Fire, Steel and Storm (Nessian One Shots) - Hiatus

| 2 | On the banks of the Sidra (Part B)

ABOUT

Setting: In the city of Velaris. Daytime.

Summary: Part B of 'On the banks of the Sidra'. Cassian and Nesta share an intimate moment.

POV: Cassian

Rating: Not mature

Length: 740 words

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Cassian was dreaming

He had to be dreaming. Because there was no way, not in any hell or heaven, that Nesta Archeron would be kissing him. 

And yet...

Her lips were soft and gentle, so unlike the bitter words that usually passed through them, as they brushed his mouth. He wondered if she could feel his heart pounding so hard, with her back pressed right up against him. 

He didn't let himself close his eyes, needed to look at her as she sagged inside his arms, her eyebrows knotted and fingers digging into his wrists. She kissed him deeper. Harder, a noise coming from the back of her throat. 

That's when Cassian lost it. He thought he might burst into flames as their mouths caressed each other fervently. He hesitantly brushed his tongue along the seam of her lips and to his awe she opened for him. 

When their tongues tangled together it took all his immortal strength not to sweep her into his arms and find someplace, a dirty street corner or maybe even under a damned footbridge, to show her how just how much he wanted her. How much he needed this. 

But Nesta pulled away and then Cassian went very, very still as he watched her. Waiting for her to give him a verbal lashing. Or maybe a real one if she was pissed off enough.  

She only panted.

"You..." Her voice was a rasp and she swallowed a lump. "You're glad that I'm here? That I'm..." She glanced down at her body—her beautiful, immortal, perfect Fae body. 

Cassian couldn't resist the urge to brush his lips against that pointed ear and whispering, "Yes." 

He considered those words he said. How he was glad that she'd been thrown into the Cauldron. He winced, realizing that maybe had not been the right way to convey it.

"It is selfish but it's true." Because he couldn't stand the thought of watching her grow old and die as a mortal. Married to a mortal man. It made him physically sick to think about it. 

Nesta shifted and stood on wobbly feet, Cassian ready to catch her in case she found herself unable to do it. He kept his wings positioned around her like a shield, blocking out prying eyes. 

He could have sworn there was a blush on her cheeks as she stuttered, "Th-this was a m-mistake." Then she brushed past him and climbed the muddy hill up to the street. 

Cassian stood motionless, watching but not watching the rushing river waters. He felt those words like a physical blow to his gut. 

Mistake. 

It was the same thing the Illyrian lords had called him when he was young and orphaned and starving. 

You are a mistake. A waste of existence. A bastard-born nobody who will never be respected. 

Not by the Illyrians. And not by Nesta either. 

Swallowing, Cassian turned. Climbing up the hill was almost impossible with his shaking knees but he managed to do it and as he stood on the road, he saw Nesta walking away aimlessly but briskly. Like she couldn't stand to be around him for another second. 

The boy in him, the one who'd been ripped away from his mother and thrown to the curb, was blaming himself. But he watched her a moment more, the body that was too thin, the eyes that sometimes looked void of feeling. 

Maybe this had nothing to do with Cassian. Nesta...she wasn't ready. Not for what had just happened. 

And even though he felt an ache in his chest Cassian closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He forced himself not to get angry. Because it was Nesta. Iron willed, sharp tongued, vicious as a panther, Nesta Archeron.

What had just happened between them, while Cassian was desperate to seek more, it had shaken her. Time. He knew it would take time. And even though he wasn't known for his patience he had to be patient with her.

So he trailed her slowly for a few minutes, giving people death glares when they stared for too long. Then she suddenly stopped and he walked up to her. He didn't touch her, couldn't even find the right words to say.

She looked at him, those gray-blue eyes were indeed void of feeling. "Take me to Windhaven," she whispered.

Cassian didn't ask questions, he just gathered her up in his arms and shot into the sky.