying the relief that rushes through Cassian. He spares one last glance toward Rhys and Azriel, even as he rushes to gather up his papers and laptop. A nod from Rhys and an apologetic grimace from Azriel is all Cassian needs before he heads for the door. He takes just enough time to toss his notes on his desk and grab his work bag and keys, hurrying out of the office and down to his truck.
Cassian definitely speeds as he makes his way onto the highway, weaving in and out of traffic, his thumbs tapping incessantly against the steering wheel. The sun has fully set by the time he’s pulling into the parking lot of Velaris Elementary, the sky an inky purple full of silver streaks of clouds shrouding the moon.
The parking lot is decidedly empty of any other cars, and the school is concerningly dark. Cassian’s heart has firmly lodged itself in his throat as he jumps out of his truck and runs up the school’s front steps. His worry only grows when he tries the front doors only to find them locked. He gives them another tug out of frustration, but it doesn’t change the fact the school is definitely closed and Mellie is definitely not here.
Cassian’s heart feels like it’s about to burst right out from between his ribs with the way it thunders in his chest, his breath stuttering in and out from his lungs. He pushes shaking fingers through his hair, desperate to stay calm even as his mind reels. He fumbles his phone out of his pocket and finds an array of missed calls from the school and… Nesta. That one definitely takes him by surprise. The school wouldn’t have… Before Cassian can think twice, he hits the voicemail from Nesta and presses his phone to his ear.
“Hey, Cassian. It’s Nesta. I’m sorry if this is weird, but Mellie’s school called me? I guess she remembered I work for Penguin Publishing. Anyways, apparently no one has picked her up from school, and they couldn’t get ahold of you, so I’m picking her up. I hope that’s okay. I’m so sorry if it’s not. I just didn’t really know what to do. I’ll text you my address. Okay… um… bye.”
Cassian snorts softly at the abrupt ending to the voicemail, already feeling relief wash through him at knowing Mellie is safe and sound. He takes a final deep breath to shake off the remainder of the panic and pulls up the text message Nesta mentioned. Luckily, it doesn’t look like the address is too far away, so Cassian quickly heads back to his truck.
Cassian has to admit that Nesta’s apartment complex is nice. The lobby is stylish and modern, a receptionist behind the large desk offering him a friendly smile. He rides the elevator up to Nesta’s floor, taking a moment to find the correct apartment number. Even through the wood of the door, he can hear the distinct sound of Mellie’s giggles. It has him smiling softly as he raises his hand to knock.
“Hey,” Nesta greets when she pulls the door open.
“I’m so sorry. I got stuck at work. But thanks for picking her up.”
“Of course.”
Nesta steps back to allow Cassian in, and he steps inside the apartment. The door opens into the kitchen, a small table with four chairs in the center of the room and various potted plants lining the window sills on the opposite wall. A living room sits to the right with a sofa, loveseat, and a whole wall lined with bookcases. He spots Mellie sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table, a redhead sat on the loveseat in front of her.
“Papa!” Mellie exclaims, seeming to realize he’s standing there. She comes running over, barreling right into his legs. “I learned how to play checkers.”
“You did?” Cassian asks, crouching down to Mellie’s level. “How fun. And did you do your homework?”
“Yes! I did my worksheet.”
“Good. Now, how about we get your things, thank Nesta for watching you, and head home for dinner, okay?”
“But Emerie said we can have pizza,” Mellie argues, her bottom lip sticking out in a pout.
“Sorry,” the woman who Cassian assumes must be Emerie says from the sofa.
“You’re welcome to stay for dinner,” Nesta offers.
“Alright,” Cassian concedes, much to Mellie’s joy. “We can stay for pizza.”
With just four chairs at the kitchen table, Cassian has Mellie sit in his lap. She tells him about her day while he cuts up a slice of pizza for her to eat, including excitedly explaining checkers now that she knows how to play. Apparently, she somehow roped Gwyn into playing five back to back games of checkers. With Mellie’s pout and puppy dog look down to a perfected science, Cassian can’t say he’s surprised.
“And Emerie has a pretty princess girlfriend, and they’re coming to our Halloween party,” Mellie finishes, stabbing a piece of pizza with her fork and shoving it in her mouth.
“Is that so?” Cassian asks teasingly, pretending to steal a bite of Mellie’s pizza until she’s shoving his face away.
“She was giving out invitations left and right,” Nesta tells him, soft amusement flickering in those stormy blue eyes as she smiles down at Mellie. “But no hard feelings if that’s not okay. We usually spend Halloween with my sisters anyways.”
“Um, some hard feelings here,” Emerie cuts in, pointing her slice of pizza accusingly at Nesta. “I need an excuse not to attend another Vanserra Halloween Bash. I can deal with Elain’s boyfriend, but the rest of his family? No thanks.”
“You’re all welcome to come,” Cassian assures them. “Even your sisters if they want.”
“I’m sure Feyre will appreciate the out as much as Emerie,” Nesta muses lightly.
“Feyre as in the sister who snuck out for a boy?”
“Yeah, maybe she can give Mellie some tips.”
Cassian settles Nesta with an unimpressed look, but it’s hard to hold the expression, and he already feels the corners of his lips threatening to tug up in a smile. Nesta can clearly see the annoyance on his face is all feigned, and she laughs softly as she takes another bite of her pizza slice, clearly smug about her teasing.
“But really,” Cassian turns back to address the rest of the table. “The more the merrier.”
“Just think, Nesta, you’ll finally be able to avoid Eris and him always hitting on you,” Gwyn quips, earning an eye roll from Nesta.
“Well, he’s not welcome to come, then.”
Cassian tries to keep his tone light and teasing, but judging from the looks he gets from around the table, he’s clearly fallen short. Both Nesta and Gwyn look surprised by the remark while Emerie looks like she’s barely holding back a smirk. Cassian clears his throat awkwardly, trying to hide behind a bite of pizza.
“Why does he hit you?” Mellie breaks the silence settling, concern marring her face as she blinks up at Nesta confused. “That’s not very nice.”
“Don’t worry,” Nesta reassures Mellie. “No one is hitting me. It’s just a figure of speech.”
“Oh…”
“Did Mellie tell you all what she’s being for Halloween?” Cassian cuts in before Mellie can ask what ‘hitting on’ does mean. She is definitely too young for that conversation.
“Of course I did,” Mellie tells him, turning to look up at him with an exasperated expression. “I’m being a princess. Just like Nesta is when she comes trick-or-treating with us.”
From the way that Nesta’s eyebrows raise, this is just as much news to her as it is to Cassian. He half wonders if this is all part of some scheme. Although, six years old feels a bit young for that type of conniving and planning. Maybe, he’ll have to see if this is Rhys or Azriel’s doing again. He really needs his family to stop teaching his daughter new things.
It takes Cassian a moment to realize that Nesta and Mellie are looking at him expectantly, a silence having lulled over the table. He can’t help but think about the kind of message that sends, the three of them going trick-or-treating together. Then, again, Azriel’s tagged along a few Halloween’s, so maybe it doesn’t have to mean anything. And besides, there’s no denying the fact he enjoys spending time with Nesta. She always has him laughing with her jabs and teases, has him wanting to bask in her orbit. This is just another excuse for that. Just trick-or-treating and a Halloween party.
“Like I said, the more the merrier.”
—
Taglist (let me know if you would like to be added or removed): @moodymelanist @hellogoodbye14 @nestaspegasus @nesquik-arccheron @sv0430 @lady-winter-sunrise @talkfantasytome @secretlovelybeauty @dontgetsalmonella @swankii-art-teacher @mis-lil-red @bookstantrash @vinylcryes @sleeping-and-books @wonderland--memories @theoverlyenthusiasticwriter @sayosdreams @ubigaia @cannellefawn @duskandstarlight @live-the-fangirl-life @chosenfamily-valkyriequeens
Happy WIP Wednesday, lovelies! We’re back on kid fic this week, so please enjoy this snippet :) The new chapter should be up this weekend!
“Hello,” Nesta greets after hitting ‘answer’ and pressing the phone to her ear.
“Nesta! Hi. It’s um… It’s Cassian.”
Nesta snorts softly at that. “I know. Caller ID?”
“Right… Listen, this is going to sound like a really weird question, but how do you do your hair?”
“My hair?” Nesta asks slowly, double checking she heard correctly.
“Yeah, the um…” There’s rustling on the other line, and Nesta can easily picture Cassian gesturing to his own hair in demonstration before he seems to realize she can’t actually see him. “The braid thing that you know wraps around?”
Nesta is barely holding her laughter in, bottom lip snug between her teeth like that will somehow prevent the amusement from escaping. “Trying a new hairstyle?”
Cassian’s own chuckle at her teasing words echoes down the line of the phone. “It’s Mellie. She wants her hair to match yours. Her exact demand was that I have to make it pretty like Nesta’s.”
