WHERE SHOULD YOU BE KISSED?

WHERE SHOULD YOU BE KISSED?

KNUCKLES: it feels as though you have fought every day of your life. sometimes, you cannot even tell how much of the blood on your hands is your own ... & how much comes from those who've tried to hurt those you defend. you deserve the gentleness of a kiss to your bruised knuckles & broken skin, a reminder that you are not only made of violence.

TAGGED BY: @denouemente

TAGGING: @feydarling , @musikensangel , @valkyrd , @deathsconsort , @temptsdeath , & you!!

" feyre darling, if you wanted to have some fun with the paddle — all you had to do was ask. " wickedness manifests in a single wink, so tied up in her gaze that he's forgotten the challenge at hand. where rhysand should be disappointed that she slipped right from his grasp, he instead finds himself impressed with how fast she gained the upper hand, unsurprisingly. he has always had a blind spot for her. " clearly, whoever taught you knew what he was doing. " lips twitch in amusement as feyre threatens his creation, not even sparing a glance toward the canvas: a blank sheet of black, done carelessly, a clear giveaway that the brush filled of pink means no real threat to him. hands hold up in feigned defeat & within seconds, he's winnowing right in front of her, palms pressed to the wall above either side of her head. " what was that about terrible reflexes again? "

my arms crossed over my chest ( albeit smudging the paint in worse ), holding my ground with poised self-assurance as he approached. ever the face of impertinent stubbornness. the sheer audacity of my mate to suggest i had started it — i certainly couldn’t stand down now. a skeptical click of my tongue, “ hm. is he to blame for your terrible reflexes? ” grand and haughty amusement glimmered in my eyes, as i struggled to bite back a grin, determined not to yield. “ perhaps you deserve the paddle for your insolence. ” i had made a point to hold to hold his gaze without so much as blinking — only to surrender my territory, retreating from his grasp and quickly backing towards a protected corner, as dirty water flailed across the small room. i should’ve expected him to turn my own weapon against me. “ oh, you will be cleaning these floors, rhysand! as i mop them with you! ” i grab a thick brush dipped in bright pink paint and hold it threateningly close to his ... masterpiece. “ be careful now. ”

they fall into the routine with such ease, bantering siblings taking shots at each other, sharing laughter, a sense of normalcy falling over them — for once. when the illyrian soldiers had found her, untrusting & warning rhysand to use caution, it only took him seeing her with his own eyes. he had zero doubts of his sister, only peaking into her brain as an extra precaution, to see what she had seen during all of this time. what he saw ... he did not expect things to come so easy to them, so soon. he doesn't take this lightly, grateful for every jest, any smile he can put onto her face.

" just checking in. i would hate for you to empty your dinner all over me. though, something tells me you'd enjoy it. " wings fold around them, taking her retort as a challenge, hands finding her sides to hold onto tightly. & without warning, they are whipping up into the sky, gliding against the sea breeze. he remembers how desperate he was to get back into the sky again, the thrill of gliding amongst the stars at such a speed was intoxicating ... like he'd become whole again. even if she was without her wings now, he hoped this at least came close to that feeling.

" hold on tight. " a little too late of a warning, as he swoops down past the city, the faelights slowly fading away behind them. they are engulfed in the stars, burning so bright it seems as if you could reach out & touch them. he takes a glance down at asteria, studying her expression to the best of his ability, voice kept light — lacking the playfulness of before. " is it everything you expected? "

years upon years apart. her , wondering if she would ever catch sight of him again , sitting in the hidden confines of hybern whilst he mourned her death. time had past , aging both of them far beyond what they were during their final embrace. and yet , in this moment as they stood eloped by the night stars , when asteria peered upon him taking in his laugh in regards to her snide comment , for a moment she saw the rhysand that made her eyes roll. the one that seemed to find joy in riling her up whilst putting her on his shoulders as to see the world from above. in this moment , the decades before did not exist. did not happen. not even with the reminders plaguing both of their bodies and souls. would this feeling last ? asteria remained unsure. but by the gods above would she revel in it as it lingered ; fighting like hells to keep it for as long as she could.

❛   cold feet ?   ❜ a playful gasp expels at his comment. he questioned of she , the sibling who begged her brother to teach her to fight even after their father forbade it , the sister who was sooner ready to jump off the roof and hope her wings would catch her had he not agreed to flying lessons . . . the sister who survived hybern . . . had cold feet ? ❛   well that's just next to insulting , big brother.   ❜ linking her arm with his , excitement radiating through each vein and pore on her body , her grin never faltered. if anything it grew. exponentially so when he referenced her flying lessons.

❛   well of course it was – it would be hard for anyone to learn to fly when you don't let them leap from anything higher than a three story window.   ❜ peering once again out to the sky before her , the glimmers of velaris mimicking the sky as the shops and homes lit up to fight the night , memories once thought lost slowly began to return. ❛   so , are you going to take me flying again , or are you the one to have cold feet ?   ❜

𝑺𝑪𝑬𝑵𝑨𝑹𝑰𝑶  𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑴𝑷𝑻𝑺.

↬   OF  MERMAIDS,  MASQUERADES  AND  MAGIC.

scenarios  inspired  by  various  settings,  encounters  &  magic  tucked  between  pages,  fashioned  by  the  author.  tw  for  drowning  mentions.

+   feel  free  to  change  pronouns  /  roles  !

MERMAIDS.

‘  beyond  the  winds  and  past  the  shores,  strange  magic  lurks  about.  ’

‘  will  you  go  to  the  lagoon  with  me  ?  it’s  unsafe  to  go  alone.  ’

‘  they  say  a  siren’s  call  alone  can  drown  a  man  before  she  swallows  him.  ’

‘  quick  !  cover  your  ears.  ’

‘  what  did  you  imagine  as  you  heard  the  song  ?  ’

‘  i  can  feel  a  voice  like  claws  sinking  beneath  my  skin.  ’

‘  one  can  pray  to  the  ocean,  but  the  waters  answer  in  strange  tongues.  ’

‘  careful,  or  we’ll  hit  the  reef.  ’

‘  the  sea-folk  are  flighty  as  their  fins,  and  illusive  as  shimmering  scales.  ’

‘  i  should  like  to  find  myself  a  sailor  fit  for  a  feast.  ’

‘  sometimes  i  wish  there  was  more  than  the  endless  waves.  ’

‘  do  you  see  that  ?  there,  beneath  the  surface  ?  ’

‘  that’s  no  fish,  and  no  woman  either.  ’

‘  what  lies  off  the  edge  of  the  map  ?  ’

‘  the  sea  has  monsters,  but  beauties  too.  ’

‘  i’ve  heard  that  merfolk  make  bargains,  and  trade  in  the  ocean’s  magic.  ’

‘  i’ve  never  seen  a  pearl  like  this  one.  ’

‘  the  ship  will  go  down  if  we  don’t  turn  about  !  ’

‘  what  is  that,  out  there  on  the  rocks  ?  ’

‘  won’t  you  listen  to  my  song  ?  ’

‘  mermaids  love  shiny  things.  keep  a  careful  eye  on  yours.  ’

‘  if  we  hide  in  the  kelp,  we  might  see  them  as  they  pass.  ’

‘  i’ve  heard  the  tales.  to  catch  you  means  to  gain  a  granted  wish.  ’

‘   i’ve  never  seen  your  likeness,  only  heard  the  myths.  ’

‘  come  with  me,  beneath  the  sea  and  foam,  and  be  mine.  ’

‘  some  of  us  live  in  the  ocean,  others  in  rivers  and  streams  and  even  trees.  ’

‘  falling  in  love  with  a  human  is  an  old  tale.  tell  me  a  new  one.  ’

‘  so  you  gave  up  your  fin  for  legs  ?  ’

‘  soon  i  will  be  nothing  but  seafoam.  ’

‘  what  is  a  heart,  but  an  ocean  of  secrets  ?  ’

‘  you’d  let  yourself  be  undone  and  remade  for  someone  you’ve  never  known.  that  is  not  love.  ’

‘  let  your  dreams  sink  to  the  depths.  they’ve  done  you  no  good.  ’

MASQUERADES.

‘  i’ve  never  seen  so  many  unfamiliar  faces.  ’

‘  he’s / she’s / they’ve  been  looking  at  me  all  evening.  ’

‘  would  you  do  me  the  honor  of  a  dance  ?  ’

‘  neither  of  us  need  know  the  other  tonight.  i  prefer  the  mystery.  ’

‘  your  choice  of  costume  is  rather  extravagant.  ’

‘  what  fun  would  it  be,  if  i  took  this  off  ?  ’

‘  i’m  certain  we’ve  met  before.  ’

‘  i’ve  always  longed  for  a  night  like  this.  it’s  something  out  of  a  dream.  ’

‘  won’t  you  come  away  with  me  ?  there’s  a  balcony  just  outside.  ’

‘  i’m  inclined  to  think  we’ve  never  met  before,  and  perhaps  will  never  meet  again  after  tonight.  ’

‘  you  look  like  you  know  how  to  waltz.  care  to  ?  ’

‘  i  must  stand  up  with  someone  this  evening,  and  i  don’t  see  why  it  can’t  be  you.  ’

‘  would  you  stop  staring  so  intently  ?  what  do  you  think  to  find  ?  ’

‘  i’ll  stop  bothering  you  if  you  agree  to  dance  with  me.  ’

‘  please  take  it  off.  i  want  to  see  you.  ’

‘  i’ve  never  been  to  a  masque  before.  ’

‘  it  seems  our  attire  makes  opposites  of  us.  ’

‘  i’ve  never  seen  a  more  hideous  costume  than  that  one.  ’  

‘  i  can’t  stay  much  longer.  you  see,  i’m  not  supposed  to  be  here  at  all.  ’

‘  you’ll  never  know  who  i  am.  ’

‘  people  like  you  always  make  a  fool  of  me.  ’

‘  oh.  i  thought  you  were  someone  else.  ’

‘  i’ll  give  you  three  chances  to  guess  who  i  am.  ’

‘  the  next  time  i  offer  you  my  hand,  you’ll  get  more  than  a  dance  from  me.  ’

‘  i’ve  wanted  to  dance  beneath  stars  like  these  for  as  long  as  i  can  remember.  ’

‘  what  do  you  look  like  ?  ’

‘  that  look  in  your  eyes  tells  me  all  i  need  to  know.  ’

‘  you  won’t  like  what  you’ll  see.  ’

‘  i  recognize  your  voice.  ’

‘  you’ll  know  the  truth  before  the  night  is  up.  ’

‘  i’ve  heard  the  darkest  of  dances  are  the  best  for  falling  in  love  to.  ’

‘  you  don’t  know  it  now,  but  we’re  friends  already.  ’

‘  can’t  we  pretend  a  little  while  longer  ?  ’

‘  it’s  when  the  party  is  over  that  we  learn  to  know  each  other  most.  ’

‘  happily  ever  after  can’t  come  so  easily  as  a  single  night  dancing.  ’

MAGIC.

‘  i’ve  caught  you.  you  have  to  undo  the  spell  for  me  now.  ’

‘  think  carefully  before  asking  for  something  well  beyond  the  reach  of  mortal  power.  ’

‘  i  think  i  know  a  spell  for  that.  ’

‘  i  can’t  help  you.  but  there  are  people  in  other  worlds,  in  the  moors  and  hills  and  trees,  that  might.  ’

‘  you  must  gather  the  necessary  ingredients  for  such  a  potion.  ’

‘  true  love  is  never  the  answer  to  the  riddle.  not  when  so  much  as  life  and  death  is  at  stake.  ’

‘  i’ve  found  and  made  my  way  here  by  right.  you  can’t  deny  me  the  answers  i  seek.  ’

‘  be  warned:  monsters  hide  between  the  trees  and  whisper  in  magic  tongues.  ’

‘  it  always  makes  a  fraction  of  sense  to  be  careful  what  you  wish  for.  ’

‘  i’ve  been  turned  into  an  unsightly  creature,  and  i  need  a  way  of  turning  back.  ’

‘  not  all  magical  stories  happen  in  castles,  or  cottages  in  the  wood.  ’

‘  preposterous.  magic  and  sorcery  do  not  exist  but  in  the  minds  of  superstitious  fools.  ’

‘  get  back  from  that  cauldron  !  it’s  dangerous.  ’

‘  i  don’t  mess  with  things  like  candles  and  the  stars  and  the  moon  after  dark.  it  never  ends  well.  ’

‘  i  am  something  ancient.  my  name  has  been  forgotten  by  mortal  mouths  and  is  found  only  in  their  oldest  texts.  ’

‘  not  all  fairy  helpers  are  kind,  and  not  all  villains  are  ugly,  or  even  cruel.  ’

‘  if  you  want  my  help,  you  must  earn  it.  ’

‘  is  this  something  i  could  learn  ?  ’

‘  i  don’t  want  to  be  ordinary,  and  i  don’t  care  what  the  risks  are.  ’

‘  you  think  to  put  a  curse  on  me  ?  i  will  spend  my  life  defying  it.  ’

‘  stay  back,  witch,  and  keep  your  spells  from  sneaking  past  your  lips.  ’

‘  you  must  chain  a  magician  in  more  than  metal  or  rope  if  you  wish  to  stop  them.  ’

‘  that’s  a  parlor  trick.  show  me  real  magic.  ’

‘  only  you  can  break  the  spell.  it  is  something  you  are  meant  for.  ’

‘  fate  is  nothing  but  an  illusion  placed  in  our  heads,  that  we  might  follow  the  words  of others  and  not  our  own  intentions.  ’

‘  whatever  has  brought  me  here,  i  cannot  turn  back  now.  ’

‘  soon  the  clock  will  strike,  and  nothing  more  might  be  done.  ’  

‘  magic  requires  taking  in  order  to  give.  it  will  keep  demanding  parts  of  you.  ’

rhysand playing the piano 😮‍💨

i don't think that you're a monster. rhysand pretends like the confession doesn't make his throat feel like it's closing in on him, a shared acknowledgment that she doesn't hold everything under the mountain — what he had to do — against him. " thank you. " he'd never cared what anyone thought of him, had come to accept that he'd never be accepted for his actions, was at peace knowing everything he'd done, was to protect the one city of peace left ... until she arrived. HIS MATE. suddenly, every bad thing he's ever done, his reputation, haunted him, cementing the fact that she'd never accept the bond. but now there is a moment of overwhelming relief & comfort washing over him, swallowing down the urge to confess everything right here & now. maybe she wouldn't be disgusted by figuring out he's her mate, there would be a clearer understanding between them, she would be happy.

but as feyre continues to speak, her words wash away any of those urges, just missing the one piece of the puzzle that would get him to throw caution to the wind & just do it: i need you. rhysand doesn't allow his face to fall, reminds himself that it's for the best — after everything she had been through with tamlin, the bond was for her to figure out & decide. he won't take that away from her. " alright. i like that idea. " he manages a small smile, eyes flickering to their hands once more, before holding her gaze, seemingly gaining his confidence back. " and have you decided what starting over looks like for you yet, feyre darling? "

what else was there? it was an impossible question i had asked myself hundreds of times, as i stared into the precipice of oblivion. i had known death before i ever had the chance to live. a second chance and i had still done so little with it. a truth so cruel and tragic, and yet iit was only recently i had it in me to care. it was only here in velaris — a city of dreams and desire, art and aspirations, that i had finally felt truly alive. there is good in the world, he had said and so much of it was here. “ i don’t think that you’re a monster, ” i admitted aloud for the first time. he and his friends were the defenders of a sacred promise -- the embodiment of that love. that vision. and for once, i finally understood the resolute need to protect its existence. to have something so rare and untouched that no one could take from you. something worth dying for.

that’s when i catch it — his deepest and most horrifying confession. he had no intention of surviving this war. an obstinate martyr who had accepted his fate long ago. for a moment, it threatened to bring me to my knees — i tell myself it’s only because of the tentative alliance we had forged that had just begun to verge on friendship. i wouldn’t be the one to save him, i had no right to mourn him before he was even gone as if he he was mine. he belonged to his people and to his friends, and they had already endured the loss of him once. but how could i explain to him that he had entwined himself into my whole world? that my new vision of the future was the one he had painted for me? full of stars and hope and wishes and promise. a dream predicated on his ambition and faith. i stared down at our hands, practically transfixed, before i swallowed the lump that had developed in my throat. “ you have so much. your life. this city — your family. they need you. ” i need you. perhaps that’s all any of us could hope for — to be needed, to be wanted, to be seen. “ maybe we both have to accept that things will never be the same, so we can finally start over. ”