Notes: This felt so heartwarming to write! Whenever I write young!Silco, I always listen to my young silco playlist, which you can find here, if you are interested Warnings/Rating: mentions of a mine accident, minor injury, one use of y/n, use of the word 'wife' but no physical descriptors, so you could easily swap it out to husband | E for everyone Wordcount: 2.3k Synopsis/Request: can I ask for young silco fluff with that line "do I need to remind you that we're not actually married" where reader and silco are dating for a while now and there were so accident in mile where silco works and reader went to find out what happen but need to lie that they are married to got some information, silco turned to be fine obviously and find out the lie and taste the reader about it and it became their little joke between them and their friends
Masterlist | Dialogue Prompt list
“Let me through!” you struggled against the throngs of people, swinging around wildly, eyes wide with fear as you fought your way to the front of the masses.
When you had heard there had been another collapse at the mine, your heart had stopped. Now, however, as you squeezed through other desperate friends and family, it hammered against your ribs, your blood rushing so feverishly through your veins that the sound of it blocked out the shouts and cries of people desperate to know if their loved one was one of those being carried out on poor excuses for stretchers.
You staggered into someone with a clipboard, grasping their shoulders and repeating his name over and over. They were trying to soothe you, you think, one of their hands coming to rest on your shoulder, but you struggled to hear them over the sound of your own heartbeat.
“Has anyone found him?” you asked, trying to fight down the bile in your throat.
“Are you his legal next of kin?” they asked irritatingly, as if that really mattered right now.
You dug your nails into the palm of your hand, “He’s my husband,” you lied desperately, shoving your left hand deep in your pocket so they wouldn’t question the lack of a ring.
They flipped through the tattered sheets on their board, seeming to do so in near slow motion, as you pressed them to hurry up when you heard it – “y/n?”
You spun around, almost knocking the poor worker over, eyes searching over the heads of the crowd quickly before you spotted him, pushing his way through them all to reach you. Your knees felt like they were about to give way as you tumbled into Silco’s arms, clinging to his jacket tightly, squeezing the fabric between your fingers and burying your cheek into his shoulder, breathing in deeply. “Shh, shh. I am fine, I’m right here,” he soothed you, rubbing soothing trails over your back, but you could feel the tremor in his hands.
You pulled back, hands coming to cup his cheeks, gently turning his head from side to side and checking him over for damage, eyes widening when you saw the cut slowly dribbling blood down the side of his forehead. He plucked your hands from his face with his own, squeezing them gently as he forced you to meet his gaze – “It’s nothing, I am fine. Me and Vander are both fine,” he repeated for you, helping to ground you in the chaos of it all.
“Don’t you ever scare me like that again,” you muttered and he chuckled, pressing a lingering kiss to your knuckles.
“I am glad to see you found your husband, I suggest you both get out of here before it gets even busier.” You jumped slightly at the voice over your shoulder, having forgotten about the poor aid worker entirely. You nodded to them, offering them a meek thank you before turning back to your boyfriend, brows furrowing at his cocked eyebrow and smug smirk.
“Your husband?” he repeated, the smugness in his voice near impossible to miss.
You rolled your eyes, fighting the urge to hit his chest given what he had just escaped, “They would only give information to legal next of kin,” you sighed, taking his hand and tugging him gently to follow you away from the masses at the mine entrances.
“If you say so,” he shrugged as he followed you with little resistance, biting back a laugh when you turned back to him with a look that could kill.
“Why does Silco look like he’s the cat that got the cream?” Felicia asked, her lips quirking up into a confused smile.
You turned to follow her eyes, watching as your incredibly smug looking boyfriend swung round the railing at the bottom of the stairs, swaggering over to you. You rolled your eyes and spun back around on your bar stool to ignore him, “Don’t ask,” you warned, sighing.
“How is my wife feeling this morning?” he purred in your ear as he sidled up to you, hand resting on your lower back as he leaned against the bar beside you.
Felicia’s eyes widened, pausing mid drink at the pet name, glancing between the two of you like she was watching a tennis match. “I’m sorry,” she coughed a little, putting her orange juice down on the bar and rubbing at her aching stomach, “have I missed a major life update?”
You sighed, closing your eyes with embarrassment. “No, you have not.”
“Come on my dear, you seemed so pleased with it yesterday,” Silco pushed with a cocky grin, picking up your drink and taking a sip through your straw, raising his eyebrow in a silent challenge as your eyes flicked upward in annoyance.
“I think you can let it go now, Sil,” you hummed, snatching your drink from his hands and frowning when you realised he had drunk the last of it.
“Is this you asking for a divorce?” he feigned hurt, fingers pressing against his chest as he pouted. The mischievous glint in his eyes gave him away, however.
“Do I need to remind you that we are not actually married?” you huffed a laugh, sliding off your stool and ducking out of his reach as you slid around the bar for a refill, topping up Felicia’s at the same time as she watched you both with a satisfied smirk.
“Not yet,” he purred, a sly grin tugging at his lips as you nearly dropped the carton of juice, accidentally spilling some over the edge of your glass. He hummed with satisfaction before pushing away from the bar with a mock salute, “Vander needs me out the back, I shall leave you ladies too it.” He turned and sauntered away, leaving you to roll your eyes at Felicia’s wiggling eyebrows.
“He has it so bad for you,” she teased, her voice lilting in a playful sing-song tone.
“Shut up and drink your juice,” you waved her off, failing to hide your smile as she snorted a laugh.
“Have you and Silco got hitched without telling me?” Vanders rumbling voice in the otherwise empty bar made you jump, and you nearly dropped the glass you were drying.
“Gods, not you as well,” you groaned, putting the glass away and picking up the next one.
“All he has gone on about all afternoon is “my wife this, and that dear wife of mine that,” he laughed, picking up a towel of his own to help you through the stack ready for opening. “So if you haven’t tied the knot on the sly, he must have someone on the side he is being very sloppy about,” he peered up at you, already knowing the answer.
“I had to say he was my husband at the mines yesterday to find out where he was, and he won’t let it go,” you sighed as Vander laughed.
“You don’t sound as annoyed about it as you mean to,” he pointed out, smirking as he plucked another glass off the rack. You shot him a confused look and he shrugged nonchalantly. “I think you actually like it,” he teased, his voice dropping so as not to be overheard. He broke into a grin when you tensed up,
“We’ve only been going out a year and a bit,” you countered, eyes avoiding him.
“Officially,” Vander pointed out, leaning against the bar top and throwing his towel over his shoulder, observing you. “Let’s not forget the dance you two did for a good year before that.” You looked at him disgruntled. “Besides, you’re not denying it.”
You turned away from him, trying to get away from the interrogation as you crouched down to stack the clean glasses beneath the bar. “Maybe I’m not,” you mumbled, “but he’s only doing it to tease me, nothing more.”
Vander didn’t see your frown as you continued to stack glasses, just as you didn’t see him lean back over the bar to shoot a ‘told you so’ look to Silco as he sat tucked away at the top of the stairs, listening in.
“I’m giving you the rest of the night off, go dance,” Vander leaned down to call into your ear.
You looked around confused, the bar was the busiest it had been in a month, and that was saying something. It seemed ready to burst at the seams – people dancing, drinking, celebrating – you put it down to people wanting to shake off yesterday's events.
“It’s far too busy,” you called back, shaking your head, “you’d be swamped.” As if on queue, Felicia squeezed around he bar,
“I got it!” she called, struggling to tie her apron around her. You shook your head again,
“Absolutely not, you need to sit down, Connol would kill me,” you looked at her seriously, trying to herd her back around and out into a booth.
“He could damn well try,” she insisted, pushing back against you. “Now, are you really going to fight a pregnant lady?” she raised her eyebrow and you sighed exasperated.
“I’ll take a 15 minute break, then I’ll be back,” you said pointedly, pulling the apron from around your waist and rolling your eyes as you slid past them both to hang it up
“That should do it,” you thought you heard Felicia mumble, turning back around only to see her serving a patron. You shook it off as you pushed through people to try and find your boyfriend.
“There you are!” Silco called, beaming as he pulled you into him. “I thought Vander would never set you free.” You leaned to press a kiss to his cheek, and he shifted to wrap an arm around your waist. “Come with me,” he murmured into your ear.
You cocked your head, confused as he tugged you towards the stairs, missing how Vander’s eyes followed you as you disappeared.
“I have to go back in 15 minutes, Sil, I don’t have time fo-”
“Get your head out of the gutter, that isn’t where we’re going,” he stopped you, laughing as he pulled you up the stairs to the roof, letting go of your hand to sit himself down at the edge of the rooftop, long legs dangling over the side as he leaned back on his hands, looking out over the lights of Piltover, where the smog hadn’t quite obscured them.
You observed him, watching how carefree he looked for just a moment, his chest rising with each deep inhale of marginally cleaner air, drifting to the small bandage that was still stuck to the cut on his head. Your chest clenching as you remembered your dread.
“I wish we could just stay up here forever,” you muttered as you joined him, leaning into his side. He hummed in agreement.
“Just think, this will all be ours one day, as free as those across the river” he gestured loosely to the lanes below you and you chuckled.
“All hail the king of Zaun,” you teased, nudging his shoulder as he snorted a laugh, eyes not quite finding yours. “What’s wrong?” your voice dropped, more seriously, as you searched his face.
“Yesterday made me realise something,” he started, tongue darting out to wet his lips, “and then I walked out of the rubble to hear myself being called your husband and it cemented it for me.” You stared at him, your thoughts spinning as you tried to connect the dots. He leaned further into you for a moment, fingers fishing into his pocket and pulling out a small peeling, banged up box. Your heart stopped. “Nothing down here is promised, as much as I am trying to change that. And changing it all would mean nothing without having someone to do it all for. Life for us is too short to not take what you want and run with it, so,” he flicked the box open, revealing a simple, gold band. It was well worn, but beautiful, “How would you like me to stop teasing you, and make it proper, dear wife of mine,” he smiled bashfully, his uncharacteristic nerves coming through as he plucked the ring from the cushion and rolled it between his fingers, finally looking up to meet your eyes.
You simply stared at him for a moment, eyes burning with salty tears before you nodded, resisting the urge to surge forward and kiss him senseless, lest you both fell from the rooftop. “Gods, yes!”
He visibly relaxed as you choked out your answer, breaking into a wide grin as he reached for your hand, sliding the slightly-too-big ring onto your finger. “It was my parents,” he mumbled quickly, “we can get it adjusted,” he huffed a laugh as you twirled it around the skin, unable to peel your eyes away from it. Finally, you leaned forward pressing your lips against his, cupping his face and pulling you into him. He could feel the cool metal against his skin and grinned, pulling away to press his forehead against yours.
“I think your 15 minutes is nearly up,” he joked and you laughed, a breathy sound that made his heart squeeze. “Come on,” he pushed himself up, offering you his hand to pull you up with him.
“We will tell everyone once we are closed up,” you murmured to him as you headed back down the stairs, “It’s too rammed to kick up a fuss now.”
“Oh darling, why do you think everyone is here?” he asked lowly, pulling you into his side as he pushed the door back open. A huge banner with congratulations scrawled across it in Felicia’s artistic style was draped across the bar, everyone waiting with baited breath until Silco nodded subtly beside you, erupting into cheers immediately after. Everyone you knew downing drinks and rushing to hug you as you were swept up in it all.
“I love you,” you muttered into his ear as you pulled yourself into his side, spinning the metal around your finger absentmindedly.
“I love you more, wife of mine.”
bob reynolds x thunderbolt!reader (post thunderbolts, no spoilers!)
The first time you kiss Bob Reynolds, it’s over a box of pizza and a half-finished card game. He’s not expecting it. Neither are you, really.
It’s only a short kiss, but he’s blinking fast as you pull away, lips parted and a deep red blush crawling up his neck. You notice he leans forward a bit, following you as you pull back, probably without realising. It’s so cute, you have to stop yourself from kissing him again.
“Wh—why’d you do that?” He asks, dazed.
You shrug one shoulder. “I don’t know. I like you,” you say softly.
To be honest, something just took over you. You’ve finally got a moment alone with him, when usually you’re surrounded by your team of vigilantes who don’t seem to understand the concept of privacy. And he looked so lovely, sitting there laughing at your terrible joke, and pretending like he wasn’t totally letting you win the card game on purpose. He’s been so sweet to you since you met, and you’ve liked him for just as long.
Bob stutters, “You… like me?”
You nod earnestly. “Yeah, Bob. You couldn’t tell?”
Bob shakes his head vehemently, his mouth shut tight like he doesn’t know what to say, or can’t say what he wants to say. You smile at him, feeling fond all over, your limbs heavy with it.
“I thought I made it obvious,” you say.
You really tried. From the moment you realised you liked him you tried flirting, but he’d get so red in the face you’d feel bad and have to force yourself to dial it down for his sake. You’re pretty sure everybody but Bob himself knows how you feel about him, including Alexei, who’s usually about as oblivious as a teaspoon. In the end you settled on just being friends, but clearly, you couldn’t settle for long.
Bob just blinks at you. “I… I didn’t notice. I’m sorry.”
You have to laugh. You’ve got no idea why he’s apologising, but he tends to do that a lot. He’s working on it.
“S’nothing to be sorry for,” you tell him, shaking your head. “But I really do like you.”
Bob gazes at you, something unameable in the way he looks at you. It makes you nervous, stirs a soft buzzing in your chest like a honey bee.
He leans forward an inch like he can’t help it. You feel much the same. The closer he gets, the less you seem to be able to think straight.
When he finally speaks again, it’s with utmost sincerity.
“I like you, too,” he says. His hand moves to touch your forearm, warm and gentle, and you go very still. You think he might kiss you again. You want him to kiss you again.
“Yeah?” You find yourself moving towards him, his touch drawing you in, the two of you a pair of magnets unable to stay apart. His fingers drag up the length of your forearm and he nods.
“Yes.” His hand cups around your elbow, so gentle it aches. He swallows, then says, “Will you kiss me again?”
You don’t have to be asked twice.
I randomly started thinking about this fic again after like at least two years and I'm re-obsessed and couldn't find it in my reposts so I'm re blogging it again :)))))))
(photos not mine, storyboard very much mine)
Series Summary: Bucky Barnes has been chasing after you since he was ten years old, but you’re determined not to give in. How long can you hold out when all he’s asking for is just one kiss? (40′s happy ending AU)
Series Warnings: Language, excessive amount of fluff, slow burn, mutual pining
Part One - The Beginning
Part Two - A Walk Home
Part Three - Moving Day
Part Four - A Dance
Part Five - Girls’ Night
Part Six - The Fight
Part Seven - Christmas
Part Eight - The Question
Part Nine - First Date
Part Ten - Afternoon in the Park
Part Eleven - Last Date
Part Twelve - The Goodbye
Part Thirteen - The First Letters
Part Fourteen - Broken Silence
Part Fifteen - Finale
Epilogue Pieces
Bonus Material Masterlist
@buckrecs omg I feel so special thank you so much for mentioning me :)))))
Hi I was wondering if you had any recommendations for lumberjack!bucky
masterlist | req masterlist
ONESHOT
Hero Next Door by @jobean12-blog
You and your dog Winter have recently moved to the quiet of the country and you love it then you meet your new neighbor...
I’m yours by @peteyprecious616
soft lumberjack Bucky drabble
Safe Heaven by @world-of-aus
I’m Sorry by @wh0reforoldmen
Dark!Bucky You made Bucky mad, and he makes you apologize for your "wrong doing"
ooey gooey by @thornsnvultures
Every morning, Bucky comes to your store for terrible coffee and maybe something a little sweet on the side.
SERIES
Undisclosed by @pellucid-constellations
Desperate to outrun a secret that could cost you your life, you seek refuge in a small mountain town. Its deep forests and small cabins make it the perfect place to hide, but the travel website hadn’t mentioned anything about the quiet, burly lumberjack that wouldn’t leave your thoughts. No one had warned Bucky about you either.
Sturdy Roots, Strong Hearts by @rookthorne
Life in your small town could not have gotten any better, you had sworn. That was until you started to call a handsome, brooding lumberjack your best friend, and you developed butterflies at any mention of his name, or thought of him. Sure, it was going to be fine, you could do this. What could go wrong?
Through Sea Mist and Shadows by @archive-obsess
after years away, (Y/n) returns to the small family farm on a remote Maine island that was once considered her home. things are different now, her family bears her sad smiles, the fisherman's boy is quiet and reserved, and she herself has changed beyond her own recognition.
Lumberjack AUs by @angrythingstarlight
Lumberjack!Bucky Masterlist
Lumby and Bunny by @sweetdreamsbuck
Bucky's never been so scared of a feeling in his life. there are too many what if's– too many fears bubbling deep within the parts of him left broken and hollow, untouched for far too long. but he never envisioned finding you– and he's entirely too impatient; entirely too certain no one's ever been more infatuated with something than how he feels for you.
Me seeing Barbie and Oppenheimer back to back
this is crazy amazing !!
Don't you forget about dying Don't you forget about your friend death Don't you forget that you will die
Eddie rolls his hips as he fucks you slowly.
He’s fucking you like he has all the time in the world. His plump lips form an O as he watches you underneath him.
With each slow stroke you can practically feel every vein on his cock. When he’s fully seated you swear you can feel him in your lungs.
He has you chanting a single word over and over as he loves you.
please please please
“What do you need, baby?” he coos in your ear. “What do you want, the moon? Fuck, the way your pussy is hugging my dick, I’ll get you whatever you fucking want.”
His tempo doesn’t change, you feel like a live wire.
“You, please I just need you.”
yes PLEASE
baby wake up, new Rhysand art just dropped
🎨 by ignartcio
Hiii, how have you been?
Can you please write something for Eris x mate reader and it’s like late at night and they’re sleeping but Eris is having a nightmare and is tossing and turning and this wakes up the reader. The reader tries to help but traumatized baby gets alarmed and accidentally burns his mate ☹️☹️. Very detailed i know but it was just a though I had 😭👍
a/n: requests are open!! Eris is so Taylor Swift coded. In case the title wasn’t obvious, this fic reminded me of “Daylight” by Miss Swift.
warnings: depictions of a nightmare, descriptions of burn injury
The sound of Eris mumbling and turning in his sleep roused you awake. You sat up to look at him, heart aching at the sight before you. His furrowed brows, quivering lip. Mumbles of ‘help me,’ and ‘leave me alone.’ Another nightmare.
You moved up the bed, gently pulling his head into your lap. He remained asleep, so you began running your fingers through his tousled hair, murmuring words of comfort.
“Eris, baby. You’re having another nightmare,” you said, tracing your thumb along his cheekbone. “Wake up for me. It’s alright. Just a night—“
“Don’t touch me!” Eris yelled as he startled awake, his hand clinging to your arm. A searing, white-hot pain sunk into your skin, eliciting a yelp from you.
Eris released your arm instantly, horror and worry painting his expression. “I—I’m so—I’m so sorry,” he told you, voice shaky, barely above a whisper.
You looked at the handprint-shaped burn on your forearm, wincing. Your words were soft, gentle. “You didn’t mean to. It’s alright.”
“I’ll go summon one of the healers,” Eris declared, rising from the bed.
“I’ll come with—“
“No. Just…just stay here.”
Eris left the bedroom before you had a chance to argue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The healer was in and out within a few minutes. The burn was deep, but between your Fae healing, and the salve they applied, it was already fading.
Eris sat on the edge of the bed the entire time, listening intently, but unable to watch. You crawled down the bed, wrapping your arms around him from behind.
“I am so sorry,” he breathed, not meeting your eyes.
“I am alright,” you reassured, brushing your lips over his shoulder.
“I hurt you.” His voice was pained, disgusted.
“We both know it wasn’t intentional.”
Eris still wouldn’t look at you. “My father—“
You moved to his side, lightly gripping his jaw, forcing him to meet your eyes. “Listen to me. You are nothing like your father. Not in the slightest. You are good. You are loyal, and protective, and loving and brave. You are nothing like him.”
Eris dipped his chin, tears brimming his eyes. You tried soothing him through the bond as you wrapped your arms around him. “I love you, so much. I love every part of you,” you whispered, your own tears falling down your cheeks. “I love you,” you repeated.
“I love you too,” Eris finally spoke, voice cracking.
You held him tightly. Listened to his broken weeping until it turned to slow, deep breaths. You pulled him against you in bed, resting his head on your chest. By the time you joined him in sleep, the golden sun was peeking through the curtains, birds singing in the trees.
— IN THE WAKE OF FLAMES. PT I
eris vanserra x archeron!reader
summary: even before you became fae, your favourite season was autumn. it’s a little hard to hide this when your least favourite newly appointed high lord has made it his life’s mission to be the most annoying male in your life.
a/n: not sure what this is but let me know if u want more lol
You’d think that hiding behind the Spymaster of the Night Court, a literal Shadowsinger, would allow you to blend in well enough to go unnoticed.
The auburn silk of your dress is a near perfect match to the grandeur of the Autumn Court ballroom you’re unfortunate enough to have to be in, and you tell yourself that the attempt at camouflage is the reason you were so drawn to the colour.
When Rhysand approached you and the rest of the Inner Circle with the invitation of a ball thrown by Eris to celebrate his newly inherited title of High Lord, your sister Nesta had dragged you out to shop for new dresses. You were adamant to wear an old gown until the dress caught your eye, the gold beads glinting in the light, almost mimicking a gently burning fire. The deep orange hue of the silk slip was muted ever so slightly by the sheer overlay, cinching at the waist before cascading to the ground and the wisps of fabric around your legs gave the illusion of sparks every time you moved.
Nesta had made a comment about the dress being perfect for Autumn Court and you had to physically restrain yourself from grimacing. You just liked the colour. It didn’t mean a thing.
Nesta and Feyre looked like perfect representatives of the Night Court and even Elain was donning soft shades of purple and blue tonight, a perfect embodiment of twilight. You loved your sisters, but you felt like you never quite fit in to the Night Court the way they had grown to. And you certainly felt like you stuck out like a sore thumb tonight.
Eris was definitely going to comment on the dress and you curse yourself internally, not having thought it through. He was jarring at the best of times, let alone a night that was solely dedicated to him. And you were dressed in the colours of his court.
You were extremely glad when Eris’ mother was the one to greet you all when you first entered the Autumn Court and not him. It allowed you to fully appreciate the beauty of his lands with unrestrained awe. Your sisters knew that Autumn had always been your favourite season, so the way you were so happy catching each falling leaf out of the sky was even more amusing to them considering they also knew how little patience you had for Eris.
That’s why you find yourself hiding behind Azriel’s wings tonight. As soon as you spot Eris making his way to greet Rhysand and Feyre, you sneak behind the Shadowsinger in an attempt to make yourself invisible.
“Seriously?” mutters the Illyrian, but he stays still for you all the same.
“Keep quiet,” you hiss, prodding him in the back. “You know very well how much he targets me. Gods, I thought he hated Cassian, but I seriously give him a run for his money.”
Mor, overhearing you, snorts into her cup. She creeps up next to you, lowering her voice to match yours. “You are so oblivious. He doesn’t hate you. He wants-”
“Might I interrupt the riveting conversation that I’m sure is going on behind the Shadowsinger’s wings?” you hear a voice drawl from in front. Your blood runs hot at being caught and you nearly burst into flames when Azriel starts to lower his wings, revealing you and Mor. She rolls her eyes at Eris’ attitude and walks away to talk to the pretty faerie in the green dress.
The years have softened the strained relationship between the Circle and Eris and none of them view him as a threat any longer. That doesn’t mean they find him any less irritating though.
Eris smiles at you when you cross your arms and clench your jaw, already feeling impatience with him bubbling up inside of you. He glances down at your dress and his lips quirk up a little higher. “Looking stunning as ever, Y/N.”
The others have already dispersed, and even Rhysand and Feyre have started to garner the attention of other important people they need to talk to. As they start to leave however, Rhysand speaks to in your head. Let me know if he’s bothering you too much. Just… try not to throw a plate at his face this time, please.
You glare at the back of Rhysand’s head. That was one time.
He doesn’t respond but you see his shoulders shaking with laughter for a millisecond before Feyre nudges him to behave in front of an Autumn Court official.
“Talking about me?” Eris asks, amused. You open your mouth to snap back at him, but notice the growing number of guests that are around the two of you now that the others have moved away. You bite your tongue for once. He is the High Lord now after all.
You plaster on a sweet smile. “Only good things… High Lord.”
Eris raises his brows at that, but chooses not to comment. He holds out his hand instead. “Dance with me.”
You’re about to laugh in his face and tell him absolutely not, but his request has caught the attention of a couple guests and they nosily look over in what you’re sure they think is a subtle way. “I’m a little tired. Sorry,” you say through gritted teeth, still smiling.
“Surely you’re not going to deny me such a small request on tonight of all nights?” he says softly, part mocking and part pleading.
You know for a fact he won’t force you to dance, but if you deny him in front of the other guests, it’ll undermine him and while you dislike him, you’re not that cruel. Plus, Feyre would probably have your head if you were to insult a High Lord in public. In private, she only ever laughs when you disparage him, but appearances are everything.
“Of course not,” you deadpan, reaching for his outstretched hand and trying not to react to the way the warmth radiating through his palm is warming your previously cold fingers.
He leads you into the crowd of dancing guests, placing his free hand on your waist as you rest yours on his shoulder, keeping a respectable distance. He rolls his eyes and tugs you forward so your chest is nearly flush against his own. When you glare at him, he merely smirks. “It’s a little hard for two people to dance when one of them is halfway across the room from the other.”
You hear a giggle from one of the guests near you and nearly whip around to glare at them. Eris catches the expression on his face and it’s as though he can read your mind with the way he’s holding back a grin. “My apologies,” you mumble, before lowering your voice to a whisper that only he can hear. “Smartass.”
“I do so enjoy your pet names for me,” Eris teases, utterly unbothered. Every time you interact with him, you swear to yourself you’ll keep a cool head. And every time, you fail. “I like your dress.”
You narrow your eyes at the compliment, but since he hasn’t actually said anything insulting or with a double meaning like he usually does, you don’t have anything to be annoyed about and begrudgingly accept the nice words. “Thank you.”
“You look ravishing in the colours of my court.”
You step on his foot.
He hisses in pain, but the grin doesn’t leave his face when he sees that he’s succeeded in irritating you.
“I didn’t choose the colours on purpose,” you say, defensively. “I just happened to like the dress.”
“You know, you often happen to like Autumn colours,” he muses, expression turning thoughtful and not in a sarcastic way this time. “Or any colour that isn’t of the Night Court’s fashion. Tell me, do your sisters know how you long to find someplace you actually belong?”
Your stomach drops and you feel like you’ve been doused in freezing cold water.
“I wasn’t aware you were a Daemati, High Lord,” you say, scowling. Eris furrows his brows at the title and spins you out before bringing you back in, this time a little closer than before. “You’re wrong.”
“Stop calling me that,” he mutters, a hint of impertinence in his voice. It takes you by surprise since you assumed he’d be revelling in all the glory, the power of High Lord coursing through his veins. Instead, he sounds like a boy being denied his favourite sweets. “Call me Eris again.”
“No.” You frown at him, pulling back slightly to meet his stubborn gaze. “We’re not friends. You’re the High Lord of Autumn now and I’ll be addressing you as such.”
“What, I’m High Lord now, so you have to respect me all of a sudden?” he asks, tilting his head.
“Yes,” you sigh, already anticipating this conversation taking a turn you don’t want it to.
“You have to be pleasant with me?”
“Yes.”
“Listen to my commands?”
“Yes.”
His smile turns wolfish. “Then I command you to call me Eris.”
“I can think of a few other things to call you, if not High Lord,” you mutter, careful not to allow any eavesdroppers to hear.
“And while I’d love to hear them, I doubt they’d be suitable for the delicate ears of court officials.”
While he’s exactly right, the way his eyes twinkle with mischief tells you that he’s insinuating a completely different type of unsuitable and your cheeks burn.
“Don’t you ever tire of being so wearisome?” you say, drily. His eyes soften ever so slightly as they scan over your face.
“Don’t you ever tire of pretending?” he asks quietly, meeting your eyes determinedly. You don’t bother asking him to clarify.
“Why can’t you just mind your own business?” You try to snap at him, but the way his words hit you deep have all the bite leaving your voice and instead you sound imploring.
Eris doesn’t answer your question and just keeps going as the two of you dance. “My mother wants me to tell you that you’re welcome to visit any time, by the way.”
“I’ll let Rhysand know.”
“She didn’t say Rhysand, she said you.”
”What?” You look up at him, shocked. That was probably the last thing you expected him to say, “Why in the world would your mother want me to visit? She saw me hurl that plate at your head last month.”
“Yes, and she told me I probably said something to deserve it,” he grumbles, but without any real malice when talking about his mother. It’s clear as day that he has nothing but love for the sweet woman.
“She’s a smart one, your mother,” you say, grinning at the thought of Eris being reprimanded. You catch him watching you without speaking and immediately frown, not wanting him to think you’re actually smiling at him. Which you definitely aren't. “I still don’t understand why she wants me to visit.”
Eris shrugs, although his eyes stray from yours, and he’s seemingly bored with the conversation as he looks down to the floor as your feet move gracefully across it. “She likes your attitude.”
“My bad attitude?” you ask, wrinkling your nose in genuine confusion.
“Passionate,” he corrects you, meeting your eyes again, and you find no traces of humour in them. “And ‘fiery’ as she called it. Don’t feel bad for not being able to always control your emotions in front of others like the rest of them. You’re allowed to feel.”
Any response you might have had is lost to nothing and the silence stretches as your heart feels like it’s slamming against your chest. It’s a mix of fear and something else with the way he’s looking at you and you suddenly need to be anywhere else.
Clearing your throat, you step back in the middle of dancing and lower your hand from his shoulder to smooth down your dress. Your other hand is still ensnared in his and it lingers there while he speaks.
“If you do accept my mother’s invitation, you don’t have to see me if you don’t want to,” Eris adds and you try and listen out for any veiled mocking.
“Why do you even care?”
At this, his lips quirk up almost involuntarily. Slowly, his fingers start to loosen up around your hand and he begins to let go, faintly trailing his hand down your own as he does so. Instead of stepping away, he walks closer, stepping to the side slightly to lean down so his lips brush against your ear in a way that makes your breathing erratic.
“My mother was telling me that she saw you practically light up like a forest fire surrounded by the trees. She feels as though you should be able to stay longer next time,” he says in a normal voice before lowering it to a whisper. “She also overheard one of your sisters call Autumn your favourite season.”
Before you can protest and, let’s face it, lie to him, Eris calmly walks away and you know for a fact that the smug bastard is smirking at the way he’s succeeded in getting under your skin.
There’s no way you’re accepting his mother’s invitation, as sweet a woman as she is. You think about all the possible ramifications and decide to push the thought in its entirety out of your mind.
Nothing good ever comes from agreeing to dance with Eris. It’s extremely similar to playing with fire, you think.