Work Text:
"You're supposed to be in bed."
Nesta jumped at the voice, losing her balance on the counter top for a moment before grabbing the open cabinet door to catch it again. She hadn't been expecting the voice's owner to be home for several more hours. She peered over her shoulder slowly, a weight she hadn't realized had been there lifting off them as she eyed her mate.
"The healer said I could walk around if I took it easy." she said with a haughty shake of her head, trying to hide the slight guilt of being caught. Cassian leaned in the kitchen doorway, dressed in his leathers, the bright red Syphions on his hands catching the light as he crossed them over his chest. His hazel eyes were hard with anger, his mouth an irked line.
"Yes, if you took it easy," his eyes tightened "Climbing all over the counters is not taking it easy."
Nesta shuffled around, keeping one hand on the cabinet and moving the other to sit on her hip. She met his glare with an equally icy one.
"I wanted some tea and the maid already went home," Nesta set her shoulders and planted her feet on the cool granite of the counter. "It would be stupid to call her back just for that. I'm almost fully healed anyway, it's no big deal." The anger didn't leave his eyes.
"You could have fallen, or opened your wound. Almost healed is not the same as fully healed." Cassian pushed off the doorway, his long legs eating up the floor in the few strides it took to stand in front of her. He was so tall, his dark head coming up to her stomach.
"I'm fine," Nesta took her hand off her hip to run though his silky hair "Stop fussing."
Cassian sighed, looking up to meet her stare. The hardness in his eyes dulled but his mouth was still set in a harsh line.
Fussing was a nice way to put it. For the last week and a half Cassian had been almost feral with worry, refusing to leave Nesta's side for even a moment. He snarled and growled at healers and nurses and maids, anyone who got too close to his mate and he could take out his anger on. It was only last night when he snapped at Mor that Rhys firmly insisted Cassian get back to his work and leave Nesta alone to rest. Even then he stalled leaving this morning until the last possible minute, worrying about her bandages and pillows until Azriel had to drag him out of their townhouse to go on patrol.
Cassian wrapped his hands around Nesta's calves and slowly moved them up her legs over the soft cotton of her nightgown until he got to her waist. He tugged gently and Nesta let go of the cabinet door to brace her hands on his broad shoulders, letting him pull her down to sit on the counter.
"I can't help it," his eyes softened completely but a furrow formed between his brows "I just can't help it." His hands slid from her waist to the small of her back, pulling Nesta closer, Cassian moving himself between her parted legs to press their bodies closer together. Her own arms wrapped around his neck; she tilted her nose into the space under his jaw, breathing him in.
"I know, but I am a lot better. I don't want to be a distraction from your work. You promised." Nesta smoothed her hand down his back, making soothing circles. Cassian sighed again and pulled back enough to take in her eyes entirely.
"Let me see it."
There wasn't a bit of embarrassment in Nesta as she started unbuttoning the nightgown at her throat. The nightgown was worn for the modesty of the maid who was there earlier or in case one of Nesta's sisters stopped by to check in. Nightgowns were usually tossed away before Nesta and Cassian were close to being ready for bed so she normally went without one. She had nothing she wanted to hide from him.
When she got to the last button just above her navel, Cassian helped her push the soft cotton off her shoulders revealing the soft, creamy skin of her torso, her breasts tightening at the sudden cold of the kitchen. His eyes didn't linger on them, instead focusing on the finger-length, puckered pink scar beneath her right breast. His fingers pressed lightly into the tender skin and Nesta sucked in a pained gasp, the sudden breath causing even more pain.
"It still hurts?" Cassian's eye flicked up to hers then back down to her ribs, examining them more closely.
"Like a bad bruise but nothing worse than that."
It wasn't worse than that now, but a week and a half ago Nesta had been in such pain that she could barely remember what exactly happened to her. One moment she was in the Illyrian Forest with Cassian and a small group of warriors, searching for a band of thieves that had been terrorizing travelers. The next she was on the ground, one of the most excruciating pains she'd ever felt blossoming in her ribs.
Two days later Nesta woke up in one of the Illyrian cabins to her sisters and a nearly hysterical Cassian sitting by her bedside. Feyre was the only one calm enough to explain to her that their group of warriors had been ambushed by the very thieves they had been hunting and Nesta had been shot with a stray ash arrow. The arrow shattered when it hit her rib, fracturing the rib and sending splinters into her lung and surrounding muscle. It took the healer a awhile to dig out all the pieces, slowing down Nesta's clotting and healing too much. They weren't sure she would make it.
By the time Feyre had finished, Elain had calmed Cassian into deadly silence. Feyre and Elain quickly left the room, leaving Nesta alone with her mate.
"Cassian." Nesta had whispered weakly, extending a hand to him. He had such a haunted look, wide eyed and tight lipped. She wanted smooth her hand through his hair and tell him she'll be alright. His shoulders shook with something that could have been a sob and he rushed to her side, his knees slamming to the floorboards. He gently grabbed her hand buried his face in it.
"I thought I lost you, I thought you were gone. It was Hyburn and the Cauldron all over again. I couldn't protect you, I couldn't save you, I couldn't keep my promise." Cassian sucked in a shuttering gasp, Nesta's hand becoming damp with the tears she could feel he was shedding but couldn't see behind her hand and the curtain of his hair.
"Cassian." she whispered his name again, a comfort to tell him she's here, she's real. Nesta never thought she could be a comfort to someone. Elain was the only person she ever allowed in, and even then when Elain was upset the most Nesta knew to do was pat her back and blandly tell her it will be alright, not really knowing what else to say.
She gave him the time he needed to cry and rage, to kiss her lips and tell her she is his everything. She smiled warmly and told him the same.
Nesta shook her head to clear the memory. She looked up to catch Cassians's gaze and they shared a look of mutual love and wanting, Nesta's heart soared at the warmth is hazel eyes. She leaned in to kiss him softly, maintaining that look.
"I love you," she whispered into his lips, closing her eyes and melting into the kiss. "I love you so much."
Cassian hummed into her mouth, she could feel his lips curl into a smile. he wrapped his arms around her again, pulling her close but being mindful of her side.
"Don't think that you're off the hook for being out of bed. I'm still mad at you." Nesta chuckled.
"I'll go back to bed if you make me that tea." She smiled challengingly at him, raising an eyebrow.
"Leave the nightgown and I'll make you whatever you want." Cassian pressed a kiss to her collar bone.
"It's still going to be a few days before we can have sex," Nesta gasped, leaning in to his trailing kisses up her neck.
"Who said anything about sex? I just want to blatantly ogle your body in exchange for tea." He nipped her ear and she began to pull her arms out of the nightgown sleeves. His mouth returned to hers, the kisses turning hot and open mouthed before she had her arm out of the second sleeve. Cassian cupped her hips and started to pull her off the counter and on to her feet, the gown slipping to the floor.
"Tea," she said, pulling away and striding to the door. Cassian's eyes slipped to her backside then back to her eyes, restrained hunger in his eyes. "then a bath."
"A bath sounds great." His eyes dropped back down.
"Then hurry with that tea." Nesta smirked, turning the corner to go up the stairs.
"Only a few more days." Cassian groaned, the stove burner clicking.
Nesta smiled to herself.