A Court of Love and Healing {ACOTAR}

As You Are

"Ugh, I can't do this Lucien", Elain whines softly, her face flushed beautifully and light brunette tendrils of hair clinging to her face from sweat.

He chuckles in his deep baritone and goes over to her, pulling a red ribbon out of his pocket and carefully weaving through her braid. His fingertips brush her cheeks as he pulls his hands away.

Elain's face flushes deeper. He side-steps her once he's finished and catches her gaze. "What?"

"Th-thank you."

"My pleasure", he replies and bows overdramatically, flashing a handsome grin before straightening up again. "I know you can do this Elain. You simply need to focus. Harness your fae strength and speed. When you see a trout, go for it. I notice that you seem to always second guess yourself and hesitate. Don't. You will learn and grow and know your own power. I told you, you are more than you let yourself believe. You need to believe in yourself", he murmurs, his face dangerously close to hers. Undertones of sandalwood, blood orange, and musk reach her nose, radiating off of his body with his natural warmth, which, despite being sweaty, still brings her entire being comfort.

"And I'm not just talking about fishing either. You have so much strength, will, warmth, kindness, and yes, power, within you. You just need to take the plunge and open yourself up. If you stumble or fall along the way, I'll catch you. As I mentioned, I've been there, I went through a lot of time where I despised even breathing, being here. It is okay to have hitches along the way. Nobody is perfect, and nobody is okay all of the time."

Elain shies away from his gaze, glancing down at the ground. Lucien very carefully takes her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tipping her face back towards his. His natural eye burns with restrained fire as he looks deep into hers, seeming to see straight through to her very soul as her breath catches in her throat.

"Lucien", she breathes out in a hushed whisper, every nerve in her body quivering and thrumming at his touch, needing him to be closer.

"Elain", he murmurs, his voice an octave deeper than it had been even moments ago.

Her body visible shudders as she places her river-dampened hands on his chest. It's smoldering with heat as if there is a fire raging just beneath his golden skin, like he is the very sun from the sky.

This time his breath catches and his throat bobs, looking from her eyes to her lips, his metal eye whirring softly. Words go unspoken for what seems like forever as they still, their bond simmering between them. Pulled so tight she thinks she might go absolutely crazy if one of them doesn't say something soon.

Lucien sucks in a breath. "I—"

"We—"

He smirks playfully and enticingly. "I like your start better. Go on", he chides.

"We should um...keep trying before it gets dark. I want to say I caught at least one fish with my hands."

"Is that really what you wanted to say, little mate?"

Elain shudders again, her face tilting forward, closer to his touch. "No", she admits.

"Tell me then, what's truthfully on your mind?"

Chewing on her lip, she nods softly, and he takes his fingers away from her chin. She immediately misses his touch.

"We are both imperfect, you're right. But maybe we can be perfectly imperfect...together. We got a bad start, and things have been rough and patchy. But I'm glad you persevered and never gave up on me. You really are a good male, Lucien Vanserra."

He smiles boyishly and blushes faintly, flattered. "Thank you, Elain."

"And speaking of imperfections, I think some of them can be beautiful", she says softly, reaching up and very lightly trailing her thumb down the lower part of his scar, beneath his left eye. "You are a gorgeous male, Lucien. Your unfortunate ordeal has not taken away from that. In my opinion, the gold of this eye only enhances your natural handsomeness. It's cruel beauty in the most regal way. Plus, the gold does go with your entire aesthetic", she smiles, that thumb stroking across the rigid bump of where his skin scarred over.