NESTA & CASSIAN

The Stars Had Listened After All

 Nesta had never seen so much color and music and food and everything else you'd wish in one place. But then again, as a newly made Fae, she had never been to the Velaris Festival before either. And she had no intention of going whatsoever but then the girls swirled into her room, their dresses colorful and beautiful, their hair pulled up and secured there by multi colorful ribbons and she found herself slightly intrigued by all that she was seeing that it didn't take the girls much to convince her to tag along.

So here Nesta stood, the scarlet fabric of her dress hugging her curves and her hair pulled up by scarlet and golden ribbons as she beamed and danced - danced - with her sister and Morrigan. Amren had left after two minutes declaring that she would start murdering anyone who brushed against her next. Morrigan was a star, she bought the girls drinks with only a few charming smiles and danced like her life was on the line. 

Nesta turned as her sister, Feyre , grabbed her hands. The girls giggled at each other as they danced, hips swaying with the rhythm of the delicious music. Nesta threw her head back, smiling up at the stars. She watched as they smiled, sparkling and dancing as she, back. She made a wish then, Nesta, she wished that she could be just as happy like this for the rest of her life. 

"Nesta!" Feyre yelled above the loud music. "The boys are here!" She shouted before dropping Nesta's hands and running off. Feyre jumped on her mate. Rhysand stumbled back, chuckling and smiling down at her sister. He then leaned in and kissed her on the lips, he kissed her just like Mor danced. Like Rhysand's life depended on it. Nesta averted her eyes, the moment seemed to privet and precious for her eyes to witness. Not to mention that she felt things when she saw them interact together. Jealous things. Nesta wasn't jealous because Feyre was able to find her mate, her one true love in every sense, and she hadn't. Nesta was jealous because she had found her mate, the one she was destined to be with. 

But he was currently dancing with the lovely Morrigan. Nesta found her smile dropping as she watched Cassian joke and laugh with Mor and Azriel. He wore a suit that designed to show off his perfect body, his hair was a mess because he kept running his finger through it as she danced. Nesta's eyes then followed the curve of his powerful wings. She looked away from him too. She raised her head up again, blinking at the ever spying stars. And this time she made a different kind of wish.

 "Are you already drunk?!" Mor demanded of him as he continued dancing between her and Azriel. Cassian shook his head no in answer but Morrigan pressed on. Demanding to know what had made him so distracting. But Cassian avoided her questions by grabbing her wrist and spinning her around. She swore at him. And Cassian laughed, relieved that she had forgotten or moved on from all her questions. For now at least. 

Cassian knew that he was distracted, and he didn't want to be not really, but he simply couldn't help himself. She was here, dressed in his favorite color - red - and she was gorgeous. She danced and moved and laughed like it was a natural thing for Nesta to do and his heart simply could not handle it. He stayed with his group, being the ever present distraction between his brother and Mor but he still stared at her. Openly stared at the curves of her body, the strands of her that fell out of the scarlet and golden ribbons that held them up. He stared until it wasn't healthy for him to do so anymore, Cassian reached for a bubbling drink to try and ease the nerves in his body. His whole soul screamed and yelled at him to approach her. Talk to her. Touch her. Cauldron he wanted to tell her so badly. He wanted to tell her that there was an undeniable connection between them, one forged by the Cauldron and the Mother itself. One that none of them could outrun. No matter how hard they tried because he had. Mother had he tried to forget about her, with all the things that were going on and the situation she was in. He couldn't though, it was that the Mother willed it to be. The mate bond was beyond Cassian's control. 

Cassian jolted from his train of thought as he felt a hand land upon his shoulder. He turned to see his brother, a strange understanding passed through Azriel's eyes. A look that was buried in him for five hundred years now. 

"Go." Azriel mouthed, pointing with his head to Nesta. Cassian hesitated, watching and loving the way she moved. He wanted her to move like that on him. Azriel gave his brother a little push and before Cassian knew or could understand what was happening he found himself walking towards her. He was ready to turn around and walk away. Far away. But she looked up then and locked eyes with him. Cassian was thankful for the beating drums of the music for they were able to conceal the beating of his racing heart. It was too late for him to walk away. And maybe it was the music or the booze or the fact that she looked so naturally beautiful but Cassian grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her away from the festival. His heart hammering in his ears the whole time. 

"What the hell!" Nesta screamed and tried to claw herself free of his grip. "Let go of me, you brute." 

"I can't do that just yet, sweetheart." He said, teeth grinding against each other. He did loosen his grip on her though, he didn't want her to feel endangered by him. Ever. He eventually did let go of her. Nesta turned to him, her skirt flying along with the movement. She looked like fire given form, his Nesta. 

"What. The. Hell -" 

"I love you." Cassian blurted out. Nesta fell silent, swallowing whatever words she wanted to scream at him. Cassian stood there, his massive wings tucked in, waiting for her to respond. Nesta took a sweet time doing so though. But then she finally stepped closer, a hand braced on his broad chest. She looked up at him under her lashes and blinked. 

"I - " her voice quivered. "I -" 

"By the Cauldron, Nesta. Just say it." 

"You're my mate." Cassian leaned forward, thinking heard her wrong. After all his ears were still ringing with the festival music. "Cassian." 

"What?" 

"Say something." Cassian shook his head instead. And then he leaned in and kissed her. His mate, he was kissing his mate. And touching her, holding her, smelling her. She was there in his arms, not miles away, agonizing him because he couldn't approach her. And his mate kissed him back. She kissed him like her life depended on it. Cassian didn't let Nesta out of his arms the entire festival. 

They danced together, moving together like they have been doing it for years and then, when the fireworks started, Cassian looked up at the sky and then at his mate again. 

The stars had listened, after all.