@f1ameheir What Are You Doing Out Here By Yourself?

@f1ameheir — ❛ what are you doing out here by yourself? ❜

it's a great question. it would be an ever better one if nesta had thought to formulate an answer before she arrived here. she isn't even entirely sure of where she is exactly; she was supposed to be transported to adarlan, but this place doesn't match the descriptions she and gwyn had so carefully studied. not exactly. they had no other choice but to be impulsive when they agreed to the terms of the prisoner who was able to transport her through time and space, but knowing as much doesn't stop her from wishing they'd had time for a test run.

somebody needed to witness an important event firsthand (and soon) so that they could locate an artifact that had since been lost to time and legend. the role had fallen to her. she didn't have a child to raise, or a court to rule, an army to oversee, or enemies to spy on. but she does have something to prove, still.

"oh! i'm simply admiring the moon." she infuses her voice with a sense of whimsy, steely eyes drifting back up to the sky; to the tall walls interrupting the stars. she takes a deep breath as if she's savouring the moment - but the stench of spoiled food in the air twists her features in disgust.

although she's doing her best to act natural - in a way that isn't too telling of her own nature - it's challenging to do that when she feels SO UNSETTLED by the journey... by the way that beast had gripped her arms in one moment and released her here the next. nesta is now so uncomfortable in her own skin that she could happily tear it away in one swift movement. but that would raise alarms.

"truth be told i'm a little bit lost. the sun had only just started to set when i started wandering... perhaps you could point me in the right direction - if you have a moment, that is?"

when i make a weird and off putting version of elain it’s over for you bitches x

Sharon Olds, Stag’s Leap

@daeathes — you’re an asshole, you know that?

nesta very much does know; she's often the first to tell herself just that. there are even times when she prides herself on being difficult. but on this occassion she isn't entirely certain what she's done for the reminder to come from cassian's lips. in part because there's a few options to choose from. she takes a few moments longer than she needs to massage citrus scented lotion into her cuticles, and by the time she's finished nesta's fairly confident that it has something to do with the words she exchanged with rhysand earlier in the day - too many of their disagreements stem from ones she's already had with the high lord. but she makes no effort to reveal that particular argument, afterall, there's still a chance that she's done something else to spark annoyance.

"you always know how to say the sweetest things, cassian... go on, tell me more." she turns to him with a saccharine smile and leans against the dressing table. the picture of innocence - almost.

when the house of wind is officially hers, nesta becomes a little more domesticated than she has been in the past. she starts making her own bed in the morning, and rinsing out the tub after she has a bath. occassionally she brings home flowers and little trinkets for the house to put where it pleases. although she knows it doesn't expect anything from her, it's her way of showing respect for the way it supported her and embraced her friends.

the first time nesta scented a male’s arousal it had overwhelmed her senses; she had never known anything like it - the change in the air had been so strong that she thought she might just choke. she had never known anything like it since, but even so it was unmistakable. the change in azriel’s scent is almost subtle. it flows from him in waves of sweet musk and salt. despite herself she inhales, and a shiver dances down her spine; paints a pattern of goosebumps up her arms. 

she presses her thighs together, instinctually searching for friction, but she’s watching the way he observes her body attentively enough to know that he will notice the movement. knows he would have noticed even if her eyes weren’t locked on his features in fascination. her pulse is pounding in her ears so loudly that she’s certain she wouldn’t have been able to comprehend his words if she were still human, but she makes no attempt to steady her breath. azriel may not know what she’ll do next (neither does she) but he already knows how she feels, and she isn’t interested in hiding it. perhaps she should be.

“i do have limits,” she assures him, surprised to find her voice so calm, her gait so steady as she moves around the table. her fingertips trace the wood as she turns the corner in an effort to keep herself steady if she does lose her nerve. she’s far from prudish and hasn’t been for a long time. she’s certain he’s heard tales about it, but she wants him to know that what she’s doing is different to what she’s done in the past; even if she can’t put her finger on why that is. “but i have less of them when i feel SAFE.”

her words act as an admission to herself, and she realises that’s what keeps her stalking towards him. usually she’d be mortified to admit something like that, but like she said: she feels safe. her rational mind knows that she should stop, that she’s taken it too far already, but she can’t. 

finally, she pauses before him, and for a moment she considers mirroring his actions from earlier and turning his chair towards her. but she doesn’t. she’s fairly certain that it wouldn’t be as smooth as it was when he did it; as attractive. the strength she has now often surprises her, but she knows it isn’t enough to take that much control... that she’d only embarrass herself in the process. so she embraces gentleness. her fingertips find his jaw once again, and she leans in closer to press her lips to the corner of his mouth.

“you told me that you like to be surprised, and i think you deserve to enjoy a lot more of the things you like...” her eyes meet his and there’s a rare hint of honesty in them. without breaking her gaze she presses another kiss to the opposite corner of his mouth… another to his jaw… and finally to his throat, where she lingers. “so tell me what else you like.”

there she goes again, surprising him. the feeling, the emotion, rolling off of the new-fae is intriguing. it's as if she's screaming one thing but yet .. is not exactly giving in? the shadows around him whisper of her intentions, her wants. what her body says it desires. he keeps himself as neutral as she usually sees him. azriel is on a tight leash and keeps himself that way for good, real measure.

when she rises from her seat in a graceful, fluid movement... azriel does wonder what she's going to do next. what he can feel from her is boldness, determination.. it's all that is shining through. her eyes - those silver, dangerous things, - shine brighter than any moon. she is the sun. a mischievous sun. how burnt will he get? his answer comes as she uses quick fingers to slide her dress to the floor. the soft whoosh of the fabric causes such a reaction inside of himself. he does not react outwardly.

dark eyes flick to her beautiful, cold features now glowing with attraction. if she's learned anything about scent and phremones, she'd surely pick him up in a heartbeat. he's letting himself be caught. if this is a game - he's a master player.

azriel allows his eyes to take in the planes and curves of her body, his eyes lingering at her breasts - pointedly. a pink tongue comes to wet his full lips, then click off his teeth. his gaze finds hers once more after he's had a purposely long look. " i didn't know you were going to do that. " he says finally, his low voice smooth like velvet night. the darkness pulses around him and he sits back into his chair, contemplating her next sentence. " you're determined to surprise me - and you have, surprisingly, twice now. i'm beginning to wonder if you have no limits... or at least not the limits i perceived you having. " he tells her, scarred fingers lacing together over his lap, his elbows on the arm rests. " i cannot read your mind, unfortunately. my particular set of gifts do not extend that far. so why don't you show me? "