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First Date
They met at a little restaurant beside the Sidra, and it had the night’s menu written in chalk on a board facing the sidewalk. Cassian was waiting at an outside table underneath a bright red awning when Nesta arrived. He immediately stood and helped her into her chair but instead of pushing her chair in he scooted the table closer to her. Cassian figured it was just easier than accidently shoving Nesta into the table. They each had a glass of wine and Cassian couldn’t help but stare at the beautiful female that sat across from him.
Nesta wore a simple lavender dress, with her signature long sleeves and beautiful neckline. Her hair was braided in a coronet atop her head, making access to her neck even more delectable. Her lips, Cassian thought were perfect. Nesta had painted them a flawless plum color and she had accentuated the cupid’s bow of her mouth. Nesta’s mouth, he wanted that mouth on him, all over him, every single part of him. Especially on his…
“Well?” she asked.
“Could you repeat the question?”
“No.”
No? What the hell had he missed while he was daydreaming about her mouth.
“You weren’t paying attention to a word I said so I just stopped talking.”
Fuck, he thought, but then Nesta smiled at him, a real smile. It was a rarity to receive anything expressive, much less a smile from Nesta Archeron.
“How was your day Cassian?” Nesta asked this slowly, as if she were talking to a small child so he rolled his eyes.
“Its perfect now that I’m here with you” he said with a crooked smile.
That’s a load of BS Nesta thought so she tried again. “How was your day?” Nesta looked at Cassian expectantly.
Cassian hadn’t thought that Nesta would really want to hear about his day but apparently, he was wrong. “Honestly, it was a long day. I had several meetings with camp lords and I argued with them until I was blue in the face.” Cassian shrugged at this. “Its hard to fight against a way of life and traditions but the females need to train or at least have the option too.”
“The girls aren’t training?” Nesta asked, leaning in closer and placing her elbows on the table. “What do they do then?”
“Females are made to bare more males. They also do menial tasks and their wings are clipped so that they can’t fly away.”
Cassian sounded exasperated. Nesta had no idea that Cassian spent a lot or even most of his days fighting for female rights. “I thought you only planned wars. I didn’t know you had an actual job.”
Cassian huffed a laugh. “I know its hard to believe but I don’t really like going off to war. I do however like knowing that we are prepared for it just in case.”
A little while later after they had had their dessert, Cassian and Nesta walked along side the Sidra. They stopped on one of the bridges that looked out of The Rainbow.
“So, I thought we could head down The Rainbow and take in the symphony that’s playing tonight.”
“You’d take me to the symphony?” Nesta asked Cassian.
“Of course. I enjoy it every now and then.”
“I didn’t think you even knew what music was, you keep surprising me” Nesta said with a smile. It was the second one that Cassian had earned that night.
“Well Nesta Archeron, I hope to keep surprising you.” Cassian held out his hand to Nesta and she took it, and then Cassian intertwined their fingers.
“Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!” screamed Elain Archeron as she ran into Nesta’s bedroom that same night with Feyre hot on her trail.
“How was it?” Feyre asked her elder sister just as Elain squealed and jumped on the bed next to Nesta.
Nesta, who looked dumfounded said “It was fine.”
“Don’t it was fine us Nesta, what was Cassian like?” Elain retorted, a little too loudly.
Nesta looked at Feyre, eyebrows raised. “Az gave her alcohol.”
“Ah” Nesta replied. “You’ve met Cassian Elain, how do you think he was?”
“On his best behavior. He seemed so nervous when I saw him earlier today. Cauldron, tell me he was good and didn’t argue with you the whole time.”
“He was surprisingly honest, and he took me to the symphony.” Elain and Feyre beamed at each other. “So, who told him that I’ve never been and always wanted to go?”
Feyre raised her hand, “I went to an afternoon play with him once. I mentioned that we didn’t have a lot of opportunity to enjoy such things in our later years, in the human realm. Cassian told me about the symphony and asked if it would be something that you would be interested in, and…”
“She said yes” blurted out Elain. “He looked so handsome when he dropped you off. Don’t you think he’s handsome, Nesta? Obviously, he’s no Azriel, but Cassian is still very nice to look at” Elain said dreamily.
“Rhys is handsome. Rhys is hot.” Feyre, felt the need to throw this ‘little known fact’ out there for her sisters to consider.
“We know” Elain said as she rolled her eyes. “But have you seen Azriel Feyre?”
“Have you seen Rhys, Elain?”
Both sisters then turned to Nesta.
“What?” she asked.
“Aren’t you going to say anything about Cassian?”
“Why should I? I know what my… I know what Cassian looks like and so do you” Nesta quickly amended and grimaced. Feyre had noticed her near slipup but Elain had not.
“Have you seen his shadows? The way they curl all over him, I wonder if they can”
“No!” Nesta screamed at Elain. “Do not finish that thought.” Nesta then turned to Feyre, “Go tell Azriel I am going to kick his ass for giving Elain a drink. Now both of you get out. Goodnight” she said with a huff, throwing both sisters out the door.
Nesta lay on her bed and thought of how Cassian had held her hand and kissed her cheek at the end of the night. She could tell he wanted to do more but she was glad that he knew she wasn’t ready yet. Cassian had also asked her to lunch tomorrow and she said yes. There it was, they just might be able to spend their time amicably, happy even. Nesta closed her eyes and smiled into the darkness as she fell asleep.