#cassianappreciationweek2026

I glance between them. “Latest number?” 

Rhysand chuckles as he counts on his fingers.

Azriel answers for his High Lord. “Let’s put it that way. He’s got a habit of going home with females. A lot of them. So many that in the end, it was easier for him to use numbers instead of names.” he pauses for a short moment. “But lately, he’s sleeping in his own bed. Haven’t seen him with anybody.”

What a prick. What kind of man… of male uses names for the females he sleeps with? They have feelings too for Cauldron's sake!

knock knock knock

“Speak of the devil!” Amren’s voice echoes inside the glass as she empties it.

I look at Rhysand and find him gazing at me already as if asking to open the door for his other friend. It only takes a subtle nod from me and the door clicks open. “I’m home!” The rich and rugged voice yells. The next thing I hear is a set of heavy boots and armour clanking and scraping the polished hardwood floor in the foyer. A gush of windchill clashes with the warm air of the crackling fireplace as a mountain of a male walks through the threshold, cracking his neck while thawing snowflakes cling to wild strands of his dark hair. 

“You must be Feyre!” He comes around the table. I extend a hand but he ignores it and hugs me instead. No sense of personal space! “Nice to meet you finally! Rhysie told us all about you.”

Rhysie? Hilarious! I’m totally using that nickname against him. “I hope he only told you the good things.” I raise my eyebrow at the High Lord.

“Sure. Said you threw a shoe at him. Good aim, by the way.” Cassian says with a chuckle as he fills a glass with ale to the brim and takes the seat right next to Arziel. “But I think I could teach you some more, if you’d like.”

I’m shook and my eyes go wide. I can’t read his face. Was he… was he offering to sleep with him? He must be reading the horror on my face and his eyes slide to Rhysand for a split second, seeing him glaring back.

“Come on!” Cassian holds up his hands innocently. “I mean, I could train her. I don’t bite.” He smirks again. “Not unless she wants me t–” he’s shut up by a napkin that Rhysand threw at him forcefully.

“If you keep that up, I’ll need to reestablish that kneel-rule my father favoured so much.” Rhysand snaps at him.

“I kneel to no one.” Cassians cocks mockingly, puffing his shoulders.

Untamed. Cocky. Brash. Unfiltered. Asshole. I could think of some more words but my train of thoughts is interrupted by a soft knock on the front door.

“Who is this?” Cassian asks. 

Rhysand snaps his finger. “You know who.” And the door clicks open. It couldn’t be Mor. She said that she was invited to Summer tonight.

I get up with Rhysand hot on my heels to greet the last member of his family. My parents raised me better than to stay rooted when saying hello to someone (but Cassian deserved it kind of). As I walk past him, I notice him drying his clammy hands on the napkin Rhysand threw at him. He gulps down his ale in one go before turning to the mirror hanging above the mantle piece, checking how he looks and driving his hand through his hair to comb down some loose strands like a feral cat. Then his chair screeches across the floorboards before he’s hot on our heels.

“Hello.” The softest voice I’ve ever heard greets me polite but shyly. “You must be Feyre.” 

She’s stunning. A special glow surrounds her and her skin is so soft as our hands meet. Then, there are her eyes…open and honest and glowing as if the stars gifted her with their shine.

“This is YN.” Rhysand explains. “The most skilled healer in Pryhtian. And the newest addition to my family.” Suddenly, his voice slides into my head. Remember what I told you about the raids of the temples? She was one priestess there and Cassian saved her. Since then, she found her new home here in Velaris. 

My heart breaks at that but I veil my face, to not let that pity bleed through. I know how it is. Being viewed as a victim all the time. Being viewed as fragile and being pampered. Perhaps that makes her as much furious as me, being pushed down into a mold that isn’t her anymore.

Then her eyes freeze as he looks behind me. “Hi, Cass.” the words are a mere whisper.

As if her calling his name unglued him from the point where he stood rooted to the ground, sets him into motion and he shoulders past me and Rhysand. “Get out of the way, you two and let that girl breathe.”

He pulls her in for a bear hug, his calloused hands suddenly gentle at the small of her back while he lifts her from the ground. I could swear I heard him whisper ‘I missed you’ into her ear, but my Fae body is still new and maybe I misheard. But I know for sure what I just saw: Her kissing his cheek and letting her lips linger just a thad too long. Interesting.

“I thought you would come back from your expedition next week.” Cassian helps her out of her coat and offers her his arm to lead her into the dining room. She explains that she pulled an all nighter to wrap it up to be here tonight. That earns her a concerned look from him, but she just pats his arms as if telling him that she’s okay.

While the other two get up to give her a quick hug too, Cassian makes short work of sliding Azriel’s glass across the table to make space next to himself for YN.

“Hey! I was sitting there!” Az protests and flings his hand out to hit Cassian’s head but he ducks in time. 

“Well, now you’re sitting over there. I’m not in the mood for our wings crossing. You know how big mine are!” Cassian chuckles and pulls out the chair for YN to sit next to him.

“Not this again.” Amren falls into her chair and begins to massage her temples.

“We all know who has the largest wingspan, Cass. Please Az, just sit over there, I’m too tired to argue with you two like bratty children. ” Rhysand coos to cool off the argument. I turn to Rhysand, leaning my head to the side like a puppy who doesn't understand the command. Then again, his voice slides into my head. Illyrian’s are very sensitive about their wings. They’re not to be touched by anyone. At least not outside of the bedroom and only if they allow it. There’s a saying, the larger the wingspan of an Illyrian the longer is his… I follow his glance to his crotch before he grins at me and peaks his brow. Oh god.

Rhys showed me his wings when we were in the dungeons under the mountain. They were beautiful and…big. My eyes wander sheepishly towards Azriel and Cassian. Their wings are powerful, silky and…huge. I don’t want them to notice me staring and comparing their wings but I’m sure Azriel’s are just some inches bigger.

I’m thankful that YN’s voice cuts the thoughts before anyone could smell what I think of right now. “I got you something.” She pulls out a flower I’ve never seen before. White and almost translucent petals crown over a dark green stem. “It’s a moon flower. It only blossoms when there is a full moon, like tonight. It’s very rare and smells fantastic.”

I offer my thanks as Rhysand conjures a fitting vase from the space in between before she slides the flower into the water. 

“Please no!” Cassian whines and pinches his nose as if the flower would bite him.

“Don’t worry,” YN soothes him, her hand reaching out to his forearm, forcing his hands from his face without any strength. “I enchanted them for you. We don’t want you sneezing all over our dinner.” 

Before I can turn to Rhysand for further explanation, Azriel chimes in with a smirk. “The head of the Night Court army, Lord of Bloodshed, King of Bastards, Enalius Reborn, frightened of a small flower because he’s allergic to pollen. Cute.” 

“Prick.” Cassian shuts him up.

That was a very nice thing to do of her. Her thoughtfulness bleeds into everything she’s doing and I can tell that there is not one bad fiber in her. I like her. And so does Cassian. I don’t know if the others noticed that too, but I do. Whenever she speaks, Cassian looks at her like she hung the moon, clinging to her every word. She’s wearing a white gown that’s just as translucent as the petals of the moonflower in front of me – Not revealing in any way, but hugging her features decently. Cassian’s eyes are roaming over her but not in a lustful way… but in awe. Her voice is small and as sweet as honey while her eyes glitter when Cass talks to her. The heat in her cheeks rises when their eyes meet and her face splits with happiness when he grins and winks at her. As the night moves on, we settle into the sofas around the fireplace, where Cass sits closer to her than necessary. By now, I’m not surprised that YN leans into his touch. I must say, they look very handsome together as he stretches his arm around the high over the sofa and around her shoulder. He plays with her hair, just out of sight of anybody else. Whenever they’re into one of their deep conversations, it’s like they’re inside their own little world and we all are far far away. The untamed beast was gone and he was putty in her hands. Her shyness remained when she was next to him, but the way she glanced at his muscles spoke a whole different language.

Maybe she’s the reason he hasn't been with anyone lately. It would make sense. When YN got up to prepare us another round of drinks in the kitchen, Amren mentioned him getting home with a female some time ago, he got snappy and even growled at her. It was frightening how his siphons glowed bright red, like a wolf ready to attack.

YN hides her yawn behind her hand and Cassian gently rubs his palm over her shoulder like a lullaby. “Would you like me to take you home?”

“You can crash here if you want. Your room is all set up as always and the sheets are warmed as usual.” Rhysand’s face is graced with a genuine smile. 

“That’d be great.” She stretches her arms out above her head and I swear Cassian is bathing in her coziness. With a huff she lets her shoulders sink down again. “I’ve been sitting in a carriage the whole day. I think I’ll take a stroll in the garden before going to bed, if you don’t mind?” 

“Garden?” I ask him. There were some flowerbeds lining the gate and the short walkway to the front door of the townhouse, but that's not a garden to stroll in. Like a stroke, the image of my younger sister invades my mind. I’m sure she’d like to see that one day. But how does this townhouse fit a garden?

There’s a door into the garden on the first level. Rhysand’s voice explained inside of my head. The house is partly carved into the mountainside. In the back of the garden there’s a slim staircase that leads to the next level and a hidden garden right behind the house, overlooking the city. I’ll show you tomorrow.

“That mind-talking thing is creepy, by the way.” Cassian remarks dryly and pulls YN up as if she weighed nothing. Then he turns towards her and brushes a strand of hair out of her pretty face. “Come on, I’ll walk with you.”

They waved their goodbyes before Cassian placed a light hand on the middle of YN’s back to lead her out of the room and up the oak carved staircase. Before they were out of sight, I saw the sweetest smile on her face as Cassian rambled on about his day to cheer her up.

I’m rooting for them!

“You said the city is best to be seen at night.” I remind Rhysand.

“Are you afraid of heights?” He asks. What does that have to do with the fact that he said the city is beautiful after sundown? 

“No.” I say it confused, like a question.

Without further words, he pulls me up and helps me into my coat, before hurrying me out like a child that wants to show off their new toy to their favorite aunt. One moment later, I’m swept off my feet and we’re airborne. And he was right. Velaris looks magnificent in the sunlight, but breathtaking at night. The smell of jasmine and salt is rafting through the air and my look falls down from the Sidra to the townhouse again. I can see the different levels of the house and gardens that they mentioned.

And there they are. Cassian and YN.

But he’s crouched down in front of her. I squint my eyes and see that he’s tying her shoe. So much for the male who kneels for no one. I can’t see her face, but the way he smiles at her as he looks up says more than a thousand words. The Illyrian stands again and they begin to stroll on the top floor of the manicured garden. Subtly, he takes her small hand into his and his thumb rubs small circles over the back of her hand. She stops in her traces and looks at him. It’s a mixture of shock and relief, I think. Rhysand is soaring too high for me to read their lips, but Cassian is talking to her, pulling small and gentle words from hers. The angle is right and I can make out that sparkle in her eyes as they pass inaudible words. A moment later he takes a deep breath just before his hand finds the back of her neck, pulling her in. Their lips crash and her hands fly around his neck. They’re desperate for each other as if taking the first taste of air after nearly drowning. Cassian’s brows scrunch as if he has to restrain himself as he pauses the kiss to lean his forehead against hers. Like in a dream , they open their eyes and smile at each other, like they’ve forgotten the years of struggling to find each other.

“Finally!” Rhysand laughs deafeningly in my ear.

Yeah. Finally.