#Wall Mural Decals

[vinylboy80]

[wallmuralsideas]

https://wallmuralpro.etsy.com/listing/1031361097/green-graffiti-mural-graffiti-wallpaper

[kuku-doodles]

Transitional Kids Chicago Example of a sizable transitional kids' room with white walls and a brown floor and medium-tone wood flooring that is gender-neutral.

[signshopjacksonville]

Professional Wall Mural Installation Services

People are attracted to art. It makes the world more interesting. We like something to be visually appealing; we want to be around them and know why people chose that particular piece to display. Turn your business into a work of art with a custom wall mural, and watch how many people you attract!

Here at Jacksonville Signs & Graphics, we understand what people like and how business owners can leverage beautiful designs to get customers through their doors. We love helping local business owners in Jacksonville because, like you, we are business owners ourselves. We put the name of our city at the forefront of our business because we want to see the entire community thrive.

To learn more about your custom signage solutions, call us at 1-904-746-4676 or message us, and we would be happy to discuss potential ideas during a consultation.

Decorate Your Business with Style

As important as a well-made design is, installation is equally crucial. If you want a wall mural for your business, and the finished product is not installed correctly, it reflects poorly on you. People will wonder why you had shoddy work done, and what other shoddy practices you employ in your business.

Wall mural installation has to be done right. It is not rocket science, but it is not easy either. With a team of experienced professionals that do the job day in and day out, you can feel comfortable knowing your final product will look exactly how you envision it.

What Other Options For Wall Decorations Do I Have?

We understand wall murals are not for everybody; there are many other ways you can decorate your walls. Office managers love the benefits they see when they decorate their walls with motivational quotes and mission statement signs. We offer wall decal printing and create wall decals for businesses, offices, venues, and more. With different custom colours and shapes, you can create a collage on your walls, or keep it simple with wall graphics placed tastefully around your shop or office.

Our wallpaper service is another option. Our wallpaper products are easy on your budget, and a good option if you are looking for a permanent solution. With all the designs to choose from, you can decorate your business elegantly and create a vibrant environment everyone will enjoy.

Jacksonville Signs & Graphics: The Wall Mural Specialist You Can Rely ON!

If you are looking for wall murals or custom wall decals, do not hesitate to reach out. We are here to answer your questions. We have helped many businesses in Jacksonville, FL, and we are available to assist any business ready to make the call.

Call us at 1-904-746-4676 or contact us online. Do your business justice, and show how creative you are with a wall mural designed specifically for you!

Source: https://jacksonvillesignsandgraphics.com/professional-wall-mural-installation-services/

[blackfiresigns]

Improve Your Company's Appearance With Amazing Feature Wall Graphics

Corporations choose to present themselves in different ways. Some aim to create an impression of strength and stability, while others go for something more fun or whimsical. One appearance most companies would rather avoid is bland and boring. Using well-designed wall graphics in reception or waiting areas, boardrooms, and other key locations can turn an uninteresting lobby or room into an inviting, welcoming space for visitors and staff.

Effective feature wall creation consists of three things: Selecting the content, choosing the right materials, and employing appropriate design components.

Selecting the Content

Customized Wall graphics, while often used to break up the monotony of a dull blank space, can also serve other vital functions. They can help to reinforce your company’s brand image in the mind of visitors.

Feature walls can help create the mood you want your clients and employees to experience. Playfulness, dependability, warmth, tranquility, and well-being are all impressions that using the right graphics and materials can create.

A custom wall mural can also be informative. Imagine somewhere visitors might have to wait for a few minutes, such as a reception area or meeting room. A custom wall mural with photos depicting the development of the local area, with accompanying text providing some information about your company, gives them something interesting to read while they wait.

Choosing the Right Materials

Custom wall graphics or vinyl decals featuring photographs, landscapes, text, and abstract designs might be one of the first things we think of when considering adding a feature wall. They can be used on their own with great effect, but in many cases, they can be enhanced with other forms of signage. For example, a textured mural giving the appearance of stone, brick, or timber might make a great backdrop to an aluminum dimensional sign or an acrylic one bearing the company logo in a reception area.

Employing Appropriate Design Components

Many design components go into making a great feature wall. The following are a few:

Colors: Certain professions and industries seem drawn to particular color schemes. Many legal firms favor maroon, powder blue, and gray. Simple black and white suggests a clinical atmosphere and is popular with doctors and dentists. Bold, bright, rainbow colors are often associated with child-focused enterprises. Of course, you don’t have to adopt these color schemes; they are just examples to show that color choice is vital in creating the desired impression.

Lighting: If you combine a wall mural with a dimensional sign or other 3D design, backlighting or halo lighting can create an impressive effect. The design of the feature wall and room lighting should be considered together.

Scale: Images and components must be the right size for the space. Too big will be overpowering; too small won’t look good, either.

A wall doesn’t need to be just something to hold your office ceiling up. With imagination, it can become a great promotional asset for your corporate office. It can create the right impression for visitors and employees. If you’d like to discuss how we can help create an outstanding feature wall for your corporate office space in Atlanta, GA, contact Blackfire Signs today.

Source: Click here to know more about customized wall graphics or vinyl decals.

[globalcreativeshop]

[peelandstickwallmurals]

About Peel and Stick Wall Murals

Peel and Stick Wall Murals is a leading business specializing in the creation of exceptional peel-and-stick wall art, designed to transform your living spaces, offices, and commercial venues. Our wide selection of designs encompasses abstract, modern, and traditional styles, all meticulously crafted with premium materials and techniques.

At Peel and Stick Wall Murals, we take pride in providing personalized service, ensuring that every client's specific requirements are met with utmost care and attention. Our team of talented artists and artisans boasts extensive industry experience, dedicated to delivering products of outstanding quality and value.

Beyond our bespoke design services, Peel and Stick Wall Murals offers an array of ready-to-order items, including canvas prints, framed prints, and metal prints. With convenient delivery options, these pieces can be shipped directly to your home or workplace in various sizes and styles.

Our commitment at Peel and Stick Wall Murals is to deliver the highest standards of quality and service, while creating stunning, timeless artworks that elevate any space. Whether you seek a ready-to-order item or a custom design, our expertise and creativity will bring your vision to life.

Experience the difference with Peel and Stick Wall Murals, where artistic expression meets convenience and style.

For more details read our blog posts

Website: https://peelandstickwallmurals.com/

[jessartdecoration]

Identify When to Use Wall Decals

If you're looking for a way to spice up your walls and make them more personal without breaking the bank, Wall Decals are the perfect solution. You can find a wide variety of designs, shapes, sizes, and colors for your walls, and they're easy to apply and remove!

Identify When to Use Wall Decals

The first time you consider using wall decals, ask yourself these questions: Do you rent your home or apartment and need something temporary to give it a fresh new look? Or do you want to change the feel of your bedroom or office space from time to time, but you don't have the budget or the time to commit to a DIY project?

1. If you are going to be removing or repositioning the decal frequently, choose a low-tack adhesive. This will allow you to peel away the decal easily and reuse it a few times before its adhesive dries up, making it more durable and less likely to tear than a higher-tack adhesive.

2. If you are going to be storing the decal for an extended period of time, pick a vinyl that has an extra layer of backing. This will help ensure that the decal doesn't stick to itself and tear during a storage process, especially when trying to remove it from a hard surface such as a wall.

3. If you are going to be applying the decal to a non-porous surface such as glass or mirrors, use a water-based adhesive. This is more durable than a standard adhesive and will avoid any cracking or discoloration.

[zarvox]

Zarvox offers thousands of wall graphics. They also provide wall art, Wall murals, canvas print, poster print, and wall signs all come together to transform any environment (indoors or outdoors) into intriguing, beautiful spaces. Contact for any query: 858-598-5061

[craftsignworks]

Automotive, Car Decals & Stickers for Windows. Craftsignwork helps with the Custom Decals For All Your Business Needs Take your business to the next level by having vibrant, fully customized Auto Body Decals for advertising. Visit our website. https://bit.ly/3DmgWcO

[wallmuralsideas]

https://wallmuralpro.etsy.com/listing/1099827426/art-wall-paper-graffiti-for-kids-bedroom

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Granted, this looks like a lovely 1877 second empire townhouse with a Mansard roof. It's in Minneapolis, MN, has 1bd, 1.5ba, and is listed for $1.2M + $1,029mo HOA (which really surprised me).

This is no ordinary townhouse. Walk through the cathedral-like doors and to the right is a small bar and wine rack.

And, to the left is this magnificent dining room under a dreamy carved wood pavilion with a painted ceiling.

But, that's not all. Check out the natural looking stone wall. And, the description says that it could possibly be an old tunnel that was sealed. (I would have to take a sledgehammer to it, then.)

Have you ever seen a fancier powder room? Fabric is on the wall in an assortment of carved frames with a mirror to match. The sink base is an intricately carved wood piece with a marble top. The faucet looks like a gold swan drinking from a large crystal bowl. Wow, I know I would chip that sink.

The casual living/family room features a brick wall with an arch and shelving. The rest of the room has lovely tall wainscoting and beamed wood ceilings. It also has stained glass upper windows.

The everyday dining room is right outside the kitchen.

Have you ever seen a kitchen like this? The wood countertops have flowers painted on them. Just noticed that's an Aga stove. (That size costs about $23K.)

The backsplashes over the stove and sink are detailed mosaics.

Even the little nook by the coffee bar has a mosaic backsplash.

The home is on 3 levels, so it's difficult to determine what floor this room is on. As you can see it's very elegant, very pink, with lovely white wainscoting, a magnificent fireplace and gold accents.

It looks comfortable and sunny, though. Love the chandelier, corbels and decals on the walls. (I'm not into tapestries, however.)

The owner commissioned a muralist to paint the stairwells. Note the fancy doors.

There's only 1 bd. and it has murals of the mountains of Japan, plus woven walls to make it look like a Minka, a traditional Japanese home.

Check out the entrance to the en-suite guarded by Fu Dogs.

The black granite tub has a big dragon head faucet. Wow, this is insane. Look at the floor and the wood walls.

Even the pattern in the shower looks like mountains.

Behind the doors there's a washer and dryer.

The sink vanity looks like an antique Japanese bureau and look at the private room for the black toilet.

You get 1 garage and 2 open spaces.

That's the Mississippi River across the street. It looks like there's a rooftop deck with sun rooms, too.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8-Grove-St-8B-Minneapolis-MN-55401/1913645_zpid/

[buttercupagere]

design your dream playroom prompts 📐

some questions to think about if you’re designing your dream playroom :)

🖊️ how big is it? small-ish, like a walk-in closet? medium, like a bedroom? large, like a living room? maybe huge, like a castle? be as creative as you want! it doesn’t matter if it’s unrealistic.

🖊️ what color are the walls? are they all the same color? are they lots of different colors? are there any decals on them, or a mural?

🖊️ what’s decorating the walls? framed pictures? mirrors? is there a sensory wall?

🖊️ what does the floor look like? hardwood, tile, carpet, foam playmat? if there’s a rug, is it shag, fluffy, or something else? what color is it? are there sensory tiles?

🖊️ describe the lighting. is it bright or dim? how many light sources are there? can they change color? are there fairy lights? ceiling lights? lamps?

🖊️ are there any windows? how many? how big are they? do they have blinds or curtains? what can you see outside the window?

🖊️ what storage is there? a toy chest? shelves? little bins? folding boxes? is there a ceiling net for stuffies?

🖊️ does the room have any fun features? a sensory swing? a fort? a play kitchen? a dollhouse? a pirate ship? a jungle gym? a mobile? a rocking horse?

🖊️ what kind of toys are there? stuffies, dolls, blocks, racecars, playmobil, fidget toys?

🖊️ is there a table? what does it look like? what do you use it for? slime, arts and crafts, legos, snacks? are there chairs at the table, or mats on the floor?

🖊️ is it a magical playroom? are there talking animals? toys that come to life? fairies that hang around and sprinkle pixie dust? is there a portal to another world? or a crystal ball that can show the future?

if you want, you can draw this playroom. or build it in minecraft, or out of legos. someday maybe it can become real!

[moonbiscuitsims]

Cyberpunk 2077 "Valentinos" Wall Deco TS4 Download

130 Swatches of graffiti, decals, murals, walls, and misc decor from El Coyote Cojo bar and Heywood area of Night City, 18+ themes.

All decals without text have a mirror flipped version to make your own symmetrical layouts: (I realise one is accidentally not the flipped one in the screenshot but in game it does have it 😅)

Also included Misc Decor from El Coyote Cojo bar, the "collectible" posters from Jackie's garage, the Cyberpunk 2077 Valentinos poster and some random Tainted Overlord posters.

The woohoo symbols are just there to censor the images in case my tumblr somehow gets flagged. The art includes mature themes. (I apologise if I missed anything it is hard to see sometimes with all the graffiti and im getting tunnel vision)

Phew that was a lot choombas. This took a long time and lot of effort so please respect my TOU :D There's a readme in the download folder if you're interested in knowing more info about the files. Included a MERGED file.

They are base game compatible and don't require any mesh. They're in Wall deco and you can find them by typing "moonbiscuitsims"

DOWNLOAD (realised i forgot to add the link 😅)

All Decals are resizable and can be raised :) some look better sized down or up, or on different colour backgrounds. All art was taken from the game or from the game concept art. I hand painted some of them to improve them or do them from scratch, or added paint effects to make it look less photo-ish, and some I left mostly as they were.

Thank you so much to @hamsterbellbelle for showing me the right and quick easy way to do this project, though I still took literally forever and had to re do so many things but I'm very happy with it even though it is my first ever wall deco. And sorry Jackie for forcing you to be a reference but "once a Valentino, always a Valentino, chico".

[stillwintering]

All's Fair in Love and Politics (a modern Nessian AU - where Rhys is running for president)

Summary: In the ruthless arena of politics, victory demands risking everything, even one's own heart. Rhysand has his eyes on the presidency. Feyre convinces her estranged sister, Nesta, to join the political campaign. Nesta and Cassian find themselves forging an unexpected bond as the campaign intensifies. But can their budding romance survive the treacherous waters of modern political warfare?

Read on AO3

Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 / Chapter 5 / Chapter 6 / Chapter 7 / Chapter 8 / Chapter 9 / Chapter 10

Chapter 11

"I have it on good authority," said Azriel slowly. "Kallias is intent on staying in the race through the fall debate cycle."

Rhysand looked up from the papers in front of him. The muscles in his jaw feathered. "Does he have enough funds to sustain him until the Iowa Caucuses?"

Azriel nodded. "It seems his strategy is to split the anti-Thesan block of the party -- prevent us from consolidating the votes."

Rhysand leaned back in his office chair, his head tipped towards the ceiling. "I see," he sighed.

Cassian hummed to himself in the corner of the office, crumpled into a small chair. "You don't suppose..." Cassian's voice trailed off.

"Kallias knows he doesn't have a pathway to victory," Azriel supplied. "It's personal. For him."

Rhysand dragged his hands down his face, looking suddenly more ragged and tired than ever before. "I was afraid that was the case." His violet eyes were dark.

Cassian looked down at the worn carpets. "This is my fault," he whispered, "it was my operation in Herat that killed his men."

Both Azriel and Rhysand bristled immediately.

"Cass, don't --"

"It's really not --"

Cassian stood, pulling himself to his full height. "I made a bad call, Rhys," he said. "Now you are paying the price."

"No, you made a strategic choice," replied Rhysand. "I was the one in the field with Kallias's platoon. It was -- " his voice faltered, "I made the bad call. I am responsible for their deaths. Kallias is right to blame me."

The air in the small office turned thick as if the war had never ended. Cassian let out a shaky breath.

A sharp knock at the door broke the silence.

"Rhys, I need you to look at these polling numbers from -- " Nesta stopped. "Am I interrupting something? I can come back."

Cassian turned towards the door, his posture stiff. He frowned, eyes downcast, a man haunted. Azriel's face was blank, but his skin looked ashen.

Rhys recovered first. "I think we are done here," he said, clearing his throat.

Nesta shifted her weight, eyes bouncing between the three men, the skin on her back tingling as if something terrible had happened. "I can come back," she repeated.

"What about the polling numbers?" Rhys waved her in.

Nesta hesitated. Azriel looked at her blankly. Cassian refused to look at her.

"You would tell me if there is anything for me to know, right?" she asked, steadying her voice.

There was a beat -- she felt it. Azriel blinked. Cassian looked stricken. Rhys clenched his jaw.

She entered the office and placed the new polling numbers on the desk.

Rhys nodded stiffly. "Of course."

---

Tortilla Coast was a Capitol Hill institution -- an unassuming Tex-Mex restaurant just blocks from the Capitol Building and one block from the Cannon House Office. It was possibly the absolute closest restaurant to those seats of power, and everyone, really everyone, went there.

The windows are bedecked with decals promising "MARGARITAS" and "BBQ RIBS"; inside are worn vinyl booths, neon beer signs, and murals of leaping fish on walls of deep red and acid green. The interns showed up in droves every afternoon for cheap drinks and free chips and salsa. Yet, it was the unlikeliest power hub in town, one of Washington’s busiest venues for political fundraisers and power dealings.

During happy hour on a crisp September day, Tortilla Coast was practically bursting at the seams. Nesta begrudgingly followed the Starborn office staff to the promise of mediocre tacos and cheap beer.

Amren surveyed the clientele with a practiced eye.

The Capitol Hill set came here to be seen -- power plays were set in motion, alliances were soft launched, and deals were announced. By the door, Thesan Morgenstern was holding court. A gaggle of eager political underlings around him, holding on to his every word. Nesta immediately recognized the man next to him -- a feature writer from Vanity Fair.

"Looks like Thesan will have a profile in the next issue," she murmured to Amren.

Azriel and Cassian disappeared into a throng of top military brass and foreign policy types -- laughing and smiling like they were amongst old friends. Nesta had never gotten along with the hawkish foreign policy establishment -- The Blob, as they had been derisively termed amongst commentators -- that dominated Washington. They seemed to her like a bunch of outdated dinosaurs championing the old-time gospel of American leadership on the world stage like it was still the 1990s.

Nesta observed Cassian clap the backs of several men in sharp suits and regulation haircuts, reeking of the Pentagon. Their heads bent in hushed conversation. Cassian's face slowly turned stern and resigned, like when she had walked in on them all in Rhys's office last week.

What happened in Afghanistan? The question clanged through her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Nesta spotted Eris by the bar -- his red hair clashing against the kitschy decor. As the Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House -- Eris was, by the transitive property, the third most powerful man in the country. The crowd around him treated him almost reverently, giving him a wide berth while he made his order with the bartender.

"Proximity to power deludes some into thinking they wield it," Amren commented drily into her beer.

Nesta hummed in agreement. Part of what made Tortilla Coast special was how much one can learn by just observing the crowds.

"The first debate is scheduled in Nashua, New Hampshire, next month," Amren said, turning back to her. "I'm going to send you and Cassian a week ahead of time -- advance team. Bring whomever you need."

Nesta nodded, her mind compiling tasks and logistics immediately. "We'll start planning," she acknowledged.

Eris's gaze snagged on her as he turned from the bar. He greeted her with a nod, then walked away into a crowd of Capitol Hill staffers.

Nothing had sat right with her since the Hewn fundraiser. She needed to know.

Nesta frowned. "Excuse me," she muttered to Amren and pushed her way into the crowd where Eris's distinctive red hair could be seen through the gaps between bodies.

The jovial laughter from his companions died as soon as Nesta planted herself in front of Eris. He eyed her intently, a smirk on his lips.

She pulled his head down towards her shoulder -- the cacophony of music and voices buzzed loudly around them. "What's the play, Eris?" she hissed in his ear. "Is Thesan going after Rhys's military record? Not strong enough on defense?"

Eris chuckled, his breath hot against her cheeks. "Why, hello to you too, Nesta." He smelled like limes and cloves and something smokey.

She walked into him, needing answers. She pushed him through the crowd into the wall nearby. His amber eyes glittered, amused and dangerous. He let her into his personal space, the bodies around them shifting and squeezing them closer against the wall. The air between them was hot, sweaty, and tight.

"Now, now," he murmured, "the interns are going to gossip if you manhandle me in public."

Their faces were pressed so close together -- it was the only way they could talk in private with everyone drinking around them.

"Botched missions? Is that it?" She continued, undeterred.

Eris snorted. "Have a little imagination."

"Then it's to embarrass Rhys?"

He clicked his tongue.

"Why Cassian?"

He leaned back against the wall, and his head thudded against the wood. "So," he sneered, looking down at her from the refined ridge of his nose. "You've got a soft spot for the brute?"

Nesta felt a jolt of electricity run down her spine. "Honestly, I didn't think I meant enough to you to make you territorial, Eris."

"Are you fucking him?" he asked baldly.

She swallowed, her face heating with a heady mix of indignation and shock.

"No?" He studied her keenly, roaming from her eyes to her lips and back. "But you want to."

"You don't know anything about what I want," she snapped, indignation winning out.

His hand suddenly rose to cradle her face. He leaned against her ear, all heat and tequila on his breath. "Oh," his voice rumbled deep, "but I do."

Nesta shoved him back -- he went easily. "Don't touch me," she warned.

He lifted his hands, holding his palms up, satisfied that he got under her skin.

There was a version of Nesta who would have let him feel her up in the back of a crowded bar, who would have even taken him home after. Nesta had kissed Eris for the first time at Tortilla Coast, years ago when she had started working on the politics beat at her first newspaper. She had been desperate and reckless and damaged -- Eris seemed right for her back then. She remembered the weight of his body between her thighs, how he'd made her keen, how she'd made him weak.

She never liked that version of herself.

"That part of our relationship is over," said Nesta, her voice firm.

Eris grunted. "I know." Something flashed across his face -- contrition.

He kept his hands raised and away. Nesta decided to press back into him, taking back control. He let her pin him against the wall -- the bar too cramped and boisterous for anyone to notice them.

"What will Beron do with the oppo research on Rhys?" she asked him. "Did you already give it to the Morgenstern campaign?"

Eris relaxed against her. "Thesan doesn't want to get his hands dirty," he replied quietly. He tilted his head, looking over her into the crowd. "He wants a clean primary, save the hard hits for Hybern. He's far enough ahead in the polls to stay above the fray. No sense in getting involved in petty party in-fighting."

She nodded. "So it's Kallias," she said. "The oppo research is for Kallias. He's meant to take down Rhys so Thesan can skate through to the general unscathed."

Eris smiled -- he always appreciated her intellect. It almost bordered on affection.

"The party higher-ups are rigging the primary for Thesan," Nesta concluded.

"You didn't hear it from me," he said as he slipped away.

Nesta watched him go. She could still smell the limes and cloves and smoke he left behind.

---

Cassian was pushing through the drunken masses towards her.

Tortilla Coast was getting rowdier by the minute as Happy Hour drew to a close -- the cheap beers and margaritas loosened everyone up. Laughter pealed over the hum of conversations, punctuated by the occasional shout as someone called for another round. Standing head and shoulders above the crowd, Cassian was striking -- a dark beacon in the dimly lit bar, his eyes locked on her alone.

He was close now, close enough for her to notice the faint stubble along his jaw and the slight upturn of his lips as he leaned in. His words were a deep thrum against the clamor of the bar, "Ready to get out of here?" His body aligned with hers in the small space, pressing solidly against her.

Nesta nodded quickly.

His hand dropped to the small of her back, a commanding pressure guiding her. Together, they began to make their way towards the exit, his presence a shielding force from the jostling bodies around them.

They spilled out onto the street and into the sunset -- it felt like coming up for air.

He stepped away from her. The loss of heat from his hand on her back made her acutely aware of the early evening chill.

"What did Eris want this time?" He pushed his hand through his hair, loose out of its usual neat tie from the workday.

She looked up at him, momentarily taken aback by his rugged features. He had taken off his necktie, too, collar open. The one drink she had earlier had worked through her system, loosening up her usual defenses.

She needed to know.

"Do you trust me?" asked Nesta.

His brow furrowed. "Of course," replied Cassian immediately.

"I know I'm crashing your little inner circle," Nesta began, unable to keep the bite out of her voice after months of feeling like she was on the outside. "You don't have to tell me everything. But I need to know -- I need to be able to do my job."

"You know everything, Nes." He was staring at her -- hazel eyes burning into her, completely open and all-consuming. Has anyone ever looked at her like that before?

"I swear I would never keep anything from you."

She felt like her skin was on fire.

"What happened in Afghanistan?" She whispered the question.

He blinked. "What -- " Then, his face twisted at the non sequitur. "Afghanistan? What does that have to do with -- "

"I don't care if -- "

"Rhys's service record is exemplary. You have access to his service record, his commendations."

Nesta steeled herself. "What did you do in Afghanistan?"

"Me?" Cassian eyebrows shot up. "What -- ? How is that -- ?"

"Eris pulled your FBI file."

She watched Cassian's entire demeanor change. His body went rigid, his expression closed. "That's classified," he said carefully.

"Eris mentioned that most of your personnel file was redacted," said Nesta, letting out a long exhale. "I need to know if there is anything in there that could be damaging to the candidate."

"Damaging?" Cassian startled. "Where is this coming from? I don't understand how this is relevant to -- "

"You can tell me what happened," she cut in, her heart beating hard against her ribcage.

Please tell me what happened.

Suddenly, he was bending down close to her, his hazel eyes intense, glowing like bronze in the low evening light. "Nes," he breathed. "I want to -- believe me -- but I need you to -- "

She felt goosebumps all over her arms; she couldn't look away from his beautiful face, frozen in place.

"Cassian," she inhaled. "I won't -- " She didn't know how to finish that thought -- tell? care? judge him? She couldn't promise him anything.

His face was only a few inches from hers, and his eyes dipped to her lips.

"My missions were top secret." His voice was low and pleading. "I can neither deny nor confirm anything he's told you. I would do anything, Nes, just ask me -- "

"There you two are! Ready for our run?"

They both snapped to attention at the door behind them, where Azriel had just stumbled out of Tortilla Coast. He observed the scant distance between their bodies and immediately pivoted.

"Nevermind, Amren said she was buying the next round -- "

Nesta took a step back, breathing hard.

"It's fine, Az," she said, surprised her voice was steady. "I need to get a run in."

Cassian looked away -- even in the disappearing light, his face was luminous -- and nodded.

---

First, they had to stop by the Congressional Staff Wellness Center to change out of their work clothes and into athletic wear. Then, the three of them took their usual 8-mile route around the National Mall. The sun had just dipped below the horizon, but the sky was still bright. The yellow September dusk made the monuments glow otherwordly.

This evening's post-work run was uncharacteristically silent. Usually, Cassian teased her. The three of them frequently talked about campaign strategy or upcoming legislation while they warmed up or paused at stoplights.

Tonight, Cassian was particularly solemn. Azriel was silent in his own unique way -- hyperaware, assessing. Nesta focused on her body, feeling her muscles work as they passed the Reflection Pool and then on to the Washington Monument. She pushed herself especially hard, needing to resolve all the tension that had built up in her body from her talk with Eris and then Cassian.

She had meant what she said to Eris, that the sexual part of their relationship had ended. After the spring charity gala at the Hewn Mansion, she felt a kind of finality to their intimacy. They used each other and for a long time, Nesta thought that it was enough. It took leaving DC and coming back years later -- older and only marginally wiser -- for her to finally be ready to let him go completely. Eris made every decision based on a calculus of power -- always looking for the upper hand in every interaction. He could never be what she needed.

But what did she need?

Nesta was a stranger to herself.

She had spent the entirety of her adult life closing herself off to her needs. She left home at 18 -- after her mother died and her father disappeared in all but name -- and never looked back. Her departure was as much self-preservation as it was an act of retaliation.

She was barely a teenager when her mother wasted away in front of her eyes. Her sisters were too young, too soft. Her father... he couldn't bear it. Nesta held a 10-day vigil over her mother's deathbed. She didn't have a good relationship with her mother, but she also couldn't leave her alone in that sterile hospital room.

Those last days were a cruel torture.

Her mother drifted in and out of consciousness -- cancer and morphine consumed everything that had made Elinor Archeron the formidable woman she had been in her wakeful life. She had asked for her sisters, for her father -- each time, all Nesta could do was shake her head, unable to speak, until finally, Elinor had stopped saying anything at all and just stared at Nesta like she wasn't there either.

Nesta would never forget her mother's last words to her. In a rare moment of lucidity, Elinor had whispered, with a ragged breath, "It's better if he loves you a little bit more."

Those words imprinted themselves on her like a tattoo across her heart. Nesta had resented her father's weakness, his absence, his failures. But she resented him, most of all, for not loving them enough to stay.

It's better if he loves you a little bit more.

Eris never loved her. She wasn't sure he could -- not with her, at least. And Nesta needed -- no.

She needed more than what she'd allowed herself to hope for.

---

Azriel peeled off from them at the last mile, making some vague excuse about needing to take a detour on the way home. He gave Cassian a meaningful squeeze on the shoulder and Nesta a soft smile before heading in the opposite direction.

Nesta followed Cassian toward the Lincoln Memorial, where they usually started or ended their evening workouts. They slowed at the far side of the steps, finding a private spot and avoiding the few tourists coming through.

The sun had set entirely now. The white marble edifice was bathed in spotlights, its magnificent columns rising like ancient sentinels into the starless sky.

Cassian turned to face her, his chest rising and falling from their run, breath heavy. His eyes were clear and intent, the exercise seeming to focus his mind.

"I trust you, Nesta," he said, using her full name for the first time in weeks.

She considered, eyes searching his handsome face, then slowly nodded.

"Do you trust me?" Cassian asked.

She could feel her heart beating hard against her ribcage -- adrenaline and endorphins flooding her senses.

When she did not reply, he asked again, "Nesta, do you trust me?"

She felt light-headed, but her words felt right as she spoke them, "I trust you, Cassian."

He stepped towards her, their chests inches apart. His hands reached out to gently grip her biceps, the contact grounding her. The professional boundary between them suddenly felt permeable. She felt a tug towards him, like falling into gravity.

"I served on Delta Force for 15 years," he began softly, his voice tinged with resigned anguish. "I was deployed with the United States Central Command and Southern Command. My focus was on unconventional warfare and counterinsurgency. I've been through hundreds of missions… done things that haunt me every day. The war was brutal. I have scars -- " his right hand moved from her bicep to her wrist, guiding her hand to rest against his right hipbone, "shrapnel wounds here -- "

He gently pushed her hand down the length of his muscled thigh, tracing the wound. Her breath hitched at the intimacy of the gesture and the horror it represented.

"I fractured my femur in three places," Cassian continued his voice a hushed murmur as she explored the outlines of his quadriceps through the thin fabric of his gym shorts.

"And here -- " he placed her left hand over the center of his chest " -- a bullet just missed my heart." His voice was low, and Nesta imagined the tattoo across his skin there, camouflaging the puckered scar. His chest was hot and solid beneath her palm -- she could feel his pounding heart.

"I've had to make impossible choices, ones that I can never take back." The intensity of his attention on her was overwhelming. Nesta listened silently, rapt. "The guilt, the weight of it all… it’s always there, like a shadow I can’t outrun. But I don't want to hide any of that from you."

"Stop," she murmured, removing her hands from his thigh and chest before she did something she would regret. "You don't have to -- "

"I do," he interrupted. "I want you to know everything about me."

She took a deep breath, letting the cool evening air fill her lungs. He smelled like black truffles, bergamot, and something distinctly Cassian.

Feeling bold from touching him earlier, she reached out and cradled his face in her hands. His eyes fell immediately, nuzzling into her touch.

"How many people have you killed?" she asked in a whisper.

Cassian's eyes remained closed, but his brows furrowed immediately, and he frowned. She traced the notched scar along his eyebrow with her thumb, wondering how that particular wound came to be.

She needed to know if she could bear it.

"I don't know," he finally said, opening his eyes -- hazel and pained. "I stopped keeping track. I don't know how many enemy combatants I have killed. There are always unintentional consequences of war. The civilians, I -- " His voice broke, looking like he was on the edge of tears.

Nesta softened. It was like she could finally see him in his totality for once -- all the jagged edges and the aching tenderness underneath. "That's why you left the military," she supplied for him.

He nodded, leaning forward to press his forehead against hers. "Nesta, my ledger is red as sin," he said. "And I'll try to rebalance it for the rest of my life if I have to. When I first enlisted, I believed in the mission, in the idea of fighting for the greater good. But war changes you. It strips away the illusions... There were times when I had to prioritize the strategic objectives over my conscience. The faces of those I've lost, of those I've hurt, they never leave me. I live with the consequences."

His voice wavered, and Nesta could see the pain etched deeply in his features. "I've tried to make amends in whatever ways I can. I work with veterans, advocate for survivors of armed conflicts, help get Rhys elected -- I'll do anything to give back, tip the scales... but it'll never be enough, I know."

He paused, his confession hanging between them, suspended in the autumn night. Nesta felt his sorrow, his regret -- a raw, untamed thing that resonated within her own soul.

"Cassian," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Her hand gently brushed away a tear that escaped down his cheek. "You are a good man."

His eyes snapped to hers, searching, hopeful. The evening lights caught the edges of his irises, gilding them with a golden hue that made them appear almost like a painting. Cassian’s hand reached up to touch hers, his fingers trembling slightly as they interlocked with her own. He brought her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles softly. It was one of the most erotic moments of her life.

"That’s more than I ever hoped to be," he said against her skin, his warm breath sending a shiver down her spine.

Nesta felt time slow down, the world narrowing down to just the two of them, their faces inches apart.

He moved first, a slow and deliberate motion that closed the remaining distance between them. His lips met hers with an unexpected gentleness. Nesta responded instinctively, her lips parting slightly as she melted into the kiss.

Cassian's hands, callous from so much destruction, now held her with a careful reverence, fingertips tracing the lines of her jaw, then behind her ear, down her back as if memorizing the map of her body. Nesta's arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer and deepening their kiss. The taste of him -- spicy with a hint of something darker, more primal -- was intoxicating, driving her to explore further, her tongue seeking his with a boldness that matched his own.

As the kiss went on, Nesta moaned against his mouth, hands roaming over the hard planes of his back, clutching at the fabric of his shirt as if she could somehow pull him even closer. Cassian reacted with equal fervor, his lips trailing burning kisses down her neck, finding the tender spot that made her gasp, her fingers digging into his shoulders.

Cassian’s mouth found hers again, this time his kiss demanding, consuming, as if trying to drink her in, to drown in the very essence of her. His teeth grazed her lower lip, coaxing a gasp from her that he swallowed with a deep, throaty groan.

Nesta's heart raced, her senses overwhelmed by the wet heat of his mouth and the hot press of his body against hers -- every inch of her tingled like lightning was about to strike. It was like getting everything she wanted and everything she feared at the same time. She desperately wanted to lose herself in what it might feel like to fully let go of the past.

She never wanted the kiss to end.