Nerd

( Feyre POV ) :

It was late as I quietly opened the door of the study.

Rhys hadn't come to bed and I suspected he was in here.

My eyes landed on Rhys standing in the centre of the room, but he winnowed right into his chair almost as soon I had seen him.

He casually straightened the lapels of his black jacket, painting the portrait of innocence.

"Hello, Feyre Darling," he said with a dazzling smile.

I quirked a brow, lingering by the door. "What were you doing?"

He waved a hand nonchalantly in the air. "This and that."

I shut the door carefully behind me, not buying his "this and that".

"You were doing something," I mused, inspecting the study around me.

Rhys laughed. "Is it so hard to believe that I was taking a look through the bookshelf?"

I let out a laugh in return, sparing my mate a glance. He had now tucked his arms behind his head and leaned back against the chair, his long legs propped up on his desk in front of him.

"You were definitely not anywhere near the bookshelf," I countered.

Rhys smirked. "Oh, yes I was."

I rolled my eyes. "When was the last time you picked up a book, Rhys? Really?"

His mouth curled wider. "Just now."

I sighed. I guess his pride wasn't worth the risk.

I gave up studying the room and instead rounded the desk. Rhys's eyes sparked as I kicked his chair back from the table and settled myself into his lap. His arms remained behind his head as I surveyed the papers lain out across the desk.

"Long day?" I asked.

Rhys hummed. "How was your day?"

"The usual," I answered. "I took Nyx to the gallery with me today. He enjoyed that. He even tried his hand at painting."

Rhys raised a brow in amusement. "What did you think?"

I winced. "It was... Interesting."

I let him into my mind to show him an image of Nyx's chubby hands covered in red and blue paint, and his work of art.

Rhys snorted.

I slapped his chest. "Don't make fun of him!"

"Our son's a natural," Rhys said, his mouth twitching.

I couldn't help but smile. "He just needs a little practice."

"Just a little," Rhys agreed.

I shifted closer, putting my arms around his neck.

"You didn't come to bed," I pouted.

Rhys uncrossed his arms from behind his head to rest one around my waist and the other on my leg, tugging me to him.

He pressed a kiss to my cheek. "I'm sorry. I got a bit carried away here."

"Doing what?" I pressed.

Rhys moved his lips across my jaw and nipped at my ear. "Work. Of course."

I tilted my head back. "You say that, but I know that in reality you were geeking out over that model of yours."

Rhys dug a finger into my hip, eliciting a hiss from me. "You're wrong," he said.

"Or," I said, my breathing quickening as Rhys pressed small kisses down my throat, "I'm right."

"So clever," Rhys murmured, his hand moving up and down my leg.

"You know," I began with a smirk. "You're kind of a massive nerd."

Rhys growled, pulling away from me to narrow his eyes at me. "I'm not a fucking nerd."

I poked his cheek. "So you're telling me that before I came in here, you weren't standing next to that model, gazing at the stars and pondering our very existence in this world?"

"I was doing no such thing," Rhys muttered, but his cheeks darkened ever so slightly.

I moved forward to rest my head against my mate's chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart beneath his clothes.

I had never asked him, but- "Tell me, why are you always looking up at the stars?" I murmured softly.

Rhys was quiet for a moment, his fingers becoming gentle on my thigh. "They fascinate me."

I brushed a kiss over the smooth skin at the base of his neck. "I know that, dork. Why else?"

He tightened his hold on me. "I'm a dreamer. I rule the Night Court, where the most spectacular stars lie. Do I need another reason?"

"I know that, too," I said, lightly pulling at his ear. "But... There's something else."

I felt more than heard Rhys swallow, my head resting under his chin.

His voice was hoarse when he spoke again. "Mostly," he breathed, "I think about my mother, and my sister. I think about where they went after they died. I wonder whether they're watching over me..."

My eyes burned at the pain and sorrow in his voice. The hope. The longing.

"Do you want to know what I think?" I whispered.

"Mm."

I let my fingers trail through Rhys's hair as I spoke. "I think they're in a better place. I think they see you, and they are smiling down at you. I think that they are so proud of the kind, honest, selfless male that you are and that they both love you so very much."

"Do you really believe that?" Rhys asked quietly.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't," I said truthfully. I lifted my head to gauge his reaction. His violet eyes burned with something unreadable, gazing intensely into my own.

I smiled and pressed a soft kiss to his mouth. "Come to bed," I said.

Rhys silently stared at me for another long minute, before he pulled me flush against him and pressed a searing kiss against my lips. A second one. And a third. Before touching his brow to mine.

"I love you so fucking much. Forever."

My mouth tilted up, still tingling from where they had been so lovingly touched by his.

I kissed his nose. "I love you more."

His eyes fell shut. "Not possible."

I tilted my head. "Does your heart feel like it's about to explode out of your chest right now?"

Rhys grinned smugly. "I make you feel like that?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, you prick. And you know it."

His grin widened. "I think I should wait for you to come and get me every night more often."

"My heart's stopped feeling like it's going to explode," I deadpanned.

Rhys chuckled and dropped a kiss to the top of my head. "I'm glad, darling. That might be very serious."

Gods, I was deeply in love with such a dork.

***

I finally got over my writer's block, yay!! That felt so good. And it only took me a month this time. I sat down and wrote this all in one go - I have no idea where the sudden motivation came from but all that matters is that it came eventually and I'm uploading again!!

To clarify, the model Feyre was talking about is briefly mentioned in acosf and honestly the idea of Rhys obsessing over it is kinda hot lmao.

I have exams in a week :'(( and I'm not looking forward to those. So I probably won't be uploading again for like another month since my exams go over three weeks. And if I do that's how y'all will know I'm procrastinating from doing much needed revision lol. Let's hope it doesn't happen.

Hope you enjoyed some fluffy Feysand XD please wish me luck in my exams *cries*

Love y'all,

Ayesha xo