BROKEN WINGS • ACOTAR

Chapter 7

What the actual f*** was Cassian supposed to do.

Calix just said that he loved him.

That was all Cassian thought about as he drifted to sleep.

He didn't managed to get that much sleep seeing as he woke up at 3 in the morning. Calix held him tightly to his chest and rocked him back and forth, whispering words of comfort.

"It's okay, it's not real, it was just a dream."

"It's-its not just a dream. It's real!" Cassian hiccuped.

"Okay, αγάπη μου."

Cassian looked up, tears running down his face and hair over his eyes, and asked, "Why do you keep calling me that? What does it mean?"

Calix sighed and hugged Cassian tighter, if that was possible, "It means my love."

Cassian stiffened and Calix squeezed his eyes shut, thinking he was about to be rejected, brutally so.

"Do you really love me?"

He said it so quietly. Like if he said it any louder they would both break. He looked so confused and hopeful.

"What do you mean? Of course, I love you." Calix said, still whispering.

"Like- like love love?"

Calix pressed his forehead to Cassian's, "Yes, αγάπη μου, love love."

"Really?"

He sounded so frail and broken, like no one could ever possibly love him.

"Yes, really. Everyone is so lucky to have you. You are an amazing, beautiful, strong, vibrant, perfectly unperfect person. The best one I know."

"I love you too."

"You don't have to sa-"

"I do. I'm not saying it just for the sake of it. I love you. I love how caring and kind you are, I love how you protect others, I love how messy your hair always is, I love how beautiful your eyes are, I love those days when it's just blankets and tissues but most of all. I love you."

"F***'s sake, Cassian. Stop trying to make me cry!" Calix whined, shoving his face into Cassian's neck.

Cassian laughed and kissed his head. "Does this mean we're together?"

"Do you want it to?"

"Yes."

"Then yes, we are."

The door crashed open. "COME ON, LOVEBIRDS! RISE AND SHINE!"

Rhys opened all the curtains and Calix groaned, hiding under the covers like a little kid. Turns out, they had spent quite a while talking.

"No!" Calix dragged out the 'o' as Rhys pulled off the covers.

This forced Calix to try and fit himself into Cassian's shirt. While he was still in it. He succeeded.

"Why are you so cold?" Cassian pressed his hands to Calix's fingers who felt like ice cubes.

"As cold as my heart."

"Why aren't your fingers on fire?"

"STOP FLIRTING! AZ, THEYRE BEING GROSS AND IN LOVE!"

"SHUT THE F*** UP, RHYS!" Came the echoed shout of Azriel. It sounded like he was on the other side of the house.

"MAKE ME, B****!" Rhys screamed back.

"Kinky," Calix whispered which sent Cassian into a fit of muffled laughter.

"Come on! Breakfast and then I have to tell you all about Feyre."

"Who the f***'s Feyre?"

"Loverboy's crush." Cassian supplied.

"She's not my crush!"

"So you admit you have one?"

"So you admit your Loverboy?"

Cassian and Calix asked at the same time.

"AZ, THEY'RE BULLYING ME!"

"AZZIE, HE'S LYING!"

"Azzie? How come he gets a nickname?" Cassian pouted.

"Aw, it's okay. You've got one way better."

Rhys butted into their conversation, "Why don't I get a nickname?"

"Rhysie."

"Thank you."