#starfallweek2025

Since I met him I wanted more but never knew how to approach, firstly because I never had a relationship and secondly because I saw the girls he flirted with when we were at Rita’s. Of course I never told him that I envied them - they were able to touch him, feel his heartbeat under their palms,  or get to know how it is to fall asleep with him. 

But I’ll press those poisonous thoughts down for tonight. It's a special occasion and I don't want to ruin our night by being in a bad mood. I wonder when we’ll meet the others later. Cassian said to me that he wants to have dinner with me but he never mentioned the Inner Circle. When we celebrated Starfall the last few years, we always met with them right away at the house of wind.

The ring of the doorbell shatters my raging mind. I see his impressive silhouette through the frosted glass and my heart skips a beat. He always had to go sideways through the doorway due to his broad shoulders. I smile to myself as I catch a glimpse of the dark streaks from his armour that left dark indents on the wood - he stormed in one evening, not knowing I just painted it. I never corrected it. I like having a bit of him there.

I open the door and my breath halts in my throat. He holds a huge bouquet of white flowers, glittering just like my dress and he gazes at me like I was the sunrise after the longest night.

He’s frozen for a moment. “You look…stunning.”He says with a raspy voice and a big smile stretches his lips. He scans my body again without shame until his eyes find mine. “You're beautiful, sweetheart.” 

I remember to breathe again at his compliment and I can’t help but throw back a radiant smile. My cheeks heat up under his gaze and an amber drops between my thighs, causing them to clench together. He always had that effect on me. Every time he looked at me that way or when our fingers touched each other accidentally, my head swam and a coil formed in my crotch just like I was a horny teenager.

“Uhm- “ I stammer. “Thank you, Cass. You look very handsome yourself.” 

His grin widens and I think we get lost in each other again before he extends the flowers for me. “I got those for you.”

“Cass they are beautiful. Thank you.” I took them from him and buried my nose in them.

“Starfall is only tonight but I wanted you to have them as a reminder. I had them enchanted so they will last for a month.”

I look up at him and he chuckles, reaching out to my face. “You’ve got some glitter there.” His big palm cups my cheek and his thumb brushes over my nose to collect the fairydust. My cheeks turn from pink to scarlet at his intimate touch. He was never shy to pull me into a hug or his side, but this was different. I never want this moment to end, because I think I won’t get another. 

“That’s very sweet of you.” I smile at him and quickly go into the kitchen to grab a vase and place them on the console in the corridor, so it’s the first thing that greets me when I come home later.

“Ready for tonight?” He asks and holds up my coat for me to slip in. I thank him and let him help me into my coat before we step outside. 

The air is cold against my shins and a fresh layer of black ice covers the cobblestone streets. He notices that I cannot keep up with his pace, because my heels slip across the ice. “Can’t lose you, sweetheart.” He extends his elbow and I wrap my hand around it for stability. The close proximity to him is intoxicating and plays with my mind. The way he softly touches me and helps me not to fall is something he did a hundred times before. But today it feels different - more sincere.

Cassian

I think my heart will jump out of my chest eventually or it stops and I’m going to have a heart attack. 

The way she smiled at me when she opened her door made me question why I hadn't asked her out years ago. Well- I didn't actually say that this was a date but I think it’s pretty clear. I asked her when I accompanied her home some weeks ago - If she wants to spend starfall with me. Her doe eyes brightened and her smile was radiant when she said yes. I wanted to kiss her there and then but only pecked her cheek as good bye. I want our first kiss to be special.

A special day for a special kiss.

She got a new dress for tonight and she never looked better. The way she clings to my arm warms my heart. Finally, I was able to touch her in more than a friendly way. I hold her hand or place one of mine on the little of her back as I help her up the stairs to the restaurant. It was booked out for months, so I had to bribe the owner and we got the best table.

Her eyes lit up even more as we sat down on the balcony in the first row with a perfect view over the festival grounds. The Sidra glittered in the distance and the sun slowly approached the horizon. I helped her out of her coat again and pulled out the chair for her. She didn't have to tell me that he liked a gentleman, I could see it in her bright face every time I did chivalry things for her. 

She sighs as she browses through the menu and frowns. She always takes forever to decide what she wants to eat. Too many good options. I chuckle at her as I pour her a glass of wine.

“Come on, Cass,” She muses and places her chin on her fist. “Tell me again like you tell me every time when we’re out eating.”

I smirk at her. “Studies show that people who are faster at deciding are happier.” I like to tease her and the waiter comes to our table, asking if he may take our order.

She frowns again at him and opens her mouth to tell him she needs another moment when I stop her politely. I collect her menu and say to him. “We’d like to have everything.”

“Cass wait-”

“Oh right. And we’d like to share the baked fruit with chocolate sauce as dessert.”

“As you wish.” The waiter takes the menu from me and I find her gazing at me with something like wonder and delight about my action of taking care of her needs.

“Everything okay, sweetheart?”

“Yes,” she says with a content voice and her hand drops to the table as if I just enamoured her. I slide mine over hers, it's so soft and tiny. She doesn’t flinch away from my touch. She likes it. My thumb brushes the skin there and she relaxes under my touch. 

Dinner goes smoothly. The look in her eyes with all her favorite food right in front of her is something you just can't buy with money. I steal some of her zucchini fries while we chat about everything and nothing while I tease and flirt with her. Usually she throws back a witful remark, but not this time. She leans in, bats her eyelashes and flirts back with that pretty smile on her pouty lips. 

After dinner I take her hand and cautiously weave us through the crowds on the festival grounds. I find a small spot in the middle of the bridge over the river and secure her in front of me - her back to my front and my arms around her middle while my wings prevent other people from stumbling into her. Her body stiffens for a second, we’ve never been as close as this ever before and she bends her neck to look up into my eyes - probably for reassurance if I’m aware of what I’m doing. I tighten my arms around her middle and her fingers cling to my forearms. I smile at her and lean down to kiss her cheek when cheers around us drift through the air. 

YN

Our eyes shoot up at the sky. The first streak of light drifts across the sky. Then another one and even more beams of all the colors of the rainbow rain down. Starfall has always been a celebration of memory. The spirits of the past return to dance across the heaven and they remind us that love and dreams never die. To me it was a day of hope - that the future would hold happiness for me and my loved ones.

We’re so close I can feel his quick heartbeat in my back. I’m too flustered to say anything, all I do is melt against him to enjoy the warmth of his strong body.

Standing here, under the cascade of shimmering stars I realize that Cassian was my hope. My dream. And I make a wish that maybe I could be his one day.

Then, he turns me around to face him. My breath hitches as one of his hands is on the little of my back, gently pulling me closer. Everything happens in slow motion. His fingers tilt up my chin to look into his eyes and his gaze confirms that I was wrong for thinking that we were here as only friends. The flowers, the lingering touches, His flirting and his careful attention and the way he looked at me tonight. 

Then, he leans down and kisses me. There is no hesitation, no question. His lips are warm and sure against mine and without thinking I wrap my arms around his neck to pull him even closer. He tastes like the first snow as I deepen the kiss, opening my mouth for him - letting him in.

I am so drunk on him that I forget to breathe and as we finally part, he rests his forehead against mine. Our breath is uneven and mingles in the cold air. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” he admits.

My heart beat is so fast I think it would jump out of my chest. “But…I thought…”

He huffs a quiet laugh. “I asked you on a date, sweetheart. You just didn’t realize it.”

My stomach flipped. “Oh.”