Answered Dreams (ACOTAR | ACOMAF | ACOWAR)

Chapter ☆ Eighteen

Contrary to popular belief, Rhys was not totally helpless in the kitchen. And after he prepared eggs, toast, sausage, fruit and drinks for them, he arranged the food on a large silver tray. He looked at it. Something was missing. He sighed through his nose, his brows furrowing into a frown. He went outside one more time, plucking a rose from the garden alongside the house and put it in a tall, thin vase then out that vase on the tray. Then he poured some chocolate sauce into a bowl for the strawberries. Better, he thought. It looked pretty enough and smelled divine enough that maybe she wouldn't try to whack him to waking her up. And so Rhys, platter of food in hands, made his way up to their room.

Feyre sensed him before he opened the door, but it was the smell of the food that stirred her from her slumber. Her stomach grumbled for it and she swore she was salivating like a dog. How very un-High-Lady-like indeed. She didn't move from where she lay, but opened her eyes heavily as sleep fought to keep them closed.

He noticed her stirring and smiled down at her from the doorway. "Hungry?" Rhys asked, stepping further into the room, tendrils of steam still wafting from some of platters of food as he set it down on the unoccupied side of the bed, gingerly sitting down beside the tray as not to disrupt.

She smiled sleepily at him. "Ravenous," she purred as she stretched where she lay. She was still naked and well aware of it, and made an effort to keep herself covered for both of their sakes. She propped her head up on a fist, observing the feast before her and her eyes widened slightly. "You.... made all of this?!

"I know it's not much," Rhys said, dipping a strawberry in chocolate before popping the whole thing in his mouth, "but, yeah," he said a bit shyly, looking between her and the food. "I didn't know what you were in the mood for, so I made everything. Sausage, bacon, ham, pancakes, waffles, eggs, toast, fruit..." He listed off most of what was already visible.

Her jaw dropped slightly at the spread. If nothing else, Rhys was always able to surprise her. She looked at all of the glorious food but her eyes fell upon the rose in the vase and her other hand lightly traced the soft petals. "Not much?" she asked softly, a smile teasing at her lips.

He noticed her toying with the rose and smiled. He'd been right. The ensemble wouldn't have been complete without it. He knew she knew that he had a flare for the dramatic. This was was subtle. But he was glad she seemed so impressed. He felt pride swell in his chest at the look on her face and instead of answering, he dipped another strawberry in chocolate before stuffing it into her mouth. "Eat," he said simply.

And she did so, greedily. And every bit was as delicious as the next. Maybe it was because she was so hungry or maybe it was because he made it for her, but it was some of the best she ever tasted. And so she at in comfortable silence until he try was empty

Rhysand watched as she stuffed herself silly. He'd made sure to make extra food, just because he knew how exhausted and starved she must be. The silence between them wasn't an uncomfortable thing, never with her. It was a the kind of silence that held no tension or unsaid words. It was the kind of silence that settled over two people when they didn't need to speak to feel comfortable with each other. Rhys pulled his coat off, setting it on the nightstand before serving himself a small stack of pancakes, drenching them in butter and syrup.

She finally slowed her pace, knowing Rhys was still eating, and smiled slightly at her efforts. But now she was content, in so many ways. Her eyes met his as she took a sip of the juice he brought up with the food, and she leaned back slightly on the headboard. "So, is there any significance to a male bringing his mate food after a night of love-making?" she asked half-teasing, half-genuinely curious what else he had in store.

"Hm?" he said around a mouthful of food, looking up at her. He rolled his eyes, smiling and swallowed his bite of sausage, chasing it with a sip of the coffee he'd also brought up. He knew she was mostly teasing, but he answered that part of her that wasn't teasing. "There's no real significance in a male's offering of food. How males react to the bond has no real significance. We've always cared more what our mates," he said with a gesture toward her, propped against the headboard as she was, "thought... how they reacted to us. If they'd accept us as their other halves. Generally speaking, of course."

"Well, I hope I've done my part well enough," she gleamed, a twinkle in her eyes. Yes, she was content. "But the bond," she continued after taking another sip of juice. "My accepting it- the offering of the food... is that it? Is there no... officiating?" Her once human mind couldn't help but consider a pairing where a wedding wasn't necessary to make one husband and wife, but the High Fae... they were ancient. Perhaps they predated even those traditions...

"Do you want a wedding?" Rhys asked seriously, reading her thoughts He set his food down and wrapped his fingers around his mug of coffee, letting its warmth seep into him. He'd never given much thought to human traditions, such as weddings but, "There are ways of officiating a mating bond," he answered her spoken question. "It's the closest thing we High Fae have to weddings," he said honestly, looking at her over the rim of his mug as he took another sip from it.

Her heart beat in her chest as she held his gaze. "Do you?"

He held her gaze as he nodded, a slight dip of his chin. "I think.. yes. Yes." He repeated the word a second time more strongly. Because he did. He wanted to be bound to her in every way he could.

Whatever she was expecting as a response it wasn't that. At least there would have been some teasing her about her human mind, or her track record with weddings, but... Feyre's heart stopped before it began pounding furiously. "You'd marry me." Not a question, but yet..

"I'd marry you," he confirmed, holding her gaze steadily, unflinchingly. In a heartbeat, he would. He understood the significance of a wedding. It wasn't something he was raised to understand, but by sifting through Feyre's thoughts, he had an inkling of why humans coveted that tradition so.

Her eyes burned. Why such stupid traditions meant so much to her still, she didn't know. Perhaps she could blame her human heart. So she smiled, and nodded. "I want to get married."

"Then we'll be married." Rhys smiled up at her, a broad, genuine smile. He set his mug down and crawled up to sit beside her with his back to the headboard, taking her hand in both of his and absentminded stroked the back of her half with his thumb.

She leaned her head against his shoulder as he sat next to her, cherishing his presence next to her, the touch on her hand. A future. No matter what. "And I assume one of these days you'll have to return to your duties as a High Lord instead of remaining my personal bed-warmer," she purred. It was always easy with him- their ability to be playful and serious at once.

"Personal bed warmer?" He choked on a laugh, his head falling back against the headboard. "As much as I would love to remain your personal bed warmer forever, Feyre," he said, grinning, "I will have to resume my duties sooner or later. But not now. Not yet."

"They'll come looking for you eventually," she pressed, her stomach dropping at the thought of his Inner Circle pounding at the door while Rhys was pounding her in the bedroom.... and that thought alone made the blood rush to her face and her core simultaneously.

"Eventually. But I'm sure they've deduced that I'm very unavailable right now. Cassian especially." Rhys chuckled, both at the thought of Cassian and the others realizing where Rhys more than likely was and deciding to leave him alone, and at the blush blossoming on Feyre's cheeks.

She growled slightly leaning into him closer, almost possessive. Of course he'd have to go eventually, but she wasn't ready for that, not yet. She wanted as much time as she could have with him, responsibilities be damned.

He draped an arm across the back of her shoulders, rubbing her arm gently. He pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "I'm all yours for now, Feyre. No distractions," he purred, enjoying her reaction to the thought of his inevitable return to his responsibilities.

"Mmm," she purred in response, shifting slightly to press up against him, draping an arm over his stomach and entwining her legs with his as she nuzzled against his shoulder. "You are mine." Her nose grazed his neck and as she took in the scenes of him- she'd never get enough- she placed soft, gentle kisses on his neck.

"Mmmm," He mused as she curled herself around him like a snake coiling around its prey, pressing a soft kiss to his neck. His arm tightening around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. "Yours," he said softly, placing his index finger under her chin to tilt her head up so he could brush his lips against hers in the ghost of a kiss.