Bittersweet Sugar - An ACOTAR fanfiction

Chapter 4 - Era

The end of an era. The beginning of a new one.
That was what quitting Spring Sugar and starting at Night Owl meant to Feyre Archeron.
Feyre took a shuddering breath and prepared to face Tamlin. An enraged Tamlin.
Rhysand had offered to come with her, of course, but Feyre had declined the offer with a heavy heart. This was something she needed to do on her own.

  It was freedom. It was release. So why did it feel as though her heart was being ripped to shreds as she made her way across to Spring?
Feyre had no idea. It wasn't like she was fully ending everything right now - there were so many details that needed to be worked out.

She just.....needed time. Space. A life of her own, not dependant on anyone. And she'd get it when she finally opened Spring Sugar's glass door and told Tamlin she was quitting.
Feyre's traitorous hand wouldn't open the door to the establishment that had caused her such pain. Her very soul rebelled against the prospect of entering Spring again.

But she had to. She had to. Feyre took a breath and pushed the decorated door. Tamlin, eyes heavy with regret and hair tousled, jerked his head up at the ringing bell to alert him to a customer's presence. A sunny smile bloomed on his face as he beheld Feyre awkwardly standing there.

The patrons had left. The staff were gone. Tamlin and Feyre were alone and it was terrifying to her - but not to Tamlin. No, Tam grinned like a wolf and exclaimed,"Feyre! I knew you'd come back! I'm sorry, I really am, but you forgave me, thank you. I love you."

Feyre winced. The memories of that cruel beating were still fresh in her mind. For a few seconds, she wanted to forgive him. She wanted to come back to Spring. Then Rhysand's nervous but hopeful face appeared out of the best place in her mind and she held her head high and set Tamlin straight.

"No, I'm not coming back. The opposite. I'm quitting Spring Sugar and I'm quitting us. As if it wasn't clear enough, Tamlin, we're done. Don't contact me again," Feyre spat angrily.

Her ex looked like a kicked puppy. "Bu-but Feyre. How will you support yourself? Your sisters? Stay on until you find another job, at least. And please, Feyre - if you do one thing for me, don't give up on us. You're the best thing that ever happened to me. Please."

Feyre turned her face away, hiding her irritation. "I've already found another job. It's well paying. Thank you for what you did, but we...I can't be what you want me to be."

Tamlin's expression turned from defeated to enraged in half a second. He rounded on Feyre, towering over her. Her arms were pinned by his own and rising panic overtook anger. Shadows darkened his handsome face and he whispered,"Did you really think you could leave me? I've done everything for you, Feyre."

Feyre's blood heated at that whisper. But not in the way it usually would have. No, this was in anger and pain and fear. Breathe. Think. You cannot be trapped, you are freedom. You are not protected, you are loved. You will be free.
She ripped her limbs free of the beast that was Tamlin. "Don't. Touch. Me." Feyre pushed him back further with each word. A snarling wolf.
A freed snake. A calculating, cold fox.

Tamlin hasn't been expecting that - and it showed. Surprise made him not attempt to stop Feyre's motions and instead gape at her. All he'd wanted was a trophy wife - Feyre was not that. Feyre was too angry, too damaged, too broken for that. Still smarting, still icy, still in pain.

Pain that Tamlin had caused time and time again. Pain that Feyre wouldn't allow to break her, demean her, kill her again. Feyre was dead - her former personality at least. Dead and broken and Feyre was sure she could not heal that quickly. But Rhysand.....
Rhysand had stirred something up in her cold, icy heart. Rhys had made her come alive again.

Rhys had stood by her and Feyre would not let that go to waste. She calmly said,"You don't own me, Tamlin. We're not a thing. You're not my boss. So listen to me when I say I am quitting because that's exactly what I'm doing."
Tam just gaped at her, paralysed with shock.
His trophy had just cut him and he was surprised. Surprised that Feyre had finally stood up for herself after so long.

Feyre turned on her heel and walked out of Spring Sugar with her head held high and her mind blank. Rhysand was outside of Night Owl, pretending to act casual while his eyes searched for her. As he found her, a smile graced his handsome face. A genuine smile, not a smirk or a grin. A real, true smile.
Feyre thought it was easily one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen.

That urge to paint, paint, paint had resurfaced stronger than ever. Paint Rhys, with that genuine smile. Paint the blonde who reminded her of sunshine. Paint the night sky until she was sick of it. She never would be. Never.
Rhys was the night, the blonde was sunshine...
So Feyre was the stars. Stars Eternal. The moon. Yes, that fit. Rhys was the night, that blonde was the sun so Feyre was the moon and stars. That would be a beautiful image to paint.

She crossed the road and enveloped Rhys in a bone crushing hug, just needing to be near him. Feyre had noticed how Rhys never failed to keep her safe. Keep her happy and contented. Probably just kind gestures but Feyre almost dared to hope they were something more. Not that it wasn't
enough - what Rhysand was doing for her was far too much even now. She was nothing, was worth nothing.

Rhys seemed to sense her thoughts and murmured,"You are not nothing. You matter, Feyre, no matter who has given you the idea that you do not. You matter to me."
Feyre's heart broke and rebuilt and swelled with affection and -dare she say it- more than friendly love.