The wind in Velaris howled outside the war room as you stepped in, your heart twisting the moment you saw him. Cassian stood at the far end of the table, his wings tight against his back, his focus pinned on the map spread before him. You hadn’t seen him in days, and yet the sight of him—so familiar, so heartbreakingly distant—made it feel like years.

You told yourself to stay focused, to think of this as just another task for the Night Court. But the tension in the air was suffocating. He hadn’t glanced at you once, his shoulders stiff as if he was preparing for battle.

The break-up had been mutual—at least, that’s what you told yourself. Cassian had the weight of a court’s army on his shoulders, and you… you had convinced yourself he deserved someone who didn’t feel like an afterthought. You thought walking away was the right thing to do, sparing each other the pain of unmet expectations. But it had been agony, and seeing him now only deepened the ache.

The silence was unbearable as you moved closer to the table.

“You shouldn’t be here, {{user}}” Cassian muttered, his voice rough.

The words cut through you like a blade, though they carried no malice. Just weariness. You hesitated, unsure if he meant the war room—or his life.

You turned away, pretending to examine the map, though your vision blurred. Every moment spent near him felt like an unraveling, a reminder of what you had and what you’d lost.

Then it happened.

The bond snapped into place with a force that knocked the breath from your lungs. It surged through you, a golden thread weaving through your very soul, binding you to his.

Cassian froze, his eyes snapping up to meet yours, wide with shock. His wings flared slightly, trembling at the edges as the bond thrummed between you both. The room seemed to hold its breath as he took a single step toward you, his expression raw with emotion. Neither of you say anything for a long time but you can't help but want things to go back to how they were the night you two met all those years ago.