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Feb 6, 2021 17:52:18 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 6, 2021 17:52:18 GMT -5
Achromatic x Fleur
It was customary for newly married couples to eventually make a public appearance- for royals, this happened at the nearest public event. Aela had been married to Cassian for two months now, and their relationship was... complicated. More so than it had been at the beginning. She cared for him, understood him better than she had at the beginning, but still there were barriers between them that she couldn't identify.
But confusion aside, the Spring Gala was upon them, the first event where commoners would be able to see the married couple- rich merchant commoners to be sure, since they were the only ones who could afford tickets, but commoners all the same. It was a show of unity for the couple, one that came in the midst of confusing nightmares and Aela's conflicted feelings for both her husband and her consort, Ezra.
She was dressed in her very best- a richly golden dress that highlighted the hues of her brown skin, paired with the crown she wore for occasions like this. It was gold and fiery gemstones, set amongst the soft black curls of her hair. Cassian was finishing up with his own dressing, still swatting away the maids that buzzed around him, adjusting his jacket and crown and shoes.
Finally, it was time for them to go. Aela rose, taking Cassian's arm. "Are you ready for the evening, my lord?" She asked with a teasing smile, glad they had reached some level of civility- almost friendship- in their relationship. She knew he was thankful his father was unable to attend the event, since he had business out of the country. It meant he could relax a little during the course of the evening.
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 6, 2021 19:43:38 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 6, 2021 19:43:38 GMT -5
The Spring Gala, now that was going to be fun. It had been weeks since he had really relaxed, and frankly, his lack of sleep hadn't been easy. He had started drinking again, but less than he had before. It had helped...at least it last night. No dreams. That had been a relief. It also helped knowing that the elder Rotherhithe was up in Nyre trying to solidify some trade deal. Of course, Carina would be here, but on her own, she wasn't much of a threat.
Not to mention his friends would be around, and man was he glad to see them again. The couple of weeks after they left had felt so long, more so due to all the work he had thanks to that stupid security bill. He was almost excited for this; despite knowing it was mostly to make impressions on the people, it was a party, and Cassian was always down for a good party.
Of course, such a fancy party like this meant extra time getting dressed up, and this time, the maids wouldn't budge off. Glaring sullenly at the event planner as she hummed and ahhed at the outfit they were supposed to wear, he finally shoo'ed the rest of the maids away when they tried to touch his hair and switch out the earrings he was wearing. Nope. Tonight, he was going to wear the jewellery he wanted to wear. It didn't matter that it wasn't the customary silver of the dark fairy aesthetic, he just liked these better.
The crown itself still felt...heavy, but it wasn't the worst thing he could be wearing. Turning to Aela, he took a second to take it all in. "You know, gold really matches you," he chuckled, "is that true about all light fairies? Surprised you're not wearing the dress from the last party. What happened to seducing the diplomats?" The humour was light in his eyes.
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Feb 6, 2021 19:59:28 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 6, 2021 19:59:28 GMT -5
"I can't have the crowds calling me a harlot," Aela laughed, nudging him with her elbow. "And generally yes, but some look better with orange, or red. Gold brings out my eyes. Though I'm glad you admired the dress. You certainly didn't hesitate to take it off."
The queen was in a good mood, apparent in her easy tone and physical proximity to the king. The day had been a welcome distraction from everything else going on, and it would be nice to relax and talk again with the friends she had made at the party. Though she certainly would not be getting as drunk this time around.
The chatter could be heard from far down the hall- it was a popular event, and many were eager to see the monarchy restored after the early loss of their former rulers, Aela's deceased parents. Aela stood by Cassian's side for the traditional presentation, when the people sitting in long tables around the lantern-lit, glittering hall applauded for them, then sat by his side as the feast began. They would eat, then open with the first dance and mingle with the guests until the evening wound down. It was a relatively easy night, free of much tradition or pomp.
"Do you think they'll have cherry pie?" Aela mused as she sat with Cassian at the head table, starting in on her soup course. "The decorations are lovely tonight- they've decorated the gardens as well."
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 6, 2021 20:15:06 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 6, 2021 20:15:06 GMT -5
Cassian snorted. "You're saying they'll call you the harlot? Thought it'd be the other way around," he mused, giving her a smirk that told her he knew exactly what the gossip around the castle really was about. It was easy to joke with Aela these days, at least a lot easier than it used to be. Since their little party and the few heart-to-heart conversations they had, things had been...less explosive. Of course, not everything could be so easily resolved all the time, but at least they weren't actively hating each other. It was nice, Cassian figured, to feel a little more relaxed in his new home.
Still, the soup was delicious as always. A lobster bisque from Vela, an excellent way to honor his hometown, he supposed. If there was any way he enjoyed lobster, it was certainly in soup. He couldn't help the quiet laugh that left his mouth at Aela's inquiry. "Of course they will," he hummed, "doubt they'd forget the queen's favourite dessert. Of course it wasn't really cherry season yet, but they'd find a source somewhere.
Cassian was already sipping on his wine. They always started off with the best wines first, after all, and what was the point of a Gala if it wasn't to enjoy every bit of every meal?
"We could head out to the gardens later when the meal's done," he offered, "I'm pretty sure Andi's going to drag you around and force you to show her everything. She didn't even finish the tour last time she was here." Of course, he knew that there'd be plenty of guests to greet and less time to go on their own, like last time, but he was sure they'd be able to make at least a quick visit.
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Feb 6, 2021 20:34:28 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 6, 2021 20:34:28 GMT -5
"That sounds nice," Aela said, enjoying her own soup and wine as well. She really did hope there would be cherry pie later- she was a sucker for it. The meal went reasonably fast, and the chatter she shared with Cassian was quite fun. Like with Ezra, she felt more and more free to be open around him. Apparently she even had a wicked streak, as she pointed out several prominent noblemen- subtly, of course- and whispered all their scandals to Cassian.
The courses were fancy- fish, a main course of smothered lamb, salads, and coffee followed the soup course. Aela was reasonably tipsy at the end, having drank her wine absent mindedly instead of minding her servings. When they rose to start the first dance, she steadied herself inconspicuously on Cassian's arm.
As they both had had reasonable formal education, the dance went off flawlessly. Aela quite enjoyed being held close by the king, her mind turning absently to what might happen later that night. After the waltz was over, they bowed, and their guests were free to get up, pick at the dessert table, and mingle with each other and the royalty. Aela turned to Cassian with a grin. "Where are your friends? I'd like to say hi."
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 6, 2021 20:50:59 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 6, 2021 20:50:59 GMT -5
It was quite amusing to see this different side of Aela. Apparently, being a child living in the castle meant she had plenty to say about the other nobles. Who cheated with who, who slept with who, who had an illegitimate child...there were endless scandals among the rich and powerful, and what was Cassian if not fond of gossip? He'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious about the going-ons with the others. This was always useful information to know, and every secret, he filed away inside his head. Just for future reference.
The food was delicious as always. Unlike his sister, he loved lamb, perhaps even more knowing that Carina would turn her nose up at it, and of course, there was a different glass of wine paired with every course. The sauvignon blanc with the sea bass, chianti with the lamb, a riesling with the salad, and the coffee, with an added shot of whisky for his own. He too was feeling pleasantly buzzed as they stood, and despite it all, the dance went smoothly.
It was nice to have someone to hold, he figured in the pleasant haze of it all, and soon, the applause came and he was stepping off the dance floor graciously as the rest of the guests moved about. A few approached, of course, to greet him with the same pleasantries he was used to. It was starting to feel like routine, accepting the compliments and making small talk with whoever paid enough to come to a dinner such as this. He moved to the dessert table, grabbing a glass of dessert wine–ah, vin de constance, his absolute favourite too–and returning to Aela.
Where were his friends anyway? "Let's go," he grinned, "pretty sure we'll find Linus digging his face in some pecan pie or something." His arm wrapped around Aela's shoulder, he began to navigate through the room.
"Oh there you are!" Carina waved brightly at the two, "cute dance, I'm surprised Cass didn't step all over your toes, Aela!"
"Of course," he retorted, taking a sip from his drink only to have it plucked from his hands by his sister and swapped out with a half-eaten merengue she was having. He shook his head at the audacity of the younger girl. "Where's everyone else anyway?"
Her head tilted towards a table nearby. Andi and Atticus were already sitting there, laughing at some joke while Dante was making some gesture, telling them a story.
"Linus and Julius couldn't make it," she shrugged, "but everyone else is here."
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Feb 6, 2021 21:01:54 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 6, 2021 21:01:54 GMT -5
"Cass is a good dancer," Aela responded with a laugh, moving out from under Cassian's arm to give Carina a quick hug. "I'm glad you all could make it. The castle was never so lively as when you were here." That was certainly the truth.
"Let's say hello," Aela said, tugging on Cassian's hand to guide him over to see the twins and Dante. "Hey guys," she greeted, raising a hand to welcome them. She still wasn't quite sure how to act around them, but the pleasant time they had spent together made her less nervous than she'd normally be. "Did you enjoy the dinner?"
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 6, 2021 21:10:21 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 6, 2021 21:10:21 GMT -5
He snorted. "Flattery won't get you anywhere," he replied Aela with a smirk, before turning to Carina, "is mother here tonight?"
Carina shook her head. "She's back in Kama again, visiting her sister. I think auntie Clova is sick again." Cassian frowned. It had been a while since he had last seen the woman, and part of him was disappointed, that both his parents decided to opt out of his first big event, even if part of him was relieved that his father decided not to come.
"Oh cheer up," Carina rolled her eyes, "they would've been party poopers anyway. You hate it when they come to these things."
Cassian rolled his eyes. "Yeah whatever," he snorted, as they moved towards their friends.
"Aela!" Andi practically jumped out of the chair as they approached, already hugging the queen, "it's sooooo good to see you. I swear it's only been like, two weeks but it feels like forever!"
Dante came over to pat Cassian on the back. "Great dance out there," he grinned, "Atticus and I were betting whether you'd trip up there. Guess who has twenty dollars more?" Cassian laughed.
"Dinner was great," Andi grinned, "loved the lamb. It was so tender, and of course, our Vela special." She gave Aela a wink. "You know Cass only likes lobster in bisque? He's such a picky eater sometimes."
"I just hate peeling shells," Cass retorted.
"Have you had dessert yet?" Andi asked, her arms around Aela and Carina, "we have to try some. Cass mentioned your favourite was cherry pie, have you gotten any yet?"
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Feb 6, 2021 21:20:03 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 6, 2021 21:20:03 GMT -5
"I didn't, but I'm very excited to get some. It's sweet of you to remember." Aela pulled the two towards the dessert table, eager to spend more time with Andi- and Carina, too, but she still remembered the slightly unnerving remarks she'd made about her brother. She left Cassian to chat with Dante.
"How have your weeks been since we saw each other?" She asked the two, placing a piece of pie on her plate, along with a few scoops of hand-churned vanilla ice cream. "And if you're up for it, I can give you a tour of the palace later. I was rather... disengaged the morning after our party. First hangovers are rough."
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▲ my life is just constantly existing at ungodly hours
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Feb 7, 2021 8:24:41 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 7, 2021 8:24:41 GMT -5
"Of course I remember," Andi grinned, "gotta know what desserts to send for your birthdays...which I hope I'm invited to. Either that or I'll have to pester your husband to let me know when that is." She laughed at the comment about the hangover. "Of course you were, did you see how much you drank? I'm surprised you didn't vomit, to be honest. Should've seen Carina the first time she did."
Carina rolled her eyes. "I never vomit," she snorted, "I just had a lot of extra saliva, that's all."
Andi cackled at that. "This idiot here says that, but I know she excuses herself early to vomit it all up in the bathroom and she just keeps drinking after."
As they continued to grab their desserts, Andi spoke about her recent trip back to their family home in Maline, something about the seas being rather easy and the trade agreement having helped the port cities plenty, while Carina chattered about some recent gossip amongst the other noble kids, who was sleeping with who, who got caught smoking in class, a story about how some idiot accidentally blew something up in class and the fire department had to come...
"So how have you been?" Andi finally said, already picking at her olive oil cake, "any recent developments between you and Cass? Any tea we should be hearing about?" She gave Aela a wag of her eyebrows.
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Feb 7, 2021 9:57:46 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 7, 2021 9:57:46 GMT -5
Aela laughed alongside Andi, relieved she hadn't vomited as well. It would have just made the morning after worse. She listened to them talk, slipping bites of cherry pie into her mouth as she heard their news, enjoying feeling like part of the friend group, even if she was still relatively new to them.
"We've been good, actually," she said with a smile in Andi's direction. "The party got rid of some of the awkwardness." The tipsiness from the wine made her bold, and she grinned. "The night of the party was actually quite, ah, fun after we left. And we've been getting closer since."
There had been bumps- the arguments about the bill, the uncertainty with the nightmares, but overall Aela was feeling optimistic about their situation. "Which is relief to me. I grew up hoping I could be with someone who cared about me. And Cass does- in his own way, but that's better than nothing." Certainly better than the total lack of care she'd received as a child.
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Feb 7, 2021 10:23:25 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 7, 2021 10:23:25 GMT -5
Andi giggled at that, and Carina grinned. "Oh, so you had fun afterwards, huh?" the younger girl teased, "so that's why you guys left so early..."
"You were going to make them play strip poker," Andi accused playfully as she poked Carina's side, "as if that wasn't going to turn out the same way."
They nodded at Aela's words. Carina looked almost thoughtful at that. As much as Carina had a love hate relationship with her brother, there was still part of her that did care, even if just a little. It was probably better for Cassian to be out of the house anyway. She didn't mind being the only child these days, and well, Cass and her father never got along. That she knew well. He had been the scapegoat for all their failings, and while that wasn't ever really acknowledged in her head, she still knew that he'd probably be happier outside. It didn't matter much to Carina at least.
"You know, I think he does care," Andi chuckled, "he's just a little teddy bear on the inside. A really stupid, spoiled brat kind of teddy bear, but you probably already know that."
Carina snorted. "Tell me about it," she seemed amused, "but you guys definitely look a lot less awkward than you did on the wedding, so I guess that means everything's going smoothly."
Andi rolled her eyes. "When you say it like that, it's like you're planning for everything to fall apart," she gave Carina a look.
Carina only laughed, claiming that the other girl was thinking too much about this, before turning to Aela. "So should we get back to the boys or did you want to give us that tour?"
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Feb 7, 2021 11:19:02 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 7, 2021 11:19:02 GMT -5
"I'll give you a quick tour- it would take a day for a full one- and then I suppose I should get back to mingling with the guests." Aela led the girls out of the room, highlighting her favorite parts of the castle.
"We were in the grand hall just now- there's the larger private dining room, the music room, the guest wing of the castle- that's the hallway to the servants quarters and kitchen. If you follow that corridor you'll reach the library, my personal favorite. There's the south wing, where our bedroom is."
Interspersed among the room names were descriptions and little tidbits only available from someone who'd lived there all her life. Aela decided to save the gardens for later, since Cassian had suggested they go there together. They re-entered the grand hall and Aela was accosted by several merchants and other older noblemen who wanted a moment of her time. After a while she was able to rejoin the others where they were chatting by the table. "Sorry. What did I miss?" She asked, taking her place by Cassian's side.
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Feb 7, 2021 20:18:42 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 7, 2021 20:18:42 GMT -5
The girls nodded and ooh'ed and ahh'ed as they were taken on the tour. It really was a wonderful place, and it seemed like plenty of others had the idea of walking around the decorated parts of the castle, illuminated by the bright lights that were up specifically for this very occasion. All too quickly, the tour was over, and they were all back in the main hall.
While Aela was taking them on the tour, it was clear that Cassian was simply getting more drunk with his friends. He had already made his rounds, accepting the congratulations of many a guest who had decided to join them this evening. Constantly moving between having polite conversations and more easy-going chatter with people he knew, it wasn't a bad night.
It was even better when Atticus slipped the small package into Cassian's back pocket. A gift from home, he had whispered. Use it if you need it. The smirk had graced the man's features as he continued to speak to a merchant trying to advertise some great products of his for their next gala. As much as he had improved his whole attitude about this 'king' thing, the lack of sleep and the incidents in the past week had been exhausting. A little something to take the edge off didn't sound like a bad idea at all, and he had written to his friends, and in some subtle way, they understood exactly what he was asking for.
He had just gotten back to the others, and was about to thank the boy for the little 'gift' when Aela returned. "Oh nothing much," Cassian shrugged, immediately changing the topic, "just had some merchants try to advertise some type of exotic fish or something from Guivre for our next gala. Not really sure why he was telling me this; I didn't even know fish was on the menu tonight."
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Feb 8, 2021 12:49:58 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 8, 2021 12:49:58 GMT -5
"Perhaps we'll have to try it," Aela said with a grin. She enjoyed fish reasonably well, and the alcohol she had consumed had put her in a more adventurous mood than usual. So far, the night had been immensely enjoyable, and she had now fulfilled her obligations so she was free to have fun for the rest of the evening.
"Why don't we all go out to the gardens?" She suggested, pleased when the group agreed. It was a warm evening, and the lanterns strewn around the flowering walkways made the gardens an enchanting place. She walked ahead of the boys with Andi and Carina, chattering about something inconsequential, feeling for once like she belonged.
She did not notice Cassian take whatever he'd been given by Atticus, preoccupied by showing off her favorite blossoms and trees. The air was lightly perfumed with floral scents, and the conversation too engaging for her to keep track of her husband. When she looked over to see him gone, she assumed he'd gone to the bathroom- which was correct, but she was unaware that he'd been waylaid by Ezra in the process.
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Feb 8, 2021 13:05:55 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 8, 2021 13:05:55 GMT -5
He snorted a that. "Better warn him that if he tries to serve oysters at the next banquet, I'll have his head," he joked, as the others laughed. When Aela suggested that they headed out to the gardens, he was glad to agree. It'd be a nice place to hang around, after all, and it'd be a bit longer before the pill kicked in. The others had easily agreed, and afterwards, perhaps they'd be able to dance or something. Atticus joked about how he had yet to teach Aela the real dance moves, and the other immediately started to make fun of him for what he claimed was 'appropriate grinding.'
The air was rather relaxed, that was for sure. The gardens were beautiful, as always, and perhaps even more due to the decor. Tasteful, Dante had commented, enjoying the rare visit to the private gardens of the castle. Really, he wasn't surprised that the other boy liked this place so much; he was definitely more of a nature lover than Cassian ever was.
While he had expected the hit, he had not expected how strong it felt. All of a sudden, his body felt light as a feather, and oh yeah. The lights were so fucking beautiful. No, everything was. The feeling of love and affection for his friends swelled up in him, and gods, he could talk forever. Perhaps it was due to the fact that Atticus had taken some too and was now chattering his head off as Andi watched in amusement, finding it hilarious how absolutely fucked he was and how Aela didn't seem to notice, but it wasn't hard for Cassian to find himself a step behind everyone else.
"I'm going to the bathroom," he mentioned to Dante, savouring the feeling of the way time and space seem warped, for some reason. He could use some water anyway; if he wasn't careful, he'd certainly be dehydrated. The other boy simply nodded and told him to be careful, before following the others.
Heading back to the Castle, he headed up the stairs towards his own chambers, a space that was off limits for other visitors, only to bump into his favourite guard. "Oh hello," he smirked, looking to Ezra, his pupils completely blown out. Oh, favourite was right, and right now, all he felt was a wave of kinship and affection for him. "Aren't you supposed to be on guard duty somewhere?"
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 9, 2021 15:14:54 GMT -5
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Post by fleur on Feb 9, 2021 15:14:54 GMT -5
If this were any other event, Ezra would have been right there in the midst of everything, indulging and grinding and generally stealing the show as he was wont to do. Unfortunately, this was not just any other event; this was work, and work put him in a sour disposition, evidenced in his severe expression and the harsh lines around his mouth. Here, in uniform, cast to the shadows to oversee all the most minute details and movements made, he could not partake nor be fawned over, could not enjoy the atmosphere nor be enjoyed. Scarcely an eye passed across him, the commoners doing their part to ignore the presence of the guards stationed all around.
There was only so much stilted conversation and fake laughter a guy could take, however; and eventually, he found himself elsewhere, stalking the corridors on rounds to remove himself from the festivities. He almost moved past Cassian without acknowledgement until they collided, an insult barbed on his tongue that was quickly flattened at the sight of his wild-eyed monarch. "Well hey there," he crooned instead, appreciating the sight of someone finally appreciating him that night, stroking his fragile ego. "I'm doing my duty as we speak, my lord. Aren't you supposed to be on Aela's arm all night?" Not that he was complaining. Perhaps the only two upsides of the night were the honorary pair, Aela striking in her gilded garb and Cassian commanding attention at her side. Their presence had made it difficult to keep his eyes on the crowd, drawn as his gaze was to the crowns.
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Feb 9, 2021 16:21:47 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 9, 2021 16:21:47 GMT -5
He grinned, as he moved in closer to Ezra. "Oh I suppose I should be, but she's having fun with some friends. You, however, seem to not be having as much fun, and well...I can change that." Cassian did feel a pang of disappointment knowing that Ezra couldn't exactly enjoy himself like the rest of them did. Part of him wanted to introduce the man to his friends too. After all, Aela was good friends with him too, right? Of course, he hadn't explicitly mentioned to Aela the nature of their little friendship, but he had definitely said a few words to her and knowing her, she would've known by now. It wasn't as if she minded, after all, they had always established their marriage as an open one.
"If you have a break soon, maybe you and I can get up to a little fun, hm?" he murmured, leaning closer to Ezra, "I'd hate for you to miss out on some of these...festivities."
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 9, 2021 20:21:29 GMT -5
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Post by fleur on Feb 9, 2021 20:21:29 GMT -5
Oh, he was feeling better already.
Cassian was close enough to him now that traces of cologne wafted his way, bridging the last few centimeters that were cold between them. "And what fun am I to imagine we shall get up to?" There was something absolutely ravishing about the low light and how it cast shadows along the king's cheeks, outlined the shape of his jawline and shaded his pursed lips, which were inviting him to find the parts he could not see. Ezra drew near, like a moth to a flame or Icarus to the sun, certainly unaware that in either case his wings would be scorned, and he guided Cassian's body against his own with a strong, assured hand, his own lips finding warmth against the other's neck.
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Feb 10, 2021 5:42:12 GMT -5
Post by achromatic on Feb 10, 2021 5:42:12 GMT -5
Warmth filled Cassian as the man pulled him closer, the man's lips on his neck was like touching fire. Gods, Ezra was irresistible. He was everything Cassian needed right now. Perhaps it was the high that was making him so impulsive, but it was nothing new. It didn't develop the feelings and the lust he already had, it simply heightened his need for closeness and lowered his inhibitions.
"Fuck," he hissed, already feeling his arousal begin to grow, as a hand slipped under the man's shirt, the other on Ezra's face as he pulled the man in for a kiss, a messy–nearly clumsy–one, already moving to pull at the man's trousers.
"You know, I wish I could show you off to my friends," he smirked, "introduce you as my knight in shining armour. I might not be a princess but you can still rescue me from a tower." He gave Ezra a playful wink, humour and mischief radiating from the man.
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