Starfall Week 2025 Masterlist | ACOTAR x Reader Masterlist | AO3 Link
Summary: You spend the first few minutes of every Starfall alone, waiting to see which color will dominate your life for the upcoming year.
Warnings: None!
Words: 781
Author's Note: I'm so glad I was able to get this out before work! I'll have it posted on AO3 later tonight. I hope you guys like this! Just cute fluffiness with baby Az with CURLY HAIR. CURLY HAIRED AZ SUPREMACY. Lemme know what you think!! 🫶
18+ only pls
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You were perched in a tree, eagerly watching the night sky above you.
It was a tradition that you had started for yourself, watching the first few minutes of Starfall alone.
It had started ten years ago, when the rest of your family, Rhys included, had attended Starfall in the Hewn City in order to appease the citizens there. You had been left behind at the Moonstone Palace, and as such had spent the evening staring at the cosmic event, soaking in your bathing pool.
The main color you had seen that year had been orange, beautiful streaks darting across the sky, one spirit even falling across your face as you watched.
That year, you had gained more freedom in your life, you father having finally allowed you to spend time at Windhaven while Rhys and your mother were living there.
The next year, the most common color streaking across the sky in your eyes was green - you had spent the year becoming in tune with nature, your powers of starlight having finally come into your body. You spent most of your nights embroidering in the moonlight, losing yourself in the beauty of the night.
The year after that? Red spirits had flown across the sky in droves. The color had brought you strength as you finally learned to fly without another having to be near you, allowing you to experience the way that your brother - and his new friends - had always flown.
Every year, the main color your eyes picked up had set the scene for your life.
This year was no different, and you were waiting with bated breath as the first bright spirits began to cross the sky.
You wanted - no, needed to know what your year would have in store for you.
Blues, purples, greens, and yellows shot across the sky as you watched with fascination, ears picking up on the cheers of Illyrians, closer to the center of camp.
You would join them soon, just as soon as you knew what color would dominate your life this year.
Tiny spirits shot down, coloring the tree branches around you, and few splatters streaking through your hair. You let out a giggle at the bright colors, holding out your hand for a pink spirit to glide across your skin before rejoining its brethren in the sky.
You turned your eyes back to the shimmering stars and spirits, eyes widening at the sudden influx of pink through the sky.
Pink?
You’d never seen so many pink spirits in the sky as you were now, a massive streak of them covering the other spirits flying through the sky, a sure sign of what was to come.
Now all you needed to know was what a pink Starfall meant for your life.
“Y/N, is that you?” a voice asked softly from below the tree you were in, and you looked down to meet hazel eyes.
“Hi, Azriel,” you said shyly from your perch, gathering your skirts closer to your legs. “Why aren’t you at the bonfire?”
He smiled up at you, a sight that always managed to take your breath away. “I thought a certain someone was missing, so I came to check on her. Can I come up?”
A blush dusted your cheeks as you nodded, and Azriel jumped high, using his wings to lift him the rest of the way to the large branch you were on.
“Why aren’t you at the bonfire?” he asked once he was seated next to you, your wings brushing together occasionally, eyes darting between you and the spirits streaking across the sky.
You stayed silent for a moment, debating on if you should tell him your tradition. He had never teased you before, unlike Cassian, who seemed to enjoy poking fun at you. “I like to watch the first few minutes of Starfall alone, it’s… Nice. Peaceful.”
Azriel nodded in understanding. “Did I interrupt your alone time?”
You looked over at him, heart stuttering when you noticed the pink that had streaked across his forehead and curly brown hair. “Not at all,” you replied quietly. “Sometimes it’s better to have someone to enjoy it with.”
Azriel smiled at you, a soft thing in the vibrant lighting of Starfall. “That’s very true, Y/N.” He wrapped an arm around you carefully, mindful to not brush against your wings.
Your head naturally tilted to rest against his shoulder, pink dusting your cheeks when you heard a satisfied huff leave him.
Maybe... Maybe pink means time with Azriel… Love?
Whatever it meant, if it meant more of this? You were excited for what the rest of the year had in store for you.
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General Taglist: @daughterofthemoons-stuff @lilah-asteria @meritxellao @twismare @wrenisrad @icey--stars
I was very amused when through fandom events I realized starfall is supposed to take place at the first day of SPRING. How could I not insert a lil Tamlin?
Works for either @starfallweek or @feyreweekofficial
Hiiii! Here’s my little piece for @starfallweek 2024. I hope you all like it 💕my beautiful soulmate @greeneyedivy helped me name it 💅🏻
I used the prompt “character A finally makes a move on character B”. I’ve never written for Amren before so this was quite fun!
Warnings: None.
Word Count: 3.9k
“You’re sure you don’t want me to fly you back up?”
Cassian cocks an eyebrow at you, the steadiness of his hold dissipating as he tugs his arms from around you. Though your feet are on solid ground, it takes a moment for your equilibrium to right itself. Being in the skies is something you haven’t yet become accustomed to, despite three of your closest friends sporting wings. And being flown on Starfall is an experience entirely of its own.
“You’ll miss the best part,” Cass complains, peering up at the dark canopy above you. The sky is beginning to stir as the stars ready themselves for their journeys. It won’t be long before they’re soaring and crossing.
And tempting as it is to stay and watch the sight that never lessens in its magnificence, you feel…different this year. Like there’s somewhere else you ought to be. Someone else you ought to be with.
“I’m sure,” you dip your chin. “You go, Cass. Enjoy it.”
But he doesn’t move. He studies you head to toe, studies every shred of effort you put into your appearance — hair and makeup perfected, a stunning outfit hugging your body. You feel beautiful, no doubt — and yet you’re leaving after a mere hour of drinking on the balcony with your friends.
“You know she’s just going to be holed up in her apartment with the curtains drawn,” Cass says. “She hates Starfall.”
You cock an eyebrow. “Who?”
“You know who.”
Amren.
Is it little bit humiliating that you’re so damn transparent? Perhaps. But Cass is one of your closest companions — you can hardly expect him to believe that you’re simply leaving to return to your own home and switch your stunning dress for your pyjamas.
You shrug a shoulder. “I just want to check on her, is all.”
“Hmm,” your friend’s lips twitch. “I’m sure.”
With a roll of your eyes, you swat his ludicrously huge arm. “Go back to the party,” but you lean up to press a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you — for flying me.”
“Good luck with the tiny little rain cloud. She’ll be even crankier tonight than usual.”
With a lopsided smirk and a fond — and annoying — mussing of your hair, he launches back into the sky and heads back to the House of Wind. You stare after him, wondering if you’re making the right choice.
Because when Amren says she wants to be left alone, she means it. But…you don’t know. Things have been changing. Things have been…different.
This is your third Starfall, since your move to the Night Court after the war. A native of the Day Court, it had surprised you to find yourself so at home in a place of starlight, so opposite to what you’d always known. But as one of Helion Spell-Cleaver’s nearest and dearest, you’d worked closely with Rhysand and his Inner Circle during those fraught times of battle and bloodshed — and bonded with them far more than you’d ever expected yourself to. Become an honorary member of their unit, so to speak.
And when Rhysand had courteously invited you for a visit to Velaris after the war was over, you’d known from the second your feet had touched the cobbled streets — this was where you were supposed to be.
Three years later, with a home here, a job as a Night courtier…it was hard to imagine you’d ever been anywhere else.
And perhaps the most notable and unexpected connection you’d forged was the one you had with the with the tiny creature whose barbed, edged words were — you’d learned — a sign of affection.
You did not understand Amren one bit. She was a mystery you couldn’t puzzle out, a being that was sometimes so harsh, it was hard to believe she had any warmth in her at all. But Rhysand giving the two of you a subject he’d needed you to research together had brought you closer, over the recent months. Had shredded through that trepidation you’d once felt around her and shifted it into something…different. Something exciting.
You find that try as you might, you can’t stay away.
And that’s how you find yourself strolling those cobbled streets of Velaris, dressed up to the nines and stars beginning to burst above you. You could be spectating the brilliant sight with your friends, but something tugs you towards the other side of the city. To the loft apartment with the sloping windows and the strange, intriguing female who dwells within
Indeed, as you approach, you find those windows to be blacked out. Blocking out the sight of what is occurring in the skies. You almost smile, but now you’re nervous and second-guessing yourself a little. You could turn away, go home — in all likelihood, Amren won’t want to see you.
But tonight feels different. Tonight feels like a reckoning.
So you swallow your nerves and decide you’re doing this.
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You knock once, and a voice that is both nightmare and fantasy calls out, “Go away!”
Not unusual for Amren. She tells guests to go away, even when she’s invited them.
So you brace a hand against the door and call back, “It’s me.”
There’s a beat. And then small footsteps are padding closer. There are the sounds of bolts being undone, locks clicking. Whatever it is Amren feels she needs keep out is little more than a distant thought as she yanks the door open just a tad and eyes you suspiciously through the gap. Her steely gaze takes in your dress, hair, makeup. She lifts her chin.
“Why are you here?” she asks.
You shrug. Feel a little pathetic as you answer, “I thought I’d come see what you’re up to.”
“Why.”
“Perhaps I find your company to be just slightly more scintillating than Cassian’s.”
At that, there’s the briefest twitch of her lips. She masks it expertly. “A dead rat has more to offer in the way of company than that boy.”
You snort, rubbing at your arms. Goosebumps are pebbling your skin. The air is too brisk to comfortably be stood in for too long.
Amren studies you again, and too quickly for you to register, she’s widening the gap in the door and yanking you in by the front of your dress. She slams the door shut and gets to work refastening the bolts, sliding across the chains, securing every lock. It’s all you can do to stand and watch.
And then she turns to face you with a neutral expression — one that says that if you find anything peculiar about her behaviour, shut the fuck up. You know she won’t tell you what’s got her so on edge, so you don’t bother asking.
Instead, you turn, still rubbing at your chilled skin, and study the general disarray of her huge, open-plan studio apartment. Her bed is unmade, her trinkets and baubles scattered across various surfaces. And on the numerous overlapping rugs that cover the floor, a gathering of books, some stacked in a pile, others tossed aside, a few open on certain pages. It would seem she is spending the night going over your recent research.
“Perhaps a drink?” you ply, angling away from the mess.
She quirks a dark eyebrow. “Tell me, what is it about you and the others barging into my home and making demands of me?”
“I believe it’s customary to offer your guests refreshments.”
“I believe I didn’t ask for guests in the first place.”
Her words, to anyone outside your circle, would sound so sharp, so harsh. But you know Amren, now. That last sentence vaguely translates another meaning: I wasn’t expecting guests, but thank you for coming. Of course I’ll get you a drink.
Not that she’d ever say that in a million fucking years.
She saunters past you, towards the kitchen area. As she goes, she closes the open books and throws them onto the stacks. Picks up empty glasses.
“Don’t clean up on my account,” you say, knowing full well that she isn’t.
“I’m not,” she confirms. “I don’t want your clumsy feet treading on anything,” she places the empty glasses in the sink and turns to you. “What do you want to drink? There’s wine, wine, or wine.”
“I’ll have the wine, then.”
With the barest incline of her head, she turns her back to you. While she’s occupied, you take a moment to study the covered windows, everything that blocks out what’s occurring outside. Even the skylights are covered, and your lips twitch at the thought of her wrestling her way up there to fasten drapes over them.
It’s all so methodical, so thought out. And though you know she’d probably never tell you, you can’t help wanting to break down that barrier and know the more vulnerable side to her that is so unsettled by this holiday.
A glass is placed in your hand, and you clear your throat, ripping your gaze away from the skylight — but not fast enough for Amren not to notice.
“It unsettles me,” she says drily, surprising you.
You try your hardest not to blink at the offered snippet of information. “What does?”
“Starfall. What it is. What it signifies.” Taking a slow sip of her wine, she sits on the rug. You follow suit. “Those stars, beings, whatever you want to call them…they are on a journey. Going from one place to another. Perhaps from one world to another. That was once me.”
“…and that unsettles you…”
“Perhaps I know one of them, from many, many years ago. Perhaps they are an associate of a time and a world long-forgotten. A past friend or foe or—”
“A lover?” you supply. You’re not sure you mean to say it.
But Amren’s grey eyes slide to you, and one side of her mouth lifts into a wicked grin, bearing sharp white teeth. “Does that surprise you?”
“Yes. No. I suppose I know nothing of your personal relationships. Of what you like.”
“I like what I like, and I hate what I don’t like.”
You stare at her, thoroughly annoyed and thoroughly entertained. Speaking with Amren is so often trickery and riddles. No matter how much you may feel like you’re getting somewhere, she always leads you on a merry dance that circles you back to the first step.
“And what of you?” she asks, surprising you.
Your eyes snag on the way her razor-sharp black hair moves as she angles her head. The ends tickle the column of her long, creamy neck, adorned with a jewelled necklace. For one moment, for some reason, the sight makes your head empty.
But you shake yourself out of the bizarre reaction and ask, “What of me?”
“What do you like?” Amren asks.
You almost snort as you take a long sip of your wine. Amren is simply not somebody who asks questions about other people very often. And the topic of your love life seems like one that would be trivial and pointless to her.
“Are you asking because you want to know?” you smile. “Or to be polite?”
Another flash of those brilliant teeth. “Have you ever known me to be polite?”
“I suppose not, no.”
“So tell me, girl, what takes your fancy?”
Draining your glass, you set it aside and lounge back, bracing yourself on your hands. And perhaps the wine is already commanding your mind and blurring lines — because it tells you to glance down at the full lips in front of you, painted with red that’s deepened by the dark nectar she sips at.
You do.
Amren watches. The air seems to shift.
“Pour me another glass,” your voice comes out huskier than you intend, “and I’ll tell you.”
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“Lions?”
Rare, for Amren to sound like anything besides being perpetually bored. An hour or so later — and too many glasses later — the two of you are sprawled back on the rug, staring at the ceiling.
“Helion keeps lions?” she turns her head to quirk an eyebrow at you.
“Yes,” you answer with a laugh in your voice. “Very real, very fucking huge lions.”
“I rather thought that Pegasuses were his thing.”
“They are. But his lions are a prided jewel of his — and a court secret that I absolutely should not be sharing with you.”
Her petite, lithe body rolls onto its side. She crooks her arm at the elbow and rests her chin there, staring at you through glazed, grey eyes.
It takes only a beat of eye contact for you both to break into laughter.
This is…unusual. And nice. Though the two of you have undoubtedly been growing closer, Amren always has a glass wall up that allows you to peer through but not penetrate. Tonight is the first night that you feel that…that you might be on the other side of that wall. That she might be letting her guard down for you.
You like it. A lot.
The laughter thinning out, she stares at you. It’s a little strange to see those sharp, angled features not appear harsh and ready to slice at anyone. She appears…open. Almost normal.
“Lions,” she repeats, in something like wonderment. “And they just roam about his private estate? Are they tame?”
“He has sprawls of private land on which they can roam freely,” you tell her. “That land is guarded very well, from anyone he doesn’t wish to share the sight with. The lions are very tame. There’s a rumour — though I never got Helion to confirm it — that they once walked on two legs and spoke our language. That thousands of years ago, a curse bound them to their feline form that even Helion’s vast libraries hold no answer to cracking. And since they weren’t able to break the curse, he and his predecessors set to ensure that they would, at least, always be safe and accommodated and able to live comfortably as they are. If it’s true, they seem perfectly happy in their lion bodies.”
“So Helion allowed you access to them? What are they like?”
You smile — at the images that the question conjures up, and the fact that you hold Amren’s interest enough for her to ask it at all. It makes you feel…proud, somehow. Like the cat that got the cream.
“Amazing,” you rest your arms behind your head, taking yourself back to that private land on which you spent so much time — just you and the lions. “They’re just…regal. The males have huge, brilliant manes. The females are so lithe and elegant. The cubs are painfully adorable. There are families of them. Sometimes, they fight. Often, they play. They love to snooze in the sun and frolic in the long grass. The youngsters love splashing each other in the lake. If they recognise you as someone they can trust, you can comfortably sit with them and stroke their fur. They especially like you if you bring them food.”
There’s such a long pause as Amren takes in your words that after a short while, your eyes slide to her, half expecting to find her asleep. But she simply stares at you. Quiet. Assessing.
“I think I would like to see lions,” she says after a moment. To her, it seems to be a huge confession. Something not easy to admit.
You study the perfect lines of her face. That face that appears in your thoughts when you’re trying to sleep, think about absolutely anything but her. You’re not sure you like how drawn you are to her. She’s so unreachable that it only makes you reach harder. So difficult to work out that sometimes, you question if she delights in your company at all.
It is, after all, you who always seeks her out. Since you began your research together, it’s been you who has found excuses to see her.
You who barged your way into her home tonight, while stars collided above you.
And you who might do something unwise if you stay any longer.
You clear your throat, breaking eye contact. Your head feels as though it’s filled with cotton as you sit up and announce, “Perhaps I should go.”
Amren pauses. “Why?”
“I didn’t mean to take up your entire evening.”
“You could stay,” she also sits up, tucking her legs beneath her. “You never did tell me what it is you like.”
You take a moment to just…breathe. You’re not used to Amren being so…warm. It’s dangerous. Exciting. You don’t know if it’s safe.
Slowly, you turn on the floor to face her. “I’m not sure you’d appreciate the answer.”
A dark eyebrow arches. She likes doing that. “Tell it to me anyway.”
Should you? Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad thing. Maybe you’ll tell her that thoughts of her keep you awake, not in the forms of nightmares but in the allure of fantasies. Maybe then she’ll cease all work she does with you, and distance herself from you, and you can rid yourself of these feelings—
“You are what I like,” you speak quickly, flushing hot. “Who I like. I was thankful when Rhysand tasked us to work together, because I was already drawn to you. It seems I can’t stay away—”
A flash of dark hair, the potent scent of perfume and wine, are the only warnings you get before Amren is in your face, her perfect mouth sliding over yours. Wine is the overpowering taste of the kiss, but there are hints of other things behind it — sweet vanilla and something floral.
It takes you by surprise, no doubt. But you push the shock away and sink into the rightness of it. Your shoulders slump, body loosening. You slide a hand up to tentatively cup Amren’s cheek, and you kiss her back.
What starts out slow and explorative quickly builds into something that steals the very air from your lungs. Your bodies seem to move in perfect synchronisation, finding the right positions from which the kiss can deepen and grow. Amren kneels between your legs, and a sharp tooth gives the slightest, twinging bite to your lower lip — one that makes you gasp.
The act is deliberate. She slides her tongue into your mouth, folding it around yours. Your tastes mingle until you’re not sure which is yours and which is hers, and that simply will not do. You want her on your tongue. The flavour of her skin and that scent of hers that is quickly growing stronger, thicker, shifting into something else that you would commit sins to taste.
Your fingers sink into Amren’s hair, and she makes a low noise that could be a warning or a plea. The strands, despite always looking sharp enough to slice through rock, are silken, soft. You fist them in your palm and tilt her head back to kiss her deeper.
But she pulls away, her heavy breaths landing on your lips. Her eyes meet yours, and it’s the first time you see her looking anything besides…steeled. Composed.
She looks flustered. Like pulling away from your mouth was the last thing she wanted to do.
“I don’t know what this means,” she blurts.
The admission makes you pause. You agree, “Neither do I.”
“No—not just this. What you do to me. I don’t know what any of this means,” she narrows her eyes at you, almost accusatory. “Emotions like these have always felt pointless to me, but you…”
“…but me?”
“You…” the word is leaden on her tongue. “You are different.”
Her gaze slides to your mouth again, and you can tell that her comfort is in articulating her feelings with actions, not words.
And that is just fine by you.
Like she reads the encouragement straight from your thoughts, a breathy word escapes her. “Yes.”
And then she’s fastening her lips on yours again and stamping out every shred of confusion. No matter what either of you are unable to say, the dance of your mouths can speak it all. For now, no more than that is necessary.
Amren kisses you, and you kiss her. It’s deep, desperate, yearning. It’s bigger than anything and everything. The stars that race through the sky pale in comparison.
This is the real beauty of this night. The real thing you had hoped for. It could end no better way.
You kiss until your mouths are bruised and tender. Until the taste of wine is gone, and there’s nothing but the two of you on your tongues. For all you know, the rest of the world outside this apartment could have disappeared. You’re not sure you care.
You’re the one to pull away this time, but you don’t move far. You part your lips to gulp down breaths and press your forehead to Amren’s. Your voice is a rasp as you joke, “You better not be kissing me just so I’ll show you the lions.”
She laughs — actually laughs. It’s a short, brusque chortle, but it makes you glow with pride.
But she quickly sobers. Her face is serious once more, her eyes drinking you in.
“I’m kissing you, girl,” she says, “because I think about you too much. Because the very first time I laid eyes on you, it scared me — what I might do to look at you forever.”
You try to mask your surprise. You hadn’t realised—
“It was me who suggested to Rhysand that you and I should work together,” she admits. She pulls back a little, as if urging you to read the honesty on her face. “It felt pathetic and foolish, but I did it to be close to you. I can’t stop myself wanting to be close to you.”
Exactly the same feelings you had tortured yourself with all this time. To think that Amren had agonised over it just as you had is comforting, somehow.
You reach out a hand, pinching a strand of her soft hair between your fingers. She watches the action closely.
“Don’t stop yourself wanting it,” you say, not at all sure that it isn’t a plea. “Don’t stop yourself, when I want it, too.”
“…I’m not used to being…unsure of things.”
“Embrace it,” you offer a smile. “Have fun with it.” With me.
She stares at you, brooding and calculating. You wait for her to decide that this is too out of the realms of familiarity. She won’t allow herself to be so vulnerable.
But then she moves her hand to yours — the one still touching her hair. Slowly, tentatively, she laces your fingers together. She stares down at your joined hands as though the sight is alien, fascinating.
“Stay,” she eventually says, glancing up at you. There’s an undertone in her voice, an inference.
“…the entire night?” you hedge. You try to keep the hopefulness out of your tone.
Her red lips lift into a smirk, grey eyes glimmering. “On one condition.”
“Name your price.”
Your heart picks up as she leans in again. Her hair tickles your cheek, and she watches closely as your skin flushes at the proximity. Her lips hover against yours.
But instead of kissing you, she whispers four words that land straight on your waiting mouth.
Summary// This entire year had been devastating for you and your mate. On more days than not you found yourself laying in bed, the pillow wet with tears, while Cassian stroked your hair and whispered soft words into your ear. You were so ready to give up, to crumble away like sand against the waves of grief, until you discover something that gives you and him hope.
(I know this is a few days late but I wanted to get it right! This is very angst heavy, I’m just going to warn you. It has a happy ending but it deals with the loss of a child, miscarriage, etc. As a mom who lost her first child, this fic is almost cathartic to me. It was years ago but that kind of pain never leaves you and although I don’t know if anyone who reads this has gone through this, statistically 1 in 4 women will suffer through this. This is for you, or for anyone going through grief)
@starfallweek Prompt: Character A swears they recognize one of the stars blazing past when Character B is trying to tell them something important.
WARNINGS: Angst, Miscarriage, Blood, Death, Vomit, Pregnancy, ending is hopeful
The curtains in the room billowed in the calm breeze, the sun streaming into a room that was full of darkness. You stared blankly at the door of your bedroom, listening to the soft snores of your mate while you furiously rubbed at your eyes to keep yourself awake.
It was the same every single night. You would try to sleep, your entire being exhausted from just existing, only to be plagued by the nightmares that replayed the night over and over again. No tea, herb, or medicine seemed to help, and every night you were edging closer and closer to the edge.
You quietly got up when your eyes tried to shut once more, walking over to the open balcony doors and stepping into the outside air. The warmth of the sun warmed your skin and kissed your face, making you briefly smile, until you laid a hand over your empty womb.
“Cassian! Cassian, help me!” You screamed from the bathroom, blood covering your legs as you fell to your knees in pain from the sharp cramps that were stabbing into your stomach. “Please…please no…”
Footsteps thudded loudly outside, your mate frantically searching for you, until he barged into the bathroom and saw you crumpled on the floor. “Y/N, what happened? What’s wrong?” He asked, kneeling in front of you despite the blood to grab your face. “Are you hurt? Where are you bleeding from?”
Your eyes were red from how hard you were crying, half from the pain and half from the realization of what was happening. It was the same thing you had seen your mother go through when you were young. You remembered hearing her screams, her prayers to the Mother to save her child, and then silence.
“I…” You started to say before sobbing again, his arms immediately pulling you into his chest as he cradled you closely. He shushed you, rocking the two of you back and forth as you cried and cried and cried.
Cassian figured out what was happening quickly, his heart shattering right along with yours. His tears fell onto your head, holding you to him as if you would also disappear. You stayed that way for hours, not moving until Feyre had come looking for you and immediately turned to go grab Madja.
She had to pry you from his arms to examine you, grimacing as she glanced at you in sympathy. Cassian’s hands never left yours as you lay on the bathroom floor, laboring for a few hours until you birthed your sleeping child. It was a boy, his wings so tiny as was the rest of his body, and you just sat there gazing at him until Madja gently took him and wrapped him in a blanket.
“Y/N?” Cassian called, pulling you back to the present. He looked over your sunken face, and your cracked lips, and felt as if he were looking at a ghost. “How long have you been out here?”
“Just for a few minutes.” Your voice was hoarse as you wrapped your arms around yourself, looking out towards the bay. “Did you sleep okay?”
“Did you?”
You looked away in silence, his face softening as he reached out to touch you. It felt foreign though like you were out of your own body.
“Y/N…you need to rest. Please.” He pleaded but you shook your head, looking up at him sadly.
“I can’t, Cass.” You mumble, the memory still burning in the back of your mind. “Every time I close my eyes, every time, I just see him and-”
Before you could break down, you snuggled into his chest, his lips pressing on the crown of your head to comfort you. Although the pain was still there, being in Cassian’s arms made it dull. You both had lost your son, you both were mourning and even though it had been a year of this agony, you at least knew you had someone to hold you in the dark.
After a few minutes, he pulled away, brushing the tears from your eyes. “You know tonight is Starfall, princess. Rhys and Feyre said they understood if we couldn’t make it but maybe it would be nice to get out for a while? See everyone?”
If you were being honest it was one of the last things you wanted to do but deep down you missed your family, and you knew your mate did too. He was always the social bat, the life of the party, and ever since the incident he changed, and became more withdrawn and sad. You hated how it had changed him, wishing you could take that pain away so his heart wouldn’t be marred by it.
Of course, it was impossible, you couldn’t change the past. However, maybe tonight was the first step you both needed to start healing. Starfall meant so much to both of you and while you definitely wouldn’t stay for the whole thing, an appearance was something you could manage.
“I don’t know if I can handle the entire party, but I think it would be nice to get out for a change.” You said, the corners of your mouth slightly turning up when he grinned from ear to ear.
“Of course, we don’t have to stay long. Just say the word and we can leave.” He affirmed, surprising you with a soft kiss on your lips. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Now go spread the good news while I go bathe.” You shooed him, watching him throw on his clothes and walk out the door at breakneck speed. It reminded you of your old Cassian.
You started to draw a bath, letting the hot water almost sear your skin as it began to fill up. As you started to realize what you had just agreed to, you found yourself growing nauseous at seeing everyone again. It was no secret what had happened and while you were safe inside your room, out there you would be opened to the prying eyes and gossip of everyone else.
Could you handle it? What if it was too much? What if it was a disaster?
The contents of your stomach started to rise in your throat without warning and you barely had time to make it to the toilet before throwing it all up. It made your eyes sting as you gripped the bowl, blindly reaching for a towel to wipe your mouth as you slowly slid to the floor groaning.
Perhaps it wasn’t a good idea to go tonight. If your nerves were already giving you this much trouble, you couldn’t imagine-
“Y/N?” Madja called from the bedroom, her voice laced with concern. Your brows furrowed in confusion as you quickly wrapped yourself in a robe and peeked out, surprised to see her already halfway across the room.
“Madja? What are you doing here?” You asked as she seemed to examine you with her eyes, trying to decipher the look in her eyes.
“Are you feeling okay?”
She must have heard you throwing up. “Yes, yes, I just was worried over Starfall tonight. It will be the first time I’ve been out in public since…” You trailed off, looking past her as the painful memory threatened to surge forward again.
Madja watched as you closed your eyes and breathed through your nose, calming yourself, before opening them once more. “I’m okay, just feeling a little sick. Do you think I could have some tea to settle my stomach?”
“I…I don’t think that would be wise, child.” She answered, brushing past you and into the bathroom to turn off the water. “Nor this hot of a bath.”
“Madja I assure you I am fine, I just wanted to relax and-”
“That’s not what I am concerned about.” She interrupted, crossing her arms as the wrinkles around her face softened. “Y/N, do you know when the last time you bled was?”
“It was…” You began, stalling when you couldn’t recall. After your loss, you hadn’t had your cycle and thought it was normal, you were grateful for not having to go through it on top of the trauma you had already endured.
But as Madja stood there, watching as you pieced together what she was asking, you stumbled back in disbelief, hitting the doorframe behind you. She immediately rushed forward, calling your name, but all you could hear were the screams and the sobbing of yourself and your mate.
“Y/N! Y/N!” She shouted, grabbing your face and making you meet her gaze. Your eyes were already welling up with tears once more, feeling as if your heart was about to fly out of your chest. “Y/N, you need to breathe. Breathe.”
Her hands were comforting as she grabbed one of your own and put it against her chest, letting you feel her breathe until you slowly started to match it.
“Please…please tell me it’s not true.” You whimpered, your bottom lip quivering as she shushed you and placed her hand over your womb. It was a few minutes before she pulled back, her lips tightened as she only gave you a slight nod of confirmation.
It felt as if the entire world was crashing down upon you. She did not stop as you buried your face into her neck, shaking in fear at the news. In your grief, you had only had a few brief moments of intimacy with your mate, mainly as a distraction to pull yourself out of the hole if only for a little while.
Madja softly ran her fingers over your head, shushing you, like a mother to a child. She was usually professional with the rest of your family but after what she had witnessed with you, she looked after you more closely.
“I can’t do it again, Madja.” You cried, shaking your head. “I’m so afraid.”
“Hush now.” She soothed, rubbing small circles into your back. “I know it is frightening, the unknown and the known, but you are already farther along than with your last.”
You were shocked to hear that, pulling away to see if she was serious. All of the symptoms you had had before were missing but you supposed with how you had been feeling and how overwhelmed you were, you probably just brushed them off just as you had this morning.
She wiped away your tears and used her magic to examine you once more, taking in the position of the growing babe. “I cannot guarantee you there won’t be any problems, this will be a higher-risk pregnancy, but I do have faith in the Cauldron and my hands.”
“What if it happens again?” You whisper, placing your hand over your belly. “What if I lose them? What if there is something wrong with me? If I cannot carry this baby, Madja, I fear that I will not be able to handle another death. My soul is already weary.”
“If you go throughout this life always worried about the what-ifs, you will never live, child,” Madja spoke softly. “Be afraid, grieve, feel whatever it is you are feeling, but also rejoice in this news and try to find the light in the darkness. That is what this child is.”
You let her words stew in your head, trying to sort through each of your emotions one by one as she wrote down a time and date for you to come visit her. “We will be doing weekly meetings to check, and if you have any worries come find me.”
As she started to walk out the door you called out for her, fiddling with your fingers as you asked, “Can you not disclose this to Cassian? I want to tell him.”
Madja smiled and nodded, holding a finger to her lips, before disappearing from your sight. You walked backward until your knees hit the bed, sitting on the edge as you processed what had just happened.
Anger, worry, guilt, and hope were the four biggest emotions you were working through. Anger that your body had allowed this to happen after what happened with your first, worry that you would lose another child, guilt that you got pregnant again so soon and that you were replacing your first, and a small hope that you would actually get to bring a child into this world for you and Cassian to raise.
It was a lot. What would Cass say? Would he be angry at you, or would he be excited? What about everyone else? What if your first son, wherever he was, was angry with you for replacing him? Were you being irrational?
The sun was already high in the sky and since your mate wasn’t back yet, you knew he probably wouldn’t return until later tonight. You had to tell him soon, it was a miracle that he hadn’t been able to smell it on you already.
Your bath was sure to be at least lukewarm by now so you decided to go ahead and start getting ready, finding yourself gazing at your stomach every time you passed the mirror and imagining who was inside you.
Later that day, 30 minutes to Starfall
The dress you put on was one you had worn before but it was still as beautiful. You had styled your hair in your favorite way, your makeup light, and your shoes comfortable. After making sure everything looked good, you turned to the side and stared at your abdomen once more. There was a small swell that you could easily hide if you tried.
You were dreading talking to Cassian, your mind racing with what could happen. Although he seemed more okay than you, you knew it was just a mask. He was grieving just as hard as you, tossing and turning at night and trying his best to hide the pain from you.
If he wasn’t happy with this…you didn’t know what you would do.
As the sun disappeared underneath the sea you finally found the courage to step out of the door, heading upstairs to the balcony where you could already hear the party starting. You had told him to meet you there when he tried to get you to walk out together, assuring him you just needed more time.
Your heart was beating as loud as your heels against the floor as you stepped out into the world for what felt like the first time in forever. Everyone was dressed beautifully, some of them conversing with each other while others were grazing the food table and bar.
Thankfully no one looked toward you, gawking or pointing like in your nightmares. It took you a minute to find Cassian but when you did you beelined to him, blushing when he pulled you into his arms and kissed you sweetly.
“You look beautiful, princess.” He murmured against your lips, kissing you once more before pulling back. “I was worried you were going to miss the start. I think the first one just streaked across the sky.”
“Well, I’m glad I came when I did.” You replied, snuggling into his side as you glanced up at the sky. You heard your friends behind you, laughing about something, and you were thankful they hadn’t spotted you yet.
You needed to tell him now, while you had alone time, but when you finally found the courage to speak everyone begin to cheer and toast as the first couple of souls appeared in blazing lights. It was enchanting to watch, distracting you for a moment as Cassian kissed your forehead.
And as you stood there beside him, his arm wrapped around you while you were surrounded by the beauty of the night and the liveliness of the party, that small spark of hope grew brighter and brighter. It was like the Mother herself was assuring you everything was going to work out.
“Cassian, I need to tell you something.” You said, turning to look at him. However, he seemed to be focused on something past the horizon. “Cassian?”
“Did you see that?” He asked breathlessly, his eyes wide in disbelief. “D-Did you see?”
“See what?” You turned to try and look at what he was staring at, only seeing the bright streaks of green. “I don’t see anything, Cass.”
“I swear, Y/N, I thought-” He paused, looking down at you with a mixture of happiness and sorrow. “One of the souls, I swear….”
You held your breath, your hand flying to your mouth as you squeezed his arm as hard as you could. There was no way, it couldn’t be. It was just your brain trying to make you feel better about your situation, he couldn’t have possibly seen what you thought he did.
Still, you couldn’t stop yourself as you whispered, “Our son?”
He nodded once, his large hand cupping your cheek as you drew in a shaky breath. “It could have been a trick of the light, or something else, but I saw a small soul, it looked like he had wings and I just felt it. It felt like him, Y/N.”
However you knew it wasn’t, you knew Cassian would never joke or say something like this unless he fully believed it. And hearing him say that, looking at into his eyes, you knew this was a sign.
Your son had come down to visit you, he knew you needed him even if he never got to see you. It was destiny.
You quickly grabbed his hand and placed it over your stomach, tears freely falling as your voice wavered. “No, no it wasn’t a trick Cass. It was him.” You affirmed, smiling more than you ever had before. “He came to tell me, to tell us, that everything will be okay.”
“What do you mean?” He breathed, his gaze flickering between you and your conjoined hands over your womb. “Is this…are you…?”
Cassian couldn’t even finish the sentence as you nodded, biting down on his bottom lip to stop himself from sobbing in front of everyone. You rubbed your thumb over his knuckles, laughing incredulously as you said, “He wanted to visit his sibling.”
It took two seconds for him to digest your news before you were lifted into the air and spun around in his arms, grinning as he hollered in delight before bringing you into a crushing kiss. You felt warmth blossom in your chest where you had thought it never would again, your fingers tangling in his hair.
Everyone was probably wondering what had happened but for the first time in a year, you didn’t care. You didn’t care about the worries of tomorrow or of others, about the what-ifs, all you cared about was now.
Starfall had blessed you with your mate, your son, and your new babe all in one night. It was a happiness you never thought you would have again and you weren’t going to waste a moment of it.
Summary: Day 6: Character A was so busy planning the perfect Starfall party, they forgot to get a date. Character B has an idea.
Warnings: Unedited, I'll do it after.
A/N: First of I am so sorry this is taking me this long, sorry if this one sucks I wrote it in a hurry. This is my submission to starfall week. Hope you like this 💕
Tagging: @carinaswife @starfallweek
Dialogue Prompts Masterlist
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You sigh looking around The House of Wind. It was your responsibility to hold a party this year, you had volunteered after seeing how much work Rhysand and Feyre already had. He was a little hesitant at first, never having given someone else the job of organizing the festival celebration, but he ultimately agreed because you were right, he didn't have time to think about such things.
You knew you had to do your best, having a dull party wasn't an option. There was no way you were forcing Rhys to take a break one year only for him to regret and never give the responsibility to anyone else.
You went all out, no limit on anything. Alcohol, decoration, food. You were busting your ass from an entire month, planning this party. You wanted it to be perfect, wanted everyone else to think it was perfect.
"You've done a brilliant job." Mor's voice filled with wonder as she looks around the room. A small group of people had gathered around the room, chatting and drinking, waiting for the show to begin at night. The actual crowd yet to come, considering the party had just begin.
You had heard a lot of compliments this evening, everyone seeming to like what you did with the opportunity. The heavy decoration getting special attention and wondering eyes. You admit, if felt really good, the appreciation but you were yet to get the approval of your high lord and lady.
When you turned around to look at More, your breath caught up. Wearing a shimmering white gown that started at her chest, just the right amount of her cleavage picking out from the hem, with no sleeves, showing off her smooth skin, and ending at her ankles, her feet tucked in light blue heels. And adorned with a thin diamond necklace and earrings.
She looked break takingly beautiful.
Gods the things you want to do to her.
Her eye brows raise in a silent question when you dont say anything and just stare at her. You close your opened mouth and clear your throat, trying not to seem like a hopeless in love. She doesn't know of your feelings and you don't intent on telling her.
"Thank you. You look- really good." You silently curse at youself for being dumbstruck. Her lips pirk up in a smirk, the slight hitch in your voice revealing a lot more then you wish for it too. She thanks you and stands beside you, looking over at the people.
"So, why are you not ready yet? You planning it would make people believe you would be the first to get ready." Her tone teasing but that doesn't stop you in sighing.
"There was a problem with the music band, trying to clear it took more time then I thought it would." You glance down at yourself, standing in a plain shirt and pants, while everyone else was looking thier finest. You should probably get ready now, before more people come.
Mor lets out a hum before speaking again, "And who is your date for the evening?"
Your cheeks flush and you look away from her brown eyes, "I don't have one."
She turns to you, eyes furrowed. "Why not? The last I heard you were with a handsome cook."
"That was months ago." Before I realized just how deep my feelings run for you. You don't speak the words you think. "And I didn't get any time to ask someone." You shrug.
"But you want one, don't you? Seeing you without a date on Starfall in wired for me." It's not a dig, you know it because it's true. You always had a date at Starfall, different males and females in your arms every year, inhopes that someone will spark your interest more then the female standing in front of you, none have made it to second year though.
"It's alright." You shrug again, trying to make your statement believable.
She is silent for a minute before nodding to herself, seeming decide on something and smiles. "I will be your date."
You freeze. Your eyes snapping to hers the second later. Mischief written clearly in them as she takes your hand. "Oh- No, no. It's alright you don't need to do that for me- I mean, I'll be alright. Cause like I don't need a date. Not that I don't want one but, I don't need one- I'll just stay single fur one year. It's okay. You don't need to-" You babble in nervousness, unable to think straight as her smile widens at your state and her hand grips tighter on yours.
"Y/N, shut up." You quickly do, knowing if not then you'll probably say something you'll regret later. "I will be your date It's finale. Now go get ready."
She releases your hand and nudges you toward the bedrooms. You go obediently, without another word as you try to process what just happened.
This is like a dream come true.
-☆-
A knock your door disturbs you as you try to think yourself up in the mirror. You are ready, wearing your dress and hair the way you decided. You look beautiful, smiling at yourself as you turn to look at yourself from every angle. Mor having told you about your plans just made you more motivated to look your best.
You nod at yourself one last time before turning to open the door. Standing on the other side is Morrigan, holding a bouquet of flowers. Her mouth openeing slightly as she looks at you, up and down, and again, not knowing what to say.
"You, look really beautiful." She smiles at your and you blush under her stare. "And these are for you." She hands you the bouquet. "My date." Her smirk widens when you take it from her, your face unable to hold your smile. You thank her and she holds out a hand,"Shall we?"
"Why not." You nod and put aside the flowers, taking her hand and closing to door behind you. "I still can't believe you declared yourself my date." The two of you laugh and you prepare youself for the night ahead.
-☆-
At the end of the night, you stand at a balcony, looking over the stars crashing into each other. The colours illuminating against your face and you close your eyes to bask in them.
"You truly are so beautiful." A murmur laced with wonder speaks from beside you as Mor comes, leaning on the railing ahead of you. Your smile automatically widens at her voice, her perfume, her presence. You open your eyes to look into hers.
Oh how gorgeous she is.
You want to hold her close and never let go. Kiss her and touch her until all she knows is you. Love and pamper her in the way no one ever has. Stand on this very railing and scream on top of your lungs, declaring your love for her until the entire world knows just who you belong to.
Maybe you've had quiet a lot of drinks.
"Kiss me." You whisper, your drunken mind not caring about the consequences of your words.
Her eyes flare in surprise, "What?"
"Kiss me." You repeat, grining widely at her.
She is silent for a moment before she lifts her hand to cup your cheek. "You don't mean that."
"I do." You nod enthusiasticly. "Kiss me." You say aloud for the third time, looking at her lips and licking your in anticipation.
"No, you kiss me." Now she can't help but agree, seeing the happiness in your eyes. She wants you, so much, but if your doing this just because your drunk, she might as well let herself this small moment of content.
Your hands lift to wrap around her neck and your lips rest on hers. Both of you sighing in content when you finally kiss the other. In a rush of moment, your tougnes mangle, your breaths mix as you moan in the others taste. Having tiptoed around the other for years, you finally let yourselves have this small moment, not caring about the future.
You kiss each other like your life depends in it. Your head spins, from the alcohol or the kiss your not sure. Mor's lips just as intoxicating. You kiss until your lips feel numb, you finally pull back, resting your foreheads together, looking into the others eyes with equally widened smiles.
You don't care what happens in the morning, only that you love her now and kiss her again with everything you have.
Summary: Despite the many years since the loss of your mate, hiding your feelings on the anniversary of their death is impossible while you try celebrate Starfall with your new love, Cassian.
Surprise surprise, it’s more angst from me! Loved writing this for @starfallweek 🌟
A huge shout out to @writingsbychlo @azsazz for pulling such a magical event together – thank you for bringing Starfall to Tumblr!! ❤️❤️❤️
Words: 1,520
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“Sweetheart, you’re crying.”
“Am I?” Bringing shaky fingers to your cheeks, you felt the wet tracks they left behind. Cassian nodded with tight lips, pulling your hand gently from your face an encompassing it with his own.
Forcing a laugh that came out a lot breathier than you’d hoped, you brushed your tears away quickly. “Oh, I’m sorry. I suppose it’s the stars,” you said, raising your hand to the luminous streaks sparking across the night sky. “They’re so beautiful, it made me emotional.”
Cassian kept his eyes on you, his gaze burning as you looked anywhere but back at him. He stepped behind you then, gently snaking his arms around your waist and resting his head on your shoulder, his breath warm in your ear. You clenched your eyes shut – you knew you hadn't done a good enough job to fool him. But he played it cool, nonchalant even, respecting your privacy in the face of the rest of his family.
“How about we get out of here doll?”
You shook your head quickly. “No Cass, it’s your night with your family.”
He hugged you tighter, kissing your temple before murmuring into your hair. “And there’ll be a thousand more Starfalls to come. C’mon, I know the perfect place.”
You were just about to tell him to go join his brothers and that you would excuse yourself alone, before the sound of wings flaring filled your ears.
“Cass–”. You were cut off as Cassian launched the both of you to the sky, knocking the breath from your chest as he hauled you up, moving swiftly to cup your knees.
Clinging tightly around his neck, you stared ahead in awe as he gracefully weaved between the glowing spirits as they speared past you, leaving streaks of light like temporary strokes of luminescent paint. Clenching your eyes shut for just a moment, you tried to appreciate the beauty of Starfall, despite what had happened on this night all those years ago.
Cassian kept his eyes forward, concentrating to not disturb the stars on their journey. Long strands of hair were pushed back in the wind, his expression, while focused, still soft and kind.
Cassian was everything good in the world. He was too good for it, and too good for you. It was instinct to snake your arms around his neck tighter, pulling yourself closer to him, as if his broad chest could smother you whole. How long could you hold him, both physically and in your heart, knowing you would never be good enough for his love?
After a short flight, Cassian landed gently in a part of the mountains you had never visited before. The night was quiet here, and you could see the occasional glow of a falling star through the tops of the sprawl of mountain ash trees – their canopies stretching so tall you had to tilt back to see. The terrain was unlike anything you had seen in Velaris, it was where forest met mountain. Around you, glowing insects fluttered softly, filling the void around you in a charming way.
All in all, it was a beautiful setting. But why had he bought you here?
“Where are we?” you asked.
“A favourite place of mine.” he answered with a smile, before focusing his eyes on you. “Doll, what’s going on?”
“I’m sorry,” you said, looking anywhere but at him. You had broken your own promise – spoiling Cassian’s celebration with his family despite your own feelings for Starfall. He was a good male, if not the best and he deserved to celebrate freely. Instead he was here, coddling you.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. What–?”
“No I do, I do Cass,” you interrupted him, blowing a sharp breath through o-shaped lips as you tried not to crumple right there and then. Bouncing one knee, you tried to blink away the frustration and anguish you felt at yourself, as tears began to well at your eyes.
Cassian moved closer, cupping your face in his large hands. “Hey, hey. Sweetheart, it’s all right.” he soothed, rubbing gentle thumbs over your cheeks. “What’s got you all strung out, hmm?”
“I’m selfish, I know, I'm sorry–”
“What in Cauldron’s–? Y/N, you are not selfish.” Cassian was frowning deeper now.
You shook your head in response. “It’s your special night with your family. I’m ruining the whole thing, and it only happens once a year, but I’m making it about me and–” Cassian’s eyes darted between your own as your rambles turned to blubbering, the Illyrian in front of you becoming more of a blur as you began to truly cry.
Even through your tears, you could sense the glow from the stars above fade as two large wings came to shield you, offering comfort, sanction, a place with no shame. Large hands left your face, instead pushing gently at your back to bring you closer to his chest, his arms firm as they wrapped around you.
So you held him back – tighter than you’ve ever held anything, as if the stars could take him away and make him one of their own, just like they did–
Cassian pulled back, looking down as he brushed away your tears before holding your chin in his calloused fingers. “You want to tell me where this is coming from, doll?”
Your lip trembled as you took yet another shaky breath. “It’s… the anniversary.”
Cassian frowned. “The anniversary?”
You dropped your gaze to the ground, your shoes covered by your gown, the beauty of the shimmering fabric an odd contrast with the mossy ground beneath you. “Yes,” you said eventually. “The anniversary of my mate…”
“Ah.” Cassian answered, knowing already. You looked up at him now, his big brown eyes focused on you, soft and patient and understanding. “You never told me it happened on Starfall.”
“It’s not a detail I like to recall.” You took a deep breath, preparing for the pain you knew it would cause to explain. “Each year I spend this night alone, watching the stars from my home and searching for the brightest one – the one that I know is them. But I’ve never found them, on the one night a year when I’m meant to, on the one night of the year where the Cauldron spares the living – instead it punishes me.”
Cassian sighed then, bringing his hands to your arms, grounding you before you could lose yourself to memories of lonesome Starfalls – the gut punching heartache when the last of the stars would shoot past, and another year of trying to connect to your passed mate in the only way you knew how, didn't happen yet again.
“This year, I promised myself I wouldn't look. And I feel so guilty. Guilty that I'm not looking for them, guilty that I still want to even though I’m here with you. I love you so, so much Cass – you’re the best thing in this world. You don't deserve someone like me, who still searches for a past love in the stars.”
Cassian shook his head, before levelling a look at you then. “They were your mate, Y/N. And they were taken from you. I can't even begin to know how much that must hurt, especially on a night like this.”
And although the relief of your confession helped ease the clench in your heart, Cassian's understanding made you cry harder. “I don't deserve you,” you whispered through sobs.
Strong arms pulled you into his waist. “And I love you,” he replied cooly.
You blinked up at him, unsure of how his love prevailed in a moment like this. “But Cass, we’ll never be mated.”
“I don't care.” A strong hand was bought to your jaw, cupping your face as Cassian leant in, softly placing his lips over yours. Something stirred inside you, like the faint remains of a broken bond finally being put to rest. It warmed you, and your skin felt alight as you kissed him back, kissed him hard, hands sliding to grip the roots of his hair as you pulled him to you, closer, never close enough.
Pulling away for just a moment, you looked up at the handsome Illyrian, his wings uncurling from around you as the rest of the forest was revealed. It was beyond your belief that there was a male capable of loving you so, despite everything you had told him.
“What are you thinking now, doll?”
“That I love you so much it hurts,” you said, a faint smile on your lips.
Cassian chuckled softly. “C’mere sweetheart,” he said, pulling you into a bear hug, swinging with you and kissing your hair.
A star so bright it lit the both of your faces shot above the tree tops, streams of it’s light finding the forest floor through the canopy. You smiled knowingly, tears of contentment staining your face as kissed Cassian again and again.
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“Character A loves Starfall, Character B hates it but loves making Character A happy”
Azriel didn’t used to hate Starfall, no he used to love it. Well, as much as he loved being at parties and dancing. It was being with his family, his brothers and that they weren’t running a court but instead, just being a family.
Now Rhysand is gone. Under the mountain. It was Rhys’s favorite holiday and now Azriel cannot stand it.
In fact, he refused to celebrate the holiday without Rhys, instead he sulks in his room or goes to the training ring to pound out his frustrations at his brother on a training dummy.
Which is where you find him, in the training room, sweat beading down his back and his hair clinging to his forehead
All week Mor, Cassian and even Amren warned you that it might be the best week to leave Azriel alone. That it wasn't your fault and to not take it personally, he just needs space this week
You could tell how much it hurt everyone around him that he pushes them away this week, his brother and the two females, the four of them like family and so you didn't listen to their advice
His shadows alert him of your presence, whispering to him of your mood, your downturned mouth and eyes that are usually so bright and full of life look like a hurricane pulled straight out of the Summer Court brewing within them
"Why do you hate Starfall?" You ask once he turned around to face you, Azriel paused his movements, before he took a slow breath toweling off his forehead, shrugging. He couldn't think of a good excuse to tell you. He had bit off Cassian's head earlier when Cassian had asked him to attend the party this year.
Azriel had seen the hurt flash across his brothers face before his brother turned to get ready for the annual Starfall party. He knew why Mor and Cassian insisted on holding the party every year "It's what Rhys would've wanted" Mor would say every year when she brought up the subject
"There were a lot of things Rhys would've wanted but that doesn't mean we have to do them" Azriel had told her, year after year
But then you stood in the entrance way of the training ring with your pretty dress that you had let Mor pick out because she enjoyed dress shopping and he heard you and Cassian earlier in the kitchen making various desserts and his shadows alerted him when you left that morning to bring Amren her Starfall gift. How you were making an effort with everyone this week because it was hard for everyone and so he nodded, surprising the both of you. "Let me wash up real quick and I'll be there"
You blinked, your only indication of surprise before you nodded, you were halfway back to the party when Azriel's shadows whispered to him that the storm in your eyes vanished and you were smiling
Cassian and Mor didn't know what to make of his appearance at the party. Mor had given him a knowing look when he appeared, freshly showered next to your side, Cassian pressed a drink into his hand with his signature smile
The only reaction he cared about though, was yours. Your smile was brighter than any star that was currently soaring across the night sky "You did come Shadowsinger" You couldn't help the smile gracing your mouth or the way your arms slide around his neck when his went around your waist, Azriel easily slipping you into a slow sway to the music playing
The brightness of the smile had eased some of the ache in his chest when he looked down at you "I told you I'd be here, didn't I?"
You had set your head on his chest, Azriel slowly spun you around as he tipped his head back to look at the stars
You didn't beg him to dance with you, but he did dance with you all night, even after you had complained that the heels Mor said you needed to wear with the dress was making your feet bleed, he told you to kick off your heels and you stood on his boots barefoot while he continued to spin you around
"Do you still hate Starfall shadowsinger?" You had whispered softly to him, your chin resting on his shoulder, you two the only ones left out on the balcony. The stars were all gone and were soon to be replaced with the sun, the rays just peeking over the mountain tops
He pressed a kiss to the side of your head "I guess it's tolerable" He mumbled softly against your hair. He was sure he'd always hate the holiday till his brother got back and they could all be together again. He knew you and Rhys would get along, would revel in making his life difficult. But he'd tolerate it for the time being, just so he'd get to see you smile once again.
"I think I can live with that." You decided, an attempt to pull away from his shoulder but one of his scarred hands brought your head back to his shoulder. "Should we go inside?"
Azriel shook his head, leaning his head against yours "We can stay here a bit longer if you'd want."
He felt your smile against his shoulder. "I'll stay wherever with you."
(Cassian’s son and Eris’ daughter ~ Azsazz Next Gen)
Summary: Starfall Week Prompt 1: Character A introduced Character B to their favorite Starfall tradition.
AKA: Gideon and Maudes first kiss.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 2,335
Notes: Wanted to try and write something for these two 💙
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His Uncle Rhys had told him about this very spot. Up on the balcony above the party, the perfect place to get a moment alone and view the beautifully colored stars as they glide through the night sky. The best place to kiss someone for the first time.
The High Lord had said it was unmatched, his violet eyes glowing vibrantly as he had told him and his cousins all about his favorite Starfall in all of the years he’s seen. It was the year Aunt Feyre had officially become his, the stars that had painted their skin with luminescence and the laughter and the kiss that followed.
Gideon wants that.
And who better to have his first kiss with than the girl he’d been chasing for years without even realizing it? Maude Vanserra. Her name is a delicacy in his mouth, a portrait in his brain, a brand in his soul. The mere thought of her has his palms warming and his heart fluttering in his chest, stomach twisting with nervousness.
He’d known Maude for years, since they were children and Eris had brought her to a meeting with him, his pristinely dressed and well-mannered daughter clinging tightly to his neck. She was in that stage where she wanted to be wherever he was, and with Beron out of the picture and on better terms with the Night Court, he had let the little girl tag along. Of course, he had also brought a large platoon of soldiers to keep the children of Night away from her.
She had been a true damsel in distress, even from that age.
And Gideon liked being her knight in shining armor. To save the heiress from her tower and ride off into the moonlight with her had been something he’d thought about for quite some time. He couldn’t help but stay away.
In return, Maude was determined to dig her way into his heart with her fiery spirit that threatened to burn down any weariness he had about committing to the Autumn female.
His father had told him that it was just a childhood crush, that he’d outgrow within weeks. Weeks of thinking about the caramel color of Maude’s eyes turned into months obsessing over the ruddy red of her hair. How it blazed in the sun like the fiery pit in his stomach. Months of dreams of long auburn hair morphed into a year of reminders of her; the smattering of golden freckles across pale skin like the stars in the night sky, the cherry of her plump lips as he looked out his window at the garden of roses in full bloom, the absolute perfection of her laugh, matching the sweet melody sweeping through the Night Court streets.
And finally, he’s decided to make his move.
Getting Maude to agree to be his date to Starfall wasn’t the hard part. No, it was overbearing parents and the thought of a daughter spending the evening away at the Night Court with all of the troublemaker children Eris had wanted his own brood to stay away from.
It had been letting the information slip to his nosy cousins that he was finally ready to make a move on Maude.
They hadn’t stopped pestering him for weeks, snide comments at the dinner table that had their parents’ eyes narrowing and asking leading questions. Gideon’s harsh glares did nothing to stop their teasing, only had their heads ducked together, stifling their laughter behind their hands until their faces were red with it.
But he’d successfully slipped away from the prying eyes of Nyx, Wren, and Baz, who’d made sure to keep him and Maude within sight the entire night.
Her hand is warm in his, and she is the embodiment of a Goddess.
Dressed in a silvery pool of gossamer fabric, she shines. He’d even seen his sisters and cousins draw her into conversation, gushing about the beauty of her dress when they’d first caught sight of the glimmering ball gown.
Maude’s auburn hair glowed around her like a thousand suns swept perfectly into alignment, all for this moment.
All for him.
Gideon’s breath still hasn’t returned from the first time he’d seen her tonight, looking very much like the royalty she descends from; chin lifted and shoulder poised like a perfectly docile lady. But he knew her better than that, saw the way her creamy eyes shone with mischief as she watched Baz and Nyx glance from the dessert table around the room, cheeky smirks on their faces as they plotted under everyone’s noses.
She doesn’t speak, lets him lead her up the spiraling staircase up onto the balcony. Maude can sense his nervousness. The way that his hand is still tucked into hers, clutching it a little tighter than normal, his breath baited and his lip between his teeth.
He takes her toward the iron rails and heaves a deep breath, trying to calm the racing of his heart. He’s unsure of what to say, how to fill the screaming silence. The smear of stars should be flitting through the sky in no time, and while Gideon had meticulously planned out exactly what he was going to say to Maude, he hadn’t thought about when the perfect timing to admit his feelings would be.
“Giddy,” her voice draws him away from his circling thoughts. Her tone is soft, a lullaby that he’s never forgotten. She places her hand over his own, white-knuckled from how firmly he’s grasping the railing. One of her perfect eyebrows is quirked in question. “What’s going on?”
He looks away from the bright stars and once again he’s taken by her beauty. She’s perfect in every way and his heart tugs in his chest at the soft look on her face, the way that the corner of her mouth is quirked in a smirk, like she can read his mind.
Gideon swallows harshly, turning his hand over so he can grasp her fingers for support. Her smile only grows as he does so, and she gives him a reassuring squeeze even through her questioning eyes.
“There’s something I want to tell you,” he breathes, shifting on his feet as if he’s unsure of how to approach this.
His father had told him the cheeky ways he’d gone about winning his mothers hand, snarky remarks or suggestive comments that had the hard-willed woman weak in the knees no matter how hard she tried to hide it. But Gideon had seen it in action, and while Maude always laughed at his proud remarks, something in his heart was telling him to be serious.
But not as serious as his Uncle Azriel. While the stoic male had been known to prove his interest in ways other than words, Gideon isn’t quite sure that’s the route he should take with the spitfire Autumn female before him.
Maybe sweeping her off of her feet and dipping down for an off-guard kiss like his Uncle Rhysand would be the best option.
Maude’s giggle makes his heart soar and his mind calm. Her cheeks are rosy from the glass of champagne Zuzu had given her, and her molten caramel eyes shimmer in the moonlight.
“I figured that’s why you had wanted me to come up here with you,” she answers happily, a teasing tone with a smile to match.
He can’t help but grin back at her, rolling his eyes at her words. “Right. Right. Of course.”
The more she talks to him the steadier his heartbeat becomes, as if she’s leading the beating of it herself. A coat of warmth flows from her to him, sending shivers up his spine.
“You really need to practice what you’re going to say, if this is how long it’s going to take you.”
And the thing is, he did practice this moment. He’d stayed up late for weeks, unable to sleep because he was playing out the different ways that this could go in his head. Then he’d moved to the mirror, staring at himself as he repeated the words over and over again like he was presenting a report to his classmates. Hell, he’d even practiced on Knox, swearing his cousin to secrecy to keep this to himself, even from his twin.
None of the ways he’d thought this would come about were anything like this.
Gideon steps into her, placing his other hand on her hip. He’s an entire head taller than her and she has to crane her neck back to look up at him, but she doesn’t seem to mind. Her copper hair falls away from her face at the action, revealing her smooth pale skin that looks ethereal under the glimmering moonlight.
They’re close but not touching. He’s afraid that if he takes a deep enough breath he’ll feel all of her body that he so desperately wants pressed against his. He hadn’t even had the time to ask her to dance yet.
Gideon opens his mouth to speak, the rush of the admission filtering to the tip of his tongue without question as she beams at him, brushing her delicate fingers across the sleeve of his shirt to slide around the back of his neck.
“I really want to–”
The shadows in the corner of the terrace shift and the words die in his throat as he zero’s in on his target.
“Fucking hell,” he mutters, glaring at the movement. Gideon’s fingers tighten on Maude’s and there’s something inside of him that wants to tug her closer and protect her, throw himself in front of her to keep her from danger, even though he knows exactly who those shadows belong to.
His heart clenches when the smile falls from Maude’s face. She peeks over her shoulder, following his line of sight. “What?”
“Baz, I know it’s you, get the hell out here,” Gideon barks towards the shadows.
Maude’s lips part in confusion, until the darkness melts away to reveal a sheepish looking Basil standing near the door.
She places a reassuring hand on Gideon’s chest when he starts grumbling under his breath. He’s seething, can’t have a single moment alone to ask Maude the question that’s been haunting him for weeks.
And where there is one son of the shadowsinger, there are surely more.
“Where’s Wren?” he asks in such a tone that even Baz knows he’s not fucking around.
The younger brother bites his lip, pointing past the balcony the two of them are standing near.
Both Gideon and Maude lean to look over the railing and sure enough, Wren is there, flapping his wings to keep himself near the edge where he can hear their conversation clearly.
Gideon raises an eyebrow at his cousin. How he’s managing to keep the beating of his wings so soft is a trick he’s going to have to ask him how to do later.
“Get the fuck up here, now,” his growl shatters the peaceful night. “And where is Nyx? I know he’s around here somewhere.”
Not that he needs to be. His nosy cousin could probably already be in either of their heads if he chooses to, no matter how strong the barriers of his mind are.
Gideon twists on his heel as the princeling appears from thin air next to Baz. He leans against the side of the house, champagne flute tucked in his hand. He looks every bit like his relaxed father, but the facade slips slightly when he senses just how upset his cousin is with him.
“Giddy,” Maude tries to ease the anger seeping from the male next to her with a gentle hand to his chest but he doesn’t relent, ready to give his cousins the scolding of a lifetime.
“You three,” he spits, his hand tightening on Maude’s hip slightly. The three males are staring at him like they’ve never seen him before, as if a star soul had slammed into him and is possessing his body. Usually he’s as carefree as any, but when it’s something to do with Maude, he’ll always protect her first.
“Gideon,” Maude’s voice raises over the beginning of his ascent on his family, halting his words before he says something that he doesn’t mean. His brows are furrowed and she doesn’t like the deep frown on his face, vows to help him get his cousins back before the night is over, but as the first star streaks across the night sky, glorious in all of it’s amber hue, she has something else on her mind.
Her lips part with awe, attention fully drawn to the being slipping through the sky, its path as sure as the one it took on the same night the year before.
Gideon can’t stop watching the way she’s looking at the star. The tension loosens from his body and he can’t think about anything else but the hopes that she’ll look at him like that someday. He tugs her closer on instinct, and the way she wraps her arms securely around his waist and rests her head against his chest has him feeling like the luckiest male in Prythian.
He holds her while the stars pass by, one turning to three and more join until the entire sky is lit up with colorful objects, glittering and racing each other as they pass.
He’s aware of his cousins slinking away, to join their families downstairs or to give them privacy. Either way, he’s grateful they’ve finally taken the hint.
“Maude,” he asks softly, snagging her attention away from the attraction.
His heart stutters in his chest. Her eyes are glittering with tears at the beauty of what she’s seen and it makes Gideon ache in all of the best ways.
He tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, caressing her face. He won’t take up much more of her attention, he wants her to enjoy her night with him.
Gideon leans down to kiss her, and his heart soars right up alongside the stars.
