I don't snore

(Rhysand POV):

I needed a break. A long one. Apparently having to listen to Cassian and Devlon yapping at eachother for what must have been the millionth time now was the ticket to my patience.

It was the same thing every time: Devlon flaunting his sexist views about the female Illyrians and Cassian getting pissed off as a result and taking every piece of enjoyment in pushing the Lord of the camp to the very end of his sanity, which might I add took up a very small part in his head.

I rubbed my inner temples with my thumb and forefinger as I managed to pull Cassian aside as Devlon took a very rare breath.

"I need a break," I voiced my thoughts frustratedly. "I'm heading home for the night."

"Yeah," Cassian echoed, sending a glare at Devlon over his shoulder. "You leave me with this bastard, brother." Resentment laced each word.

I clapped him on the shoulder, the indents on his leathers digging into my fingers. "Take a breather," I advised with as much humour as I could muster.

Cassian blew out through his nose and shoved a hand through his rough hair. "They're so backwards, all of them," he gestured with an arm around the camp. "Why shouldn't the girls train? They have legs, arms, wings - they are just as capable as the boys. If the girls want to train, they'll train. I'm going to make sure of that."

"They weren't raised to know any better, Cassian," I murmured.

Cassian turned his glare on me, and he opened his mouth to no doubt fire a response back at me, but all that came out after a long moment was, "I know."

Then, "They're still bastards," he let out.

My mouth lifted up slightly at the corners as I dropped my hand from Cassian's shoulder. "Aren't we all, brother." This got me a slight smirk in return.

I observed the camp around us, the camp that I had spent so many years in. "Finish up here," I said finally. "Do what you have to do. And get some rest," I added.

"Az?" Cassian questioned.

"I want him on the borders first thing as the sun comes up."

Cassian nodded. "I'll let him know."

Time to go home. I prepared myself to winnow just as Cassian said, "Tell Feyre that I miss her. And that I'm going to hug the shit out of her when I see her again."

A real, genuine smile filled my face. "Noted."

Cassian had been here for almost a month now, overseeing the girls' training and keeping Devlon in check. He would very rarely outright admit it, but he missed being in Velaris. He missed home. He missed his family.

My heart warmed as I thought of our family. We hadn't all sat together in a while. Cassian had been here in the camps, Azriel had been monitoring the borders, Mor was in Vallahan...

I had intended on bringing Feyre with me today, but Amren had beat me to it, needing my mate for something or other. I had known better than to question my Second. It most likely would have ended up with me having to listen to an earful or being kicked in the balls. Either one.

I noticed the soft look on my brother's face. "She misses you too. I'll check in."

With one last inclination of my head, I disappeared into the shadows.

***

As I entered my home, the first thing that caught my eye was Amren passed out on the couch. I smiled at the sight of the tiny female who somehow managed to look fierce even in her sleep, and I threw a blanket over her curled up body.

I trudged up the stairs and entered my room. My mate was sitting cross-legged on the bed, seeming very invested in the book that she was reading.

"Hello, darling."

She barely looked up, giving me a quick smile before returning to her book. No hello? Interesting. Either the book was very important or I was just very unimportant.

I threw my clothes off, getting into something more comfortable before going to slump on the bed.

"So..." I began, attempting to get a look at what Feyre was reading, but she sensed me and  turned her book away from my sight. So she didn't want me to know.

"What did Amren want that was more important than me?" I asked lightheartedly.

Feyre shrugged. "She wanted me to go jewelry shopping with her."

I couldn't stop my jaw from hanging. "Are you joking? I thought it was important and all it turned out to be was jewelry shopping."

Feyre smiled at me, looking up from her book at last. "Stop pouting."

She surveyed me for a second with her stormy-coloured eyes, and then proceeded to pat her legs in invitation.

I shifted closer and obeyed, settling my head into my mate's lap. She ran her fingers through my hair, brushing it off of my brow. "You're such a big baby," she said fondly.

I nestled closer. "I am when I get played by my Second in command. And my mate," I responded.

"I didn't even know until after you had left," Feyre said, turning a page.

"Hm. What are you reading?"

"None of your business," she said rather defensively, covering my eyes with her hand.

I raised my hand to my face and intertwined our fingers, bringing her hand to my mouth and resting a kiss on her palm.

"It is my business when my mate gives more attention to said book than me."

"Sorry that you're too boring," Feyre retorted.

I fished for a thread. "Is it, by any chance, smut?"

I immediately felt my mate's mental shields tighten around her thoughts and her cheeks visibly reddened. "Don't be a prick, Rhysand," she warned.

I grinned. "You always have been a terrible liar, Feyre Darling."

Feyre tried to rip her hand from my grip, ignoring me, but I held on just as tightly.

"I wonder how Cassian would react to this," I mused.

She slammed her book shut and fixed me with a heated glare. "Don't even think about going there."

I sighed and shut my eyes. "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me... As long as you tell me all about this book."

Feyre smacked my chest. "Don't make fun of me."

I took the opportunity to capture her other hand in mine. "Speaking of Cassian, he says he misses you. He also said that when he sees you again, he's planning on hugging the shit out of you."

Feyre laughed, playing with my fingers. "I miss the idiot, too." She moved down to rest her chin on my head. "How is he?" She asked softly.

"He's... As well as he can be," I answered truthfully.

"Something's on your mind," Feyre murmured. Of course she saw straight through me, as per usual.

"I don't like us all being so far apart for so long," I reluctantly admitted. "Takes me back to those fifty years when I could do absolutely nothing to see them..."

My mate dropped a kiss to the top of my head. "Don't dwell on it, Rhys. None of it is your fault. It's not anybody's fault. You need to send them out - it's a part of running this court."

"You always know what to say. Sometimes I wonder how I ever managed to get through five centuries without you," I joked, with a hint of seriousness.

I felt warmth travel down the bond. "Considering that I wasn't even alive just over twenty one years ago," Feyre scoffed.

I let out a laugh. "So you like to go for the older males, do you?"

Feyre broke into laughter, shoving me lightly on the shoulder. "And you like the younger females, prick."

"Female," I corrected.

"Oh? Who is this lucky lady?"

I decided to play along. "She's the most beautiful person I've ever laid my eyes on."

"Tell me more," Feyre said with a smile on her perfect face.

"Terrible sense of humour, even worse of a cook. She also snores very loudly," I listed with a smirk.

"I don't snore!" She protested, swatting at me.

I raised a brow. "I don't remember her as being an Archeron."

Feyre pouted. "Why are you here then? Go to this other female since she's so amazing."

"As you wish." I let go of her hands and began to get up, just as her fingers closed around my wrist. She pulled me back against her without any hesitation.

"I haven't seen you all day," my mate said, wrapping her arms around me from behind. "I'm not letting you go anywhere."

I smiled, burying my head in my mate's warmth.

"Tell me about your day," Feyre spoke quietly, her soft fingers trailing down the sides of my face.

"Mm. The usual, nothing new. Tell me about yours."

I felt fatigue overcome me as Feyre's thumb stroked over my mouth, her melodic voice drowning my entire being in a sense of peace. I let my eyes fall shut as Feyre said something about a big red jewel that Amren had eyed for almost an hour, and that she thought we should get it for her as a gift.

I embraced sleep, as my mate held me in her arms.

(Feyre POV):

"...Then I stopped by the Rainbow and bought a few more supplies to paint. I think you'd like these ones, I was planning on showing you when you..."

I stopped speaking as my eyes fell on my mate who was fast asleep, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

I couldn't help the smile that formed on my lips as I gently dropped a kiss to his temple.

I had planned on getting him dinner since I was sure that he didn't get a bite to eat all day at the camp, and he hadn't even brushed his teeth... And yet I still found myself pulling the covers up over his body and resting a pillow beneath his head.

Rhys stirred slightly, and my hands moved to tangle in his soft hair.

"I love you," I murmured into the folds of his raven like locks. "And for the record, I don't snore, prick."

I settled back against the headboard. With one hand in my mate's hair, I guided the other to reopen my book to the page I had been reading when I had been so kindly interrupted by Rhys.

I guess he couldn't interrupt me if he was asleep.

***

Heyyyy.....

Look, she's back after months of absence! Again..

Why do I feel like this always happens?? I'm so sorry, really, for disappearing for eternity again even after I kind of promised another upload.

College has been keeping me busy and I definitely wasn't ready for the jump from GCSEs to A-Levels - it's kind of mad. It only hit me after a few months when Boris stuck us in another lockdown and I had to do 2 months of online school and I was like ok, wow, so I'm super behind on absolutely everything.

That's pretty much my excuse right there hehe. I understand for all my og followers, if you're even reading this, that when I first started uploading I literally couldn't stop. But let's please also remember that I was in Year 9 then... I think? And that's when nothing really mattered to be honest and school was kind of unimportant, you know?

Like I said, I'm so so so sorry.

Anyway, how has everyone been the past few months? Be honest. No filter needed here - it's a safe space. Let me know in the comments if you feel up to it.

As always, if you have any prompts or ideas that you'd like me to write PLEASE DO LET ME KNOW - I would greatly appreciate it (I have no idea why I was yelling lol).

And I almost forgot, BIG ONE : I haven't read ACOSF yet :(((( I have been trying to get ahold of a copy ever since it came out and the special edition with the bonus Feysand scene has literally been sold out everywhere for the past month. So please, no spoilers. Although, I have read the bonus scene because I couldn't control myself lol and I have a feeling that my next upload will kinda be based on that so HEADS UP - be sure not to read that if you want no spoilers.

Also can I just comment how precious the gif right at the top is :(((( my heart is awwwwinggg so hard.

Ok, I'm done blabbing for now, I clearly missed you guys. If I'm not careful my a/n will end up even longer than the actual flippin thing that took me about a week to write.

I love you guys and bye for now!

Ayesha xoxox