Bittersweet Sugar - An ACOTAR fanfiction

Chapter 3 - Night

That moment ended. It ended with Tamlin cursing her to the high heavens as he stormed across to where Rhys was hugging her gently. So gentle. So kind. So unlike Tamlin.
Tamlin ripped her out of Rhys' gentle arms and snarled.
"What in hell do you think you're doing?" Tamlin growled at her.
For once, Feyre didn't feel anything but cold, icy anger towards him.
"Whatever I want to," she replied simply.
"Well you better fucking get over yourself or you'll be sorry, Feyre. I hope for your sake you already are," were the harsh words that came from the mouth that had only this morning pressed against hers fiercely, lovingly.
Or was it just fiercely? Feyre couldn't recall.
"And I hope for your sake you leave before either Feyre or I make you," Rhysand threatened, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Where was the man who, barely an hour ago, she hated? Where was the man that loved her? It seemed as though they'd switched, Feyre thought humourlessly.
Like magic.
Enemy to defender. Protector to enemy.
Maybe Feyre didn't want to be coddled.
"She's mine and she'll raise no hand against me. I made sure of that," Tamlin snarled.
That was Feyre's breaking point.
Tamlin was transformed by anger, fuelled by adrenaline.
She would not let this continue.
Feyre advanced on Tamlin.
Two steps. Three. Four.

"I'll do whatever I damn please, considering you gave me these marks. Leave or you will regret it, Tamlin," Feyre sneered at him.
If he could be a lion,brave but rash, she would be a wolf. Deadly and silent. Not to be challenged. Cold but fierce.
Tamlin raised a hand to her, no doubt to continue what he had been forced to stop by guilt.
It didn't get within an inch of her. Rhys made sure of that.
A whispered word in his ear and Tamlin stalked back across the street. Retreating.
It hurt, although she should be glad.
Rhys led her by the hand into the back of Night Owl. On the way, Feyre noticed it wasn't as depressing as she thought before. The blonde wasn't there, but somehow Night radiated happiness and home. How hadn't she known this? This was better than Spring. Spring, with abuse and hatred, fake smiles and hidden bruises. Night was home. Night was happiness and love and protection. No. Not protection.
Freedom. The atmosphere had shifted in her mind. A small, true smile began on Feyre's lips.
Rhys must have noticed this, as he grinned in return, his smile matching hers.
"Coffee?" Rhys offered kindly.
Feyre looked at the order board - a black chalkboard with swirling designs bordering it- and blurted out the first thing that caught her attention.
"Stars Eternal," she whispered.
'Stars Eternal' was a caramel latte with Rhys' own special twist. Nobody aside from those who worked there knew the ingredient that kept customers coming back for more.
Feyre had had it once or twice back in the past, when she could afford one. It tasted like heaven on your tongue and was surprisingly priced quite low for a drink that great.
Violet eyes twinkled at her as Rhys passed Feyre her coffee in a Night Owl to go cup.
She surveyed it as she took a sip of the coffee - heavenly as always.
It was pure white and had the outline of a black owl against the background of midnight blue stars. The Stars Eternal Latte was what Night was famous for. You couldn't get anything like it anywhere else and no one was willing to cross Rhysand to make a knock-off coffee. Nor could they make it as good.
Feyre supposed 'Stars Eternal' was like her very own 'Spring Forward' in a way - it was what had made the small, not well known coffee shops stand out. She wondered if Rhys had designed the drink by himself as she did.
  Night Owl had been the first one to start a business here, though. Spring Sugar got as many negative reviews as positive, but Night Owl only received a few raving reviews.
  Lost in her mind, Feyre had finished her latte without noticing. Rhys was smirking at her triumphantly. She supposed it was ironic - she'd always been the one to serve the drinks and smile. Now, Feyre was having a brilliant latte (well, she had finished it) and blushing like a schoolgirl. School. Feyre had an art project due in two days but in all honesty, it didn't matter right now. Nothing mattered but the lingering taste of heaven on her lips and the genuine smile on Rhys' face.
"I thought you would get that one," Rhys admitted quietly.
Feyre's curiosity peaked at that whispered sentence.
"Why?" she asked, her quiet tone matching Rhysand's.
He looked deep in though for a minute until he confessed calmly," You remind me of the stars."
That sentence unraveled her and remade her.
It was just six simple words and it meant more to her than anyone could imagine. Feyre had always loved the night (she'd been born on the longest night of the year after all) and never stopped painting it. She would wait until the blue sky was replaced with a galaxy of stars and the occasional planet and inky blackness.
She'd stay up until dawn was upon her and past it. Sunrise and sunset, day and night.
Her favourite season had always been winter.
Not summer, with stiflingly hot temperatures and long, boring days that drug on for what felt like an eternity. Not spring, ice just retreating, life struggling. No true love was there for that. Definitely not autumn. Falling leaves were beautiful to paint but the colours just reminded her of blood. Red has so many shades. Dark red like crusted blood. Fresh scarlet from a recent wound. Blood turning lighter when it dried on her uniform. Always winter. Winter, with snow that was icily beautiful and nights that never really ended. Short days and long nights. Spring had never been right for her.
  Maybe Night would be.