#romance week

Cassian

Cassian flexed his right hand on the steering wheel and dared a glance at the woman sitting in the passenger seat. Nesta's cheeks were flushed, her left leg bouncing up and down slightly, a telltale sign she was nervous. About what, Cassian didn't know.

Earlier, when they'd gotten in Cassian's car, Nesta had sighed and told him she had an early class the following day. For this reason, they had agreed to stop at a drive-through on the way to her apartment instead of eating at a restaurant, then Cassian would drop her off and go home. There was no reason for Nesta to be nervous, not when all they were going to do was eat and say goodnight to each other. Cassian could only hope he'd get a thorough goodnight kiss before the impromptu date was over.

He smiled, wondering if Nesta would let him undo her ponytail and run his hands through her hair and if her lips would taste like the salt from the fries she was currently sharing with him.

When Nesta had suggested McDonald's for dinner, Cassian had struggled to hide his surprise. Being a dancer, Nesta usually opted for much lighter and healthier meals, but apparently, today, she was in the mood for some junk food.

Cassian cleared his throat, and when he felt Nesta's eyes on him, he opened his mouth and waited.

Nesta didn't move, but from the slight change in her breathing, Cassian knew she had heard him.

He pouted, then gave her his best puppy dog eyes.

Only when they stopped at a crossroad did Nesta twist in her seat and pop a fry into his mouth, yelping when his tongue brushed the tip of her finger. "Brute," she murmured.

Cassian only winked at her, opening his mouth again as soon as he finished chewing and swallowing. After the huge burger he had eaten earlier, he wasn't really hungry anymore, but every time Nesta leaned towards him to feed him, he caught a whisk of her cherry and cinnamon scent, and that was reason enough to continue asking for food.

Rolling her eyes, Nesta fed him two fries at once, wiping her hand on his coat when he managed to lick the pad of her fingers again. "Ew! Stop doing that!"

"Okay, okay, sorry," Cassian replied, biting back a smile, but he did it again the next time. And the next.

"Cassian," Nesta warned him, pointing her index finger at him. "Stop."

God, she was so hot when she got all riled up. He wondered how she would react if he pulled her towards him and kissed her, whether she would push him off or melt into him like she'd done earlier that night. His eyes dropped to her mouth, and he licked his lips.

Nesta swallowed, her own eyes darkening, and to his surprise, she slowly leaned in.

Even in the dim light of the car, Cassian could almost count the freckles dusting Nesta's nose. Her slightly chapped lips were getting closer and closer, and her scent hit him, stronger than before, sweet and utterly addicting. Cassian tilted his head, eyes closing-

And then Nesta pushed a bunch of fries into his mouth, causing him to gasp and almost choke on the food.

Using her other hand, she lightly shoved him away. "Eyes on the road," she said, motioning towards the green traffic light.

Cassian recovered quickly, laughing as he began driving.

Nesta laughed as well. "That's what you get for not listening to me," she said, eating the last of the fries.

Cassian shook his head. Fuck, the things he would do to his woman.

—

By the time Cassian parked his car in front of Nesta's building, her leg had begun bouncing up and down again.

"Sweetheart," Cassian said, daring to place a hand on her knee. "What's wrong?"

Her breath caught, and she stared and stared at his hand on her knee.

Cassian was about to withdraw his hand when Nesta placed her own hand on his, interlacing her fingers with his. "I'm thinking," she said, still not looking at him.

"About what?"

"Me. You. Whether It's wise for me to ask you in or if I should do the responsible thing and send you home."

Cassian hummed. On the one hand, he knew Nesta needed to rest, but his selfish side didn't want the night to end yet. The time spent with Nesta never seemed to be enough. How he had managed to go all these years without her was beyond him.

"What time do you have to get up tomorrow?" he asked.

"Eight," Nesta replied, finally lifting her head and looking at him with those magnetic blue-grey eyes.

Looking at his watch, Cassian made a mental calculation. It was currently 9.30 pm. He wanted Nesta to have at least eight hours of sleep, which meant she had to be in bed by midnight. That left him with less than three hours. Not nearly enough time for all the things he wanted to do to her, but enough to give her a taste of how good he could make it for her. How much he desired her. "Ask me in, Nesta."

He tracked the rising and falling of her chest, the rapid bobbing at the base of her throat, and tried not to get his hopes up when she let go of his hand and gracefully stepped out of the car. She took her time, picking up her huge bag then fishing her keys from one of the pockets. Only then did she look at him again. "Come in, Cassian."

–

Nesta's one-bedroom apartment was small and definitely messier than he had expected. He had thought Nesta to be a neat freak, but apparently, he had been wrong.

"I wasn't expecting to have guests," Nesta said, picking up a leotard and a pair of legwarmers draped across the back of the couch. "It's not usually this messy, but the past couple of weeks have been crazy busy, and I haven't had time to channel my inner Monica."

Cassian crossed his arms above his chest. "Does that make me Chandler, then?"

Nesta placed the clothes on a nearby chair and leaned against the back of the couch, crossing her arms as well, mimicking Cassian's pose. Her eyes traveled across his body, settling on his face. "I'd say you're a mix between Chandler and Joey. You definitely eat like the latter."

Cassian smirked as he took slow, measured steps towards Nesta, taking off his coat in the process and placing it on the back of a chair. He braced his hands on the couch on either side of Nesta's body and bent down, so his face was level with hers. "Is that the only reason I'm like him?

"Well," Nesta said, holding his gaze. She had taken off her scarf, giving Cassian a view of the loveliest blush spreading across her chest. "He is also good in bed, but I don't really know if that's something you two have in common."

Humming, Cassian skimmed his nose down the column of Nesta's neck, smiling when she shivered, and her eyes fluttered close. He stopped at her collarbone and went back up until his lips reached her ear.

"I'm definitely better than him, sweetheart," he rasped.

Nesta swallowed thickly as he leaned back until he could look her in the eyes again.

"I'll show you if you let me," he added. "It doesn't have to be now if you don't want to. But when you're ready, Nes, I'll give you all the things you read about in your smutty books and more."

And then he kissed her.

As soon as Cassian laid his lips on her, Nesta lifted her arms to circle his neck. Just as he had predicted, Cassian tasted the faintest trace of salt on Nesta's lips and groaned as her tongue met his stroke for stroke, her hands fisting his hair. Unable to help himself, he helped her take off her coat and slid his hands beneath her sweater, expecting to find a leotard, a tank top, or at least a shirt. Instead, he was met with the bare skin of her stomach.

"Fuck, Nesta."

She laughed against his mouth. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I have a bra on," she said as she clutched his shoulders.

"This?" he rasped as his thumbs traced the underside of her breasts, not daring to go any higher. From what he could feel, Nesta was wearing some kind of sports bra, the material thinner than he had expected, considering the size of her breasts. Fuck, he was seconds away from begging on his knees to let him take off her bra.

Cassian loved every part of Nesta's body, especially her long, lean legs, but her breasts were his true weakness. He was afraid he would come at the mere sight of them, let alone once Nesta would let him touch them. When, not if, because the sounds Nesta was making as he kissed her neck were the ones that screamed fuck me. Maybe it wasn't going to happen tonight, and perhaps he was too sure of himself, but there was no doubt in his mind that if he reached between Nesta's legs, he would find her wet and wanting. Her body was definitely ready. It was just a matter of how long it would take her mind to catch up. Cassian had no intention of rushing her though, so he gave her one last kiss and forced himself to remove his hands from underneath her sweater.

He barely managed to move an inch when Nesta's hands shot to his wrists, keeping his hands where they were. Her pupils were blown wide, her lips swollen. "I didn't tell you to stop."

"Are you sure?" Cassian panted.

"Yes," she replied, freeing her hair from her ponytail. The golden-brown strands cascaded down her back, and Cassian's breath caught. "Nesta," he only managed to say. It was his first time seeing her with her hair down, and the sight was so beautiful his knees almost buckled.

Nesta smirked as she ran both hands down her hair. There was nothing sexier than a confident woman, and Nesta seemed to know exactly the power she had over him. And then she grabbed the hem of her sweater and took it off, and Cassian stopped breathing for real. Creamy skin, toned abs, and the swell of her breasts-

"Here," Nesta said, turning so that her back was to his chest.

It took Cassian a few seconds to realize she was showing him where the clasp of her bra was. Fuck. This was really happening. But as much as he wanted to touch her, he couldn't ignore the slight tension in her shoulders. She was skilled at hiding it, but he'd learned how to read her. Especially now that she was standing in front of him, and he was aware of her every movement, every breath.

"You're nervous," he said.

"You too," she replied.

"I'm nervous because I want you too much," he admitted, settling his hands on her shoulders and beginning to knead her muscles, his thumbs applying gentle pressure on the knots he found.

Nesta's body immediately relaxed under his touch. "What are you doing?" she breathed.

Cassian chuckled. "I just remembered that time we talked about me giving you a massage, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to keep my promise. Don't you think?"

"Oh," Nesta moaned as Cassian worked on a particularly tight knot in her left shoulder. His thumbs massaged the spot carefully to ease the tension there. Nesta tilted her head to the side, and Cassian took it as an invitation to place a kiss on her neck, then another one between her shoulder blades. "Relax, sweetheart."

"Mmh," Nesta hummed as Cassian kept working her muscles, keeping his touch gentle but firm. "This feels nice."

Cassian's cock twitched, and he had to stifle a groan. "It could get even nicer if you'll let me. I have a special treat for my favorite clients, and you happen to be on the list," he murmured.

Nesta's laugh ended in a shaky gasp as Cassian's hands slowly massaged further down, maneuvering their way to her lower back, then to the front of her body, thumbs brushing the sides of her breasts. He leaned down and pressed a kiss behind her ear, causing goosebumps to erupt all over her skin.

With trembling fingers, he toyed with the elastic of her bra, then reached for its clasp. "Can I?" he asked, hoping his voice wouldn't sound too pathetic to Nesta's ears.

She nodded. "Please, Cassian."

When Nesta let the garment fall to the floor, Cassian glanced down at her chest from above her shoulder, and he swore he stopped breathing again.

"Perfect," he rasped.

Twin moans escaped them when Cassian's hands covered Nesta's breasts, their size fitting perfectly in his palm.

Nesta let her head drop against Cassian's chest as he kissed the left side of her neck and the slope of her shoulder, his hands caressing her breasts reverently. Something that perfect needed to be worshiped properly.

He started slowly, making light circles on the area around her nipples with large strokes, gently squeezing her breasts from time to time. His hips started moving of their own accord, and Nesta arched her back, meeting his movements in perfect sync.

Don't come in your fucking pants like a horny teenager, Cassian.

"You're so fucking perfect, sweetheart," he groaned in her ear, fingers getting closer and closer to her nipples with each passing moment.

Turning her head to the side, Nesta grabbed the back of Cassian's head and pulled his head down. "Kiss me," she whispered, crushing her mouth on his. The moment their tongues met, Cassian's fingers brushed Nesta's nipples, his mouth swallowing her moans. Rubbing slowly, he gradually applied more pressure until Nesta began whimpering and pressing her thighs together.

Without warning, he spun her around, and he knelt down, kissing the skin between her breasts, then her navel and lower stomach.

"Cassian," Nesta breathed.

He smirked. "Better take off your shoes," he said, removing Nesta’s black ankle boots, then running his hands up her calves and thighs. "Jeans too. I want to see your legs."

"You've seen my legs before."

Cassian popped open the button of her jeans. "Not like this." He guided her pants down her legs, groaning at the sight of her toned calves and thighs. Nesta was wearing simple white cotton panties, no lace or bows in sight. Cassian was a sucker for nice lingerie, but something about Nesta wearing cotton underwear made him even harder than he already was. He kissed her navel again, skimmed his teeth across her hipbones, and Nesta threw her head back, humming in pleasure as Cassian's lips made their way towards her right breast. He drew a nipple into his mouth, then flicked it with the tip of his tongue, and Nesta's back arched as she cupped the back of his head and pushed it more firmly against her breasts. So. Fucking. Hot.

He continued sucking, flicking, and nibbling at her nipples, alternating between the right and the left one until Nesta pulled at his hair and dragged him back up to crush her mouth on his.

Cassian pinned her against the back of the couch, slotting a leg in between hers. "There you go, baby, ride my thigh if you need to."

Nesta moaned and tilted her chin, signaling what she wanted, and Cassian chuckled as his mouth began working on her neck, his hands going back to her breasts. He didn't waste time with gentle touches anymore, not when Nesta used her grip on his shoulders as leverage to rock her hips against his thigh. Had she been shorter, this position would have been slightly uncomfortable for both her and Cassian, but she was taller than average, so it worked perfectly.

Cassian pinched her nipples, and Nesta bit back a cry, grinding on his thighs with more force.

"Fuck, that's hot. Let me hear you," Cassian rasped, his breathing almost as erratic as hers. He lifted his head from her neck as he pinched and rolled her nipples, drinking in the expression on her face as he experimented with the right speed and pressure to find out what made her moan. She was so, so beautiful, a writhing, sweaty mess, her breath coming in short pants as she rode his thigh.

"Cassian," she moaned. "C-Cassian, I think-" And then suddenly she was trembling, her eyes fluttering close as she arched her back further and opened her mouth in a silent scream.

Cassian stilled and watched her, reading her body. Holy fuck. He waited for her to recover before asking, "Nes, sweetheart, did you just come?"

Her cheeks turned red as she blinked at him, breathing heavily. "Yeah. Don't be too smug about it."

Cassian straightened, trying his best not to smirk. "Why would I? Because I made you come by touching your boobs?" he asked smugly, yelping when Nesta attempted to shove him away, causing him to stagger back a step.

"God, your ego really didn't need this boost," Nesta groaned, picking up one of the pillows from the couch to cover herself up.

Cassian ran a hand through his hair and laughed, stepping closer to her again and kissing her lightly, using the distraction to grab the pillow and throw it away. "Let me look at you," he said as he admired her neck, chest, and the marks his mouth had left on them. His territorial side relished in seeing his marks on Nesta's body.

"Are you done?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at him. "Thanks to you tomorrow, I'll have to bathe in full-coverage foundation." Standing there, almost entirely naked, with her hair cascading down her back, she looked like a goddess. A very sexy, very annoyed goddess.

Good, Cassian almost said. At least pricks like Eris will see you're off-limits. But he didn't want to be kneed in the balls, so instead, he kissed her cheek and said. "I'll pay for your expensive foundation."

Rolling her eyes, Nesta pecked him on the lips and disentangled from his arms, collecting her clothes and folding them. Then, she made her way to the kitchen and filled two glasses with water, handing one to Cassian. She didn't try to cover herself up again, and Cassian couldn't help but glance at her breasts every two seconds as he drank.

"You really are obsessed," Nesta commented.

Cassian didn't even try to deny it. "I am."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, at least one of us likes them," she murmured around the rim of her glass.

Cassian frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Making her way to the couch again, Nesta grabbed another pillow and held it against her chest. "Dancers aren't supposed to have big boobs, Cassian."

"Fuck whoever says that. If you're talented and good at what you do, it shouldn't matter whether you have boobs or not. And you, sweetheart, are fucking amazing at dancing."

Nesta smiled softly. "Thanks."

"Anytime, Nes," he replied. "I'm just telling the truth."

He drank the last of his water, then put the glass in the sink and took the few steps that separated him from Nesta. It was still early, but he didn't want to push her too far. Instead, he took her hand and kissed her knuckles, trying to pour all his love into the way his lips lingered on her skin.

"Do you want me to go?" He asked, surprised to find his voice steady, concealing the weight of the question.

Nesta shook her head. "Stay."

–

Nesta

The expression on Cassian's face when Nesta handed him a toothbrush was the funniest thing she had seen in a while, and she bit her lip to avoid laughing.

"Are you trying to tell me I have bad breath?" Cassian asked, crossing his powerful arms above his chest. Arms she had yet to see bare, but she would see to that later.

"I'm trying to tell you we should brush our teeth before going to bed. That's what people do," she replied before squeezing a bit of toothpaste on her toothbrush and brushing her teeth.

"Bed?" Cassian asked, his whole face lighting up.

Nesta rolled her eyes. Of course, that was the only thing he had heard. "Brush your teeth, Cassian. And wash your hands too. And your face."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, doing as he had been ordered. Nesta's sink was small, but they took turns and managed not to get water everywhere. It was a very domestic scene, and for the first time, Nesta found herself imagining what a future with Cassian would look like - the two of them brushing their teeth together just as they were doing now, only in a different bathroom with a bigger sink. She liked the idea a little too much.

The truth was, Nesta was stalling. When she had invited Cassian in, she had already decided to sleep with him. She didn't see the point in waiting any longer, not when she wanted him as she'd never wanted anyone in her life. Yet, she was nervous. Over the past couple of years, she had only had meaningless one-night stands, men, and women she had rarely let spend the night. But Cassian was different. He was there to stay, or so Nesta hoped, and hope was a dangerous thing. It could be shattered in the blink of an eye.

"What now?" Cassian asked, meeting her gaze in the mirror.

Nesta had put her sweater back on before walking to the bathroom. Cassian's eyes remained glued to her face as he waited for her answer, but there was no doubt in her mind that even if she had been bare, he wouldn't have looked at her body. There was no trace of humor on his face, only a question. Do you trust me?

And as Nesta stared and stared at Cassian in the mirror, she realized what the answer was. Maybe a part of her would always be scared of the unknown, but she was tired of listening to it. She swallowed, turning around to face him. "I want you, Cassian."

Cassian sprang. His lips were hot on hers as his hands went to her face, tilting her head back to better claim her mouth. Nesta felt herself going dizzy, her vision and mind blurry as she kissed Cassian back with all she had. She tugged at the hem of his jumper, and he stepped back to take it off, removing his shirt too. When Nesta's eyes settled on his bare skin, she moaned, her hands running over his pecs, down to his abs, gripping his biceps. He was huge, his muscles flexing under her gaze and her greedy hands, the black swirls of his tattoos begging for her to trace them with her lips, her tongue. She went molted between her legs and tried to satiate her need by kissing at his throat, biting his shoulders, raking her nails down his back. She wanted him to take her right there, hard and fast on the edge of the sink, and she tried to communicate it with her body.

But Cassian had other ideas. Hands on her ass, he swept her up, pressing his hardness against the throbbing spot between her legs, and carried her out of the bathroom, his mouth only leaving hers to look around and make sure he didn't bump on the furniture. It was a valiant effort, but when Nesta ground her hips against his, Cassian lost his focus and bumped against the door of her bedroom. "Fuck, Nesta."

She laughed and did it again, moaning shamelessly at the feeling of his cock against her most sensitive spot. Her underwear and his pants still acted as a barrier between their bodies, and Nesta thought she would go mad once skin would meet skin.

Cassian shuddered and pressed her against the wall, pinning her wrists above her head. "You're killing me," he groaned as he sucked on her neck, rocking his hips in a way that had her plea. "Now, please, now, now, now, Cassian."

He huffed a laugh against her skin. "I didn't think you'd beg so soon, sweetheart."

And it was that nudge at her pride that made the fog in her mind clear enough to gain back a bit of control, enough to unhook her legs from his waist and signal she wanted to be put down.

Cassian frowned slightly as he lowered her to the floor, but he smirked again when Nesta said, in a tone that allowed no protest, "Take your clothes off and get on the bed. Now."

Watching Cassian undress was pure porn. She should have taken a video and played it the next time she was alone, and Cassian wasn't around to take care of her needs. He took his time, breathing a sigh of relief when his cock sprang free, finally out of the confines of his pants and underwear. He was huge, and Nesta audibly gasped at the sight, wondering if he would fit inside her.

"Come on, Nes. You knew it had to be huge," Cassian said, oozing confidence and sex as he lay on the bed, both arms propped behind his head.

Nesta made sure her face remained as blank as possible as she stared at him, his skin a mouth-watering contrast against her white sheets, and she vowed to wipe that smug grin from his face. After stripping off her sweater, she skimmed out of her soaked panties and stalked towards him, straddling his waist.

Running her nails lightly down his chest and abs, she watched the muscles in his stomach contracting as she neared his pelvis. She was too worked up to drag the teasing for longer, so she wrapped her hand around his cock and gave it a few firm strokes.

"Fuck," Cassian hissed. "Fuck, you're good at that."

Nesta smirked. "I know." Her fingers couldn't even close all the way around him, but she kept moving her hand up and down, using her thumb to spread the wetness around the head.

"Nesta," Cassian warned, his hands going to her thighs, gripping them with bruising strength. "I need to be inside you. Please."

She pretended to consider it for a few moments, but her body throbbed with need too. "I didn't think you'd beg so soon, sweetheart," she teased, mimicking what he'd told her earlier, and his chuckle turned into a moan as she grabbed a condom from her nightstand and opened it with her teeth, rolling it onto his length. Then, she aligned him with her entrance, relaxing her body as much as possible and slowly sinking down on him.

He was so thick she had to stop after a few inches, squeezing her eyes closed and hissing as pain and pleasure mixed in a heady combination.

"Easy, Nes," Cassian rasped, gripping her hips to stop her from sinking down on him further. "Go slow." His right hand reached between her legs, thumb lightly circling her clit, enough for her body to relax further and sink down on him the rest of the way.

Once he was completely seated, Nesta finally opened her eyes. Cassian was looking at her with such intensity that she shivered and closed her eyes again. No one had ever looked at her like that before.

"Look at me," Cassian rasped, reaching out to trace her curves.

She opened her eyes, shifting her hips at the same time, and Cassian groaned.

"Good girl. Look at me as you ride my cock."

Nesta's walls contracted around him at the praise.

There were no more words after that, only the sound of their moans and heavy breathing, of bodies moving together in the oldest of dances. Cassian's hands were everywhere at once - on her waist, her ass, her breasts, pushing her hair back from her face. Nesta kept hers on his chest, anchoring herself as his hips thrust upwards, making her vision blur. She cried out, a strangled sound of pure pleasure, and Cassian continued thrusting deep, bringing her head down for a messy, open-mouthed kiss.

Nesta liked sex, and she'd always considered herself responsive in bed, but this was something else entirely, her mind and body screaming more, more, more. And Cassian, with his feral eyes and skilled hands, gave her everything she craved. Hips thrusting deep, fingers moving between her legs and mouth whispering sweet nothings, he brought her to complexion again.

Her third orgasm of the night caught her by surprise. It washed over her just as Cassian reached his pleasure, too, bringing her hips as flush to his as possible as he emptied inside her. He cupped the back of her head and held her against him as they both trembled, sweaty chests pressed together.

When Nesta finally lifted her head to look at him, he was smiling.

"Hi," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair away from her forehead.

"Hi," she giggled back. Yes, she actually giggled.

Cassian glanced at his watch. "It's almost midnight. You need to get some sleep."

"Yeah." She was too tired to formulate a more detailed response, let alone move from her spot on top of Cassian.

Cassian kissed her nose and sat up with a groan, bringing her with him. She yelped and wrapped her shaky legs around his waist as he carried her to the bathroom, their bodies still joined.

–

"I have to get up early tomorrow," Nesta said once she was under the covers again, her eyelids becoming heavier with each passing second. She internally groaned at how sore she was going to be tomorrow, but she couldn't bring herself to regret what had just happened, not when it was easily the best sex she had had in her life.

Seated on the edge of Nesta's bed, wearing only a towel around his waist, Cassian ran a hand through her hair. "Do you want me to go?" he asked for the second time that night.

Just like the last time, Nesta shook her head. "You can stay if you'd like."

Smiling softly, Cassian dropped a kiss on her brow. "Yeah, I'd like that."  

He immediately wrapped his arms around her when he got under the comforter. Chest pressed to her back, he slotted a leg in between hers.

Nesta let herself be held.

----

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Didn’t let anyone get a whiff of what he felt for his white-haired friend, who had no clue—not one— that he had loved her his entire life. And in those last moments, when his power had been ripped from him by that spell.… Kallias had flung out the remnants to warn her. To tell Viviane he loved her. And then he begged her to protect their people.

So she had. As Mor and my friends had protected Velaris, Viviane had veiled and guarded the small city under her watch, offering safe harbor to those who made it.

Never forgetting the High Lord and friend trapped Under the Mountain, never ceasing her hunt for finding a way to free him. Especially while Amarantha unleashed her horrors upon his court to break them, punish them. Yet Viviane held them together. And through that reign of terror—during all those years—she realized what Kallias was to her, what she felt for him in return.

The day he’d returned home, he’d winnowed right to her. She’d kissed him before he could speak a word. He’d then knelt down and asked her to be his wife. They went an hour later to a temple and swore their vows. And that night — during the you - know, Viviane grinned at Mor — The mating bond at last snapped into place.

The story occupied our time while we waited, since Mor wanted details. Lots of them. Ones that pushed the boundaries of propriet and left Thesan choking on his elderberry wine. But Kallias smiled at his wife and mate, warm and bright enough that despite his icy coloring, he should have been the High Lord of Day. - (Acowar)

One - Shot

Viviane woke up with kisses on her neck. Opening one eye, she saw Kallias' handsome face hovering over her shoulder.

The kisses didn't stop.

"I could get used to this." Her voice heavy with sleep echoed through the couple's bedroom.

"That's the intention." With his head resting on his wife's neck, Kallias' voice was muffled. Viviane smiled.

"Ayanna?" The High Lord's hand gently squeezed her waist.

"In a sleep as heavy as her mom was." Viviane turned to her husband, lying like this, Kallias was on top of her, his hands holding her face in a shell now. Love and adoration danced in his gaze.

"I love you. And that, my love, has no restrictions or expiration date, and never will. My best friend, my wife, the mom of my daughter, my High Lady, my mate. Mine. I would find you, you know. In any other world, anywhere. Mountains, forests or seas or skies, suns, distant worlds wouldn't be enough to stop me from being with you, to find you. There are no words or gestures that come close to what I feel for you. Maybe you have no idea what you do to me, and that's okay, I will never get tired of saying how much I love you, because it will never be enough. I love you with every part of who I am and even more, Viviane. And every day, every morning that I wake up next to you, I cannot stop myself from loving you more. And even if I wanted to, I could never stay away from you."

The air had escaped Viviane's lungs and she just stared into Kallias' beautiful eyes. The weight of love and truth in those words was almost suffocating, so incredible was it to feel that and to be responded to in the same intensity.

Then Viviane simply kissed Kallias. A long kiss that spoke more than words or grand gestures. And even when they had to stop to catch their breath, a conversation passed between them and then was interrupted by another long, intense and passionate kiss.

"I love you, Kal. Always and forever." Viviane whispered.

Kallias smiled at his wife and mate, warm and bright enough that he should have been the High Lord of Day.

"I could really get used to this, you know." Panting and sweating and with a giant smile after the you - know, Viviane laid her head on her husband's chest.