Chapter Text
In the next week Elain had moved in with Nesta, and they had either sold or gave away most of Tomas' belongings. Nesta was doing PT at Cassian's gym 3 days a week and he came to her apartment every night to help Nesta with her stretching and range of motion. Nesta had decided to go back to work the following week, after she had claimed to have been in a car accident. Elain was able to work her magic making her bruises on her neck, face, and body disappear.
Elain, Nesta found out, did indeed model for pin-up calendars. She'd taken in up a few months ago. This was something that her vintage design store now offered. Elain had also added a cute flower stand outside the shop too and all the bouquets looked very 1970s to Nesta, all orange and green like shag carpets. But Elain loved it and so did Azriel apparently, who had also taken up swing dancing. He took lessons weekly and had gotten Elain to join him. Nesta found it all very odd. Azriel had seemed so classic, like Clark Gable or James Bond, leaning against a wall, whiskey in hand. All Elain had to do was smile and he was swing dancing and dressing in zuit suits. Nesta shook her head. Cassian had laughed himself hoarse when Azriel once showed up dressed as Danny Zuko. Elain was taking him to a dance club she frequented, The Starfall, she was able to make lots of contacts and generate business for her store.
Tonight though, when Cassian entered Nesta's apartment, she was running a ballet bar across her living room. It seemed she was having trouble staying on pointe, Cassian had learned that that was the ballet she did where she was on the tips of her toes. "Okay, stand here" Nesta pointed to a spot on the floor. Cassian reached the spot and then Nesta's leg was nearly to his shoulder, she move her arms over her head to grab her toes. Nesta laughed "I'm not use to my shoulder partner being so tall. My ankle is supposed to be resting on your shoulder. Could you hold my leg tightly while a I try to bend and touch my other toe?"
"Yea" he heard the intake of Nesta's breath "too tight?"
"Yes, but don't worry I can breathe through the pain."
He loosened his grip slightly "No, Nesta if I'm hurting you, you have to tell me. There's no more I'll breathe through the pain nonsense. You and I agreed to honesty. I'm your physical therapist, if something is hurting you I need to know."
She nodded, "I know."
Nesta switched legs. Cassian was having a very hard time trying not to notice just how flexible Nesta was, this was going to be the death of him he thought.
6 weeks later...
Nesta was the prima ballerina in the production of Romeo & Juliet. Cassian had taken it upon himself to walk Nesta to her nightly rehearsals, and sit in the audience every night before escorting her home. He sat and he watched, the fluidity, and the gracefulness of her body was staggering. Nesta's allegro jumps were lithe and quick, her arabesque were completely straight and the lifts! Her partner Eris could toss Nesta into the air like a rag doll.
Eris was a tall, tan, ginger. He was muscular in a lean way, not hulking like Cassian. HIs jumps and spins were just as graceful. However Cassian found that the looks she and Eris shared seemed far too intimate for an audience. He watched Eris' eyes as Nesta was held in his arms. Eris' fingertips ran from her fingertips, down her arm, nearly grazing the side of her beast before finally landing in the crook of her hip, then he spun her away. Cassian didn't like this at all. In fact he hated it.
When practice was over Nesta pulled on a skirt and a sweater thing that just covered her arms and shoulders and then put on the highest heeled shoes Cassian had ever seen. She ran up the aisle to where he sat. "What did you think?" she asked breathlessly.
"How are you running in those?"
"These?" The nude heels were spiked, lean, and, sleek. "These are my favorite. I couldn't find them at home. It turns out I left them here. But what did you think?"
"I think you and your partner should have found a room, you looked very much in love" he grumbled but Nesta didn't seem to care or notice.
"Really? That's wonderful! So we were convincing?"
"Very. I, it, you looked in love. Haven't you ever dated your dance partner?"
"Eris and I have had flings before. Whenever Tomas and I took a break, Eris was there for me. Nothing ever came of it though. Why are you asking me this? Jealous?" She smiled and gave a slight laugh. Before Cassian could say, as a matter of fact I am jealous, Eris walked up.
"Some of us are thinking of heading to Rita's for a drink. Will you two join us?"
Nesta looked to Cassian, he would have given her the moon if she asked so he said "I'm in if you're in."
Nesta took Cassian hand in hers and said "We're in."
Nesta held onto Cassian tighly as they walked down the block and crossed the street, heading to the red neon sign that read Rita's. This was not Cassian's usual kind of place. it was filled with actors and actresses, singers, and dancers, and rich men in suits. Cassian wore jeans and a tight fitting black t-shirt to show off his arms. His wallet hand a chain that was connected to his jeans and although it was possible that he was the most handsome man in the bar, he felt like he was the guy from the wrong side of the tracks.
Everyone from Nesta's dance troop crowded around a few standing tables in front of the windows. Not the back of the bar like he would have chosen. Nesta handed him a long neck bottle and held a glass of white wine for herself. Cassian finished his first bottle quickly. Nesta gave him a questioning look before heading off to get him another. Eris appeared when Nesta walked away.
"Beer man eh?" Eris asked.
"Yea, whats your poison?"
"Scotch. Surprised?"
"Yea, I thought it'd be something fruitier." Cassian couldn't keep the malice out of his voice.
"Not all dancers are gay Cassian" Eris drawled.
"I realize that."
"Good, now I'd like to talk to you about Nesta before she returns.
Cassian lifted a brow, "go on."
"I can take over now" Eris said as if this explained why he had wanted to talk to Cassian.
"You can take over now?"
"Yes."
"Elaborate."
"You, Cassian are what Nesta needed after her accident (he winked at Cassian, as if they were in an inside joke together). I am what Nesta needs now. We are in the sam profession, run in the same circles, have lots in common. You see Cassian, I've waited a very long time for Nesta to finally free herself from Tomas, for good. I think its our time now. I appreciate all that you've done for her but..."
Nesta reappeared and said "What do you appreciate Eris?"
"Eris was just expressing his appreciation of me, for helping you get back in shape. He thinks that its time for that part of our relationship to end, for you to continue your recovery with him at the studio." He kept his irritation out of his voice and his fear.
"Oh..." Nesta frowned at this. "Do you think this is a good idea Cassian? Do you want me to do this?"
He wanted to scream no, of course not, but she'd just left a controlling relationship. Nesta needed to learn to make her own decisions. She needed to know that it was okay to go after what she wanted. She needed to know that she didn't need his permission. "Nesta, you need to do whats best for your recovery. Meeting with Eris could be a good thing, besided" he looked at Eris "I can always continue t meet you at night to help you stretch and keep up that range of motion."
Eris was glaring now and white knuckling his tumbler. "Is that necessary though? I could always finish her off at the studio."
Nesta looked from Cassian to Eris and said "I need some air."
"I'll go with you" Cassian said.
They stood together outside of Rita's and then Nesta took Cassian's hand and led him up the street.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"Home. I'm not ready to watch Eris get into a pissing contest with you over my physical wellness" she said and then stopped on the side walk. "Eris is the only other male to stand up for against Tomas." Cassian looked away, then back at her eyes, her steel blue eyes. "Tomas beat the shit out of him once, he found out that we had been on a few dates, when we were on a break. He found out I slept with someone other than him. That was the real problem, I suppose" she sighed. "Eris begged me to leave Tomas, before, during, and even after the beating. I didn't though, obviously."
"Why?" he asked.
"Tomas would have made things worse for Eris. They were already bad for me, but that was my problem. I didn't want anyone to take on my problems" she laughed soundlessly. "That must sound horrible to you, right? I wouldn't let Eris help me but here I've been dumping all of my problems onto you. I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing. I want your problems to be my problems. I don't mind taking on Tomas. I don't mind helping you. I love helping you."
"Oh" Nesta shivered. Cassian wrapped an arm around her, "lets get you home."
Nesta nodded.