“Hi.” was what he’d first said to her the day they met. Now and then.
Encompassed the extent of most of their conversations, actually.
Though once, at one of Feyre’s games, he’d arrived late and asked nebulously for the score. She’d answered, “Ten, nil.” And the words had stuck with him, probably because no one from Prythian really used the word ‘nil’.
Years later, Tarquin sat in the underground airport parking, still an hour early. He listened to the radio warn about a possible storm passing through in a day or two; the last dregs of hurricane season before summer settled and Adriata flooded with tourists.
He picked up his phone and checked – for the fifth time that morning – the post he’d screenshot from Cresseida’s feed: a woman in a fur hat and coat, standing before a statue of soldiers in Rask.
He couldn’t read the caption, written in Scythian and screenshot before he’d thought to translate it. Though two attempts to find out had led him to the last man hanged by the Scythian monarchy two years before it was overthrown.
He zoomed in on her face, tried to commit the details to memory.
It was stupid. He'd already made a sign with her name on it so there was no way they’d miss each other. But because – in all the time he’d known her personally – he couldn’t remember actually seeing Nesta Archeron smile in person, the person in the picture was even more unknown to him than the stranger he was waiting for.
He’d been a freshman at PNU when he met Feyre and Lucien, and through them, their older siblings, Elain and Marcel.
But it had been through his own cousin, that he’d met Nesta, then Cresseida’s roommate, and Eris, now Cresseida’s fiance.
They’d been equally intimidating figures.
Nesta in particular had been so unlike her sisters – lacking Feyre’s playful charm and Elain’s calming warmth – that he, always a little more reserved than his friends, had only said one word to her. And hesitated about, or outright avoided, any interaction after.
Eris at least shared Lucien’s sardonic wit and sometimes wrangled Tarquin into a joke to get under Cresseida’s skin. In retrospect, his affection had been almost embarrassingly obvious. But for a while, Cresseida hadn’t been a fan of either, said Nesta was blunt and unsociable and that Eris was an arrogant asshole. The three of them locked into a tense academic rivalry.
So for the year and a half, he and Cresseida – three years ahead – had both attended PNU, he’d not interacted with Nesta much, outside of the occasional run in or match attendance.
But something had changed soon after Cresseida and Nesta had started their master’s programme, and even after the eldest Archeron had dropped out, the two had remained in touch.
Subsequently, his dealings with Nesta Archeron had remained minimal. Until now.
Now, he was about to pick her up and take her to his apartment, where he was going to have to live with her until they left for the island where Cresseida's wedding would be held.
A week. A week with a woman he barely knew and still hadn't managed to hold even a text conversation with.
His stomach tightened and he checked the picture. Again. The sixth time that morning.
///
Nesta Archeron flew into Adriata two weeks before Cresseida’s wedding; decidedly done with the last leg of her attempt to live, love, laugh her way through her breakup.
She carried all she owned with her; an entire life boiled down to the mismatched luggage set piled onto her cart. A sorry contrast to the mountain of baggage she’d been trying to escape.
The humid, tropical air hit her before she’d even exited the busy airport. It wasn’t too much of a shock after a year in Bharat, actually reminded her of the sweltering summers of her childhood, but six wonderful months in Rask and so many less wonderful years in Velaris had baked an appreciation for winter into her bones.
In all honesty, it was the only thing she actually missed.
Nesta pushed her cart forward, finding herself thankful for the unexpected three day lay over in Montesere that had broken her jet lag and exhaustion.
Cool and comfortable in the dark blue lounge set she’d bought, unwilling to cut through the saran wrap she’d bound her bags in, she’d managed to freshen up her perfume and makeup before disembarking the plane. Wore it like armour; proof she’d survived ripping her own heart from her chest, and that she’d survive whatever else came her way.
Including this wedding.
And the underboob sweat she knew was coming.
She checked her phone, pleased she’d arrived on time after so many complications. There was a message from Tarquin, one of only six exchanges made since she’d gotten his contact details a week ago.
Here 🙂 wearing an orange Phoenix jersey.
She was glad for message and the sign that held her name when she spotted it. Not that she would have needed either.
He literally stuck out among waiting crowd, and she'd remembered he played basketball in college. And though their features were as varied as any cousins might be, contrasted especially since the twins were unmistakable in their resemblance; he, Cresseida and Varian shared the same cool toned dark skin.
He smiled when he spotted her. Not happily, but in that way that some people did. Politely. He’d always fallen under that category she classed so few in: kind. Tarquin was kind.
And when he said, "Hi." she remembered that too.
.
super shy x neurodivergent, guess who's who
dont ask me why I wrote this when I have 7 thousand other things to be working on, I just needed it 😔
So, someone asked me about my favorite crackship, and I thought it was the perfect moment to finally pour out a little of my love for Nesquin (Nesta x Tarquin). Let me start by saying it loud and clear: I’m a full ally of Nessian, that’s canon, that’s endgame, and I adore them. But in the universe of fanfiction, where we get to play with dynamics and imagine all the “what ifs,” Nesquin just lives in my head rent free. And honestly? I want more people to see what I see, because this pairing has so much potential and deserves way more attention than it gets.
What pulls me so much into Nesta x Tarquin is the way their values and desires secretly align, even though the books never really put them together. Tarquin has always been painted as a dreamer, a High Lord who isn’t content to just hoard power or follow tradition. He’s obsessed with freedom not just for himself, but for his people, for every species in Prythian. He’s one of the only rulers who openly talks about equality, about tearing down the old hierarchies and building something fairer, freer. That’s his heart: exploration, curiosity, knowledge, and a deep respect for life and then there’s Nesta. For all her thorns and walls, she has always carried a heart that is painfully, fiercely human. She knows what it is to suffer, to feel powerless, to be angry at the unfairness of the world. And she doesn’t bury that side of herself; it stays with her, shaping her choices. Pairing her with Tarquin creates this magnetic force because while he dreams of freedom in a political and cultural sense, Nesta embodies freedom in a deeply personal way. She wants to break out of the boxes she was shoved into, the roles she was forced to play, the cages she was born into. Together, they’d understand each other on a level that is more than romance it’s about liberation, both internal and external.
I keep imagining the scenes we never got: Tarquin taking Nesta onto a ship, not to impress her but to share his world with her. Teaching her about the stars sailors follow at night, showing her how to read the currents, telling her stories of the sea and of faraway lands. And Nesta, who grew up watching her father deal with commerce and trade but was never allowed to touch it, would finally get the chance to use that knowledge. She absorbed so much as a girl ships docking, merchants negotiating, the flow of goods and wealth but it was always kept out of her reach because she had to be a “lady.” With Tarquin, he’d admire it. He’d hand her the maps and let her chart the stars herself, and she’d thrive and I think Tarquin would be fascinated by her in return.
Nesta’s fire would clash with Tarquin’s water, but together they’d create balance, a harmony of opposites. I can see them standing side by side on the deck of a ship, wind whipping around them, maps spread out, arguing about constellations until the argument dissolves into laughter. I can see her surprising him with a clever observation about trade or navigation, and him looking at her like she’s the most brilliant person he’s ever met. I can see her curiosity about different cultures being fed by his desire to explore and connect, and the two of them building something new and beautiful together.
They’re such a small crackship in the fandom, but the more I think about them, the more convinced I am that they could have been one of the most powerful dynamics in ACOTAR. And honestly? I just want more people to fall into this ship with me. Because once you see them the way I do, it’s impossible not to love them.
Pushing my Nesquin agenda with the prompt for day 3 of @nestaarcheronweek Self-care
So I hope you all enjoy it
Sweet Sea
Nesta's breath catches in her throat and she clutches harder to the male at her side and she stares with deadly fear she can't do this no way
"Your alright it's alright Nesta breath" Tarquin says one hand coming up to stroke the back of her head the other gently holding her arm
"You've been doing so wonderful and I'm so proud of you Little Pearl" He says gently still stroking her head "I'll be right here holding onto you as usual I promise" Nesta shakes her head a little frantic
"I can't i- I can't" She says her voice almost a whisper as she clings more tightly to him Tarquin wraps his arm around her back and gently pulls her into him
"Oh my darling brave girl I promise I won't let go" he starts"you are so strong and so brave I know you can do It I'll be right here and I won't let anything happen" he promises
Nesta looks out into the pool it would only up to half her chest and her feet would still touch the ground but gods was she terrified
"I won't let you go sweet girl" Tarquin said hands gripping her firmly as if to prove his words true "I swear it on my life I won't let anything bad happen to you" be promised
Nesta took a deep breath and held on tighter to him "Ok" She said voice soft with a hint of determination "Let's go" She looked at Tarquin and he nodded
Slowly they started making their into the water Nesta holding on to Tarquin the deeper they got as promised he didn't let her go
As they got deeper Nesta held unto Tarquin tighter to the point she had to wonder how she hadn't ripped his shirt at all
Once they made it to the deepest part of the pool Nesta had to remind herself to breathe the water was warm this wasn't the cauldron she was alive
Tarquin started pulling away slowly and Nesta panicked gripping his shirt tight and crying out in prue Alarm "No please" She cried
Tarquin Started stroking her hair again gently shushing her 'It's alright lovely it's alright I'm going anywhere" he said "I'm just putting a little space between us so you can look at me but I'm not letting go" He soothed
Nesta took a few deep breaths and took both her hands in his and gently backed away not to much but just enough that should could look up at him without hurting her neck
"Hi" She breathed softly Still taking deep breaths to clam herself he chuckled lightly "Hi Pretty" he said back gently letting go of one of her hands so he could stroke her head lovingly
Nesta Leaned into the soft touch enjoying the way his fingers played the honey- Brown locks They strayed like that for a few minutes before Nesta pulled herself into his chest
"I want out now please" She murmured Tarquin let out a soft laugh at the adorableness his lady displayed "Alright Lovely let's get you out" he said as gently hoisted her up into his arms and Bridal carrying her
Nesta buries her head into his neck and closes her eyes as he makes his way through the palace and towards their bedroom
it doesn't take him long to reach it using his magic he opens the door stepping inside and then closing it with his foot as he makes his way over to the bed
He sets her down gently before summoning an attendant and whispering something to them eyes still closed Nesta listens to the sounds being made around her
Nesta only opens her eyes again when she feels Tarquin pull her into lap and putting her head on chest when her eyes slowly open she takes in her surroundings
Their in the middle of their bed pillows and blankets surround them the balcony doors open letting in the nice summer air and their canop has been tied open
Nesta Has just finished looking around when Tarquin holds a spoon up to her lips
"Here" He says "Eat lovely" Nesta does without hesitation taking the spoon in her mouth
the coolness am flavor of chocolate and strawberries has her delighted immediately Tarquin chuckles and removes the spoon quickly replacing it with another spoonful of ice cream
He keeps feeding her until the bowl has been emptied and then proceeds to wrap his arms around her and lay them both down onto the bed
"I love you my lovely girl" He says pulling a blanket over the two of them "I'm so proud of you and how far you've gotten and I'm so lucky you're mine" He finishes beginning to stroke Nesta's hair
Nesta let's out a sigh of contentment as he gently messages her scalp She feels so loved and cherished and she knows as long as they both live he won't let her forget that feeling
That's all folks hope you liked it
God I need more content for Nesquin they are so cute and I just love them anyway as always please forgive any spelling mistakes
Kiss Me Like The Ocean Breeze….could this be what I think it is? Lol
IT IS
This is the Nesquin fic sitting in development hell right now 🤣 but it’s THERE and it has a title, damn it!
I’m still kind of arguing with myself over where to start it, whether it’s with a Nesta who’s gone so far downhill she’s more or less catatonic and an Elain who… doesn’t suck, or a more combative opening and siblings who… still suck. It’s a toss-up, really!
***
The sun rises, the sun sets, and the waves never once cease.
As a child full of longing to escape the rules of her highborn life, as a
Ok I’m like 1000000% sure I did this for my first thanksvember but FUCK IT. I remembered the pearl dust thing @flowerflamestars and I have FEELINGS again! When I tell you that this really just started out as some shitposting and @flowerflamestars had to turn it into a whole ass thing that I longed for? Absolutely rude. There was no reason for them to take it this far! Anyways, this is a Tarquin x Nesta crackship that ended up making waaaay too much sense. I absolutely loved it because it lets Nesta be with someone who let her be her most feral self, but loved her as deeply as the depths she feared. PLUS we got BFF Helion which is my favorite Helion. When I tell you that this fic actually gave me a biting kink- aaaanyways. This fic lets Nesta experience tenderness from a male that would have her for who she is, and give her a 1000th reason not to go back to the night court. In this universe Nesta is the librarian of the Dah courts library and she quite literally takes reading (and fucking) on the beach VERY seriously. I love that aspect because it allows Nesta to do what she loves in this narrative but also explores how that role would have her interact with other courts. Something that being an emissary never showed us (even though that is literally her job🙄). Moving on! One of my favorite parts of this fic (other wise than the pearl dust scene….I’m biased ok) was when Nesta and Tarquin talk about courting. I love how much of Tarquin’s past and understanding of healthy relationships is put into this. It’s tender and funny and just very sweet to read. There is nothing burdensome about the endeavor, and he places no needs or primal urges on her to care for. He simply wants her to be herself, just with him. And honestly that’s what made this fic so tender to me. Ok, now that I have thoroughly ruined this fic, go read it, or don’t. Lord knows I read this fic enough that flowers could put out a restraining order on me for it. But seriously, go read it! The crack ship is worth it! Thanks to @flowerflamestars once again for sharing 🖤🖤.
P.s. (the dinluke fic is next and I will go apeshit about it flowers….you are NOT ready)
