u/Zealousideal-Can-403

TW for SA talk

I know I mentioned this moment in my past posts but seriously it's so gross. I've had to re-read and this today because someone mentioned that Nesta sexually assaulted Cassian by kneeing him in the groin. Which is another level of insanity. But aside this opinion which I'm sure is just an extreme case, the scene is so unpleasant. And I don't know, is it because SJM plans something or she really doesn't see a problem with this.

We have this moment, which could've been a good case of protectiveness from Cassian.

>She swallowed, shutting out the memory of what he'd said and done. The sound of her tearing dress. No - it hadn't gone that far, but... The blind terror in those moments he'd tried, before she'd screamed and clawed her way free. And never told anyone. Something must have shown on her face, in her scent. Because his annoyance vanished - no, it shifted. Into something else, something... Rage.

>"Did someone hurt you," he said, his voice so guttural she could barely understand it.

Only for us to see moments later how he treats Nesta when his ego is bruised.

> "It's easier, isn't it," Cassian breathed, crossing the distance again, not caring who saw them standing in the bay window. "To wield the words and the coldness as armor to keep everyone from seeing where and who you failed and how you did not care until it was too late." Only hatred gleamed in her eyes, no hint of that slumbering lust that had addled his senses. "Well, I see it, Nesta Archeron. And all I see is a bored and spoiled girl -"

And just let me make some highlights:

>She moved with impressive swiftness for a human, but still too slow to prevent him from blocking her.

>Cassian gripped her raised knee, a mere inch from his balls, and squeezed tight enough to make her hiss.

>She tried to wrench herself free, but he didn't let go. She swayed back, and he caught her by the waist, hauling her closer to keep her from falling through the window. He snickered at the skirts around him. "What are you hiding beneath all this, anyway?"

>He thought she'd strangle him, which was precisely why he gripped her wrists

>Pain exploded between his legs, knocking the breath from his chest as that gods-damned knee of hers indeed found its mark

>"You're all the same," she said, imperious as the night and cold as the dawn. "Perhaps being an immortal makes you predictable."

>"You know nothing about who I am, and what I've done, and what I want. And while we're on the subject... Send someone else next time. If I see you on my doorstep I'll scream loud enough for the servants to come running."

For Rhysand the excuse is he had to do it in order to protect Feyre. What is Cassian's excuse of acting like a dog in heat?

I had to reread Chapter 10 from Silver Flames to provide some quotes, and I was just reminded how little empathy Cassian has for Nesta. I know from personal experience that dealing with alcoholics is hard, and I would understand this reaction if he had to tolerate her drunk behavior for a longer time. But she's the second night in that house, and she has PTSD. Before that, she barely interacted with anyone from IC or her family. Yet knowing the context of her trauma, Cassian shows zero empathy and as always he thinks the worst about Nesta.

She has a very bad night. Fear. Trauma. She gets hurt, badly.

>Elain had been stolen. By Hybern. By the Cauldron, which had seen Nesta watching it and watched her in turn. Had noted her scrying with bones and stones and made her regret it.
She had done this. Brought this upon them. Touching her power, wielding it, had done this, and she would never forgive herself, never—
Elain would surely be tormented, ripped apart body and soul.
A crack cleaved the world.
Her father stood before her, neck twisted. Her father, with his soft brown eyes, the love for her still shining in them as their light faded—
Nesta jolted awake, nausea rippling through her as she grasped at the sheets.
Deep in her gut, her soul, something writhed and twined around itself, seeking a way out, seeking a way into the world—
Nesta shoved it down. Stomped on her power. Slammed every mental door she could on it.
Dream, she told it. Dream and memory. Go away

>Hands shaking, she began the descent. Around and around and around. I loved you from the first moment I held you in my arms. Down and down and down. That ancient Cauldron opening an eye to stare at her. To pin her in place. The Cauldron dragging her into itself, into the pit of Creation, taking and taking from her, merciless despite her screaming— Around and down, exactly as she had been pulled in by the Cauldron, crushed beneath its terrible power— Nausea swelled, her power with it, and her foot slipped. She had only a heartbeat to grab for the wall, but too late. Her knees banged into the steps, her face hitting a second later, and then she was twisting and careening down, blasting into the wall, ricocheting off and tumbling down step after step after step. She flung out a hand blindly, nails biting into stone. Sparks exploded as she cried out and held on. The world stopped moving. Her body halted its plunge. Sprawled across the steps, hand clutching the stone, she panted, great sawing breaths that cut with each inhale. She shut her eyes, savoring the stillness, the utter lack of motion. And in the quiet, pain set in. Barking, bleating pain across every part of her body. The coppery tang of blood filled her mouth. Something wet and warm slid down her neck. A sniff told her it was blood, too.

And Cassian's reaction was this:

>Cassian began moving once more, drawing his sword and running through a series of movements that all seemed designed to hack a person in two. “You know: three in the morning, you leave your room to get shitfaced-drunk in town, and you’re in such a rush to conquer the steps that you fall down a good thirty of them before you can stop yourself.”

>“Are you watching me?” Before he could answer, she spat, “You were watching and didn’t come to help?” Cassian shrugged again. “You stopped falling. If you’d kept at it, someone would have eventually come to catch you before you hit the bottom.”

Again. Nesta tries to deal with her trauma, and Cassian is, I don't know, punishing her with his attitude. In which universe should I consider him the right person to help her deal with her trauma? "You were watching me and didn't come to help" perfectly describes their relationship. Someone could say the story just shows that Nesta is strong and she can deal with things; she doesn't need a man to fix her life or to help her. And the question is, why would she need such a useless partner at all then?

And the Blood Rite was a good example of how this dynamic will continue with Nessian. God knows what could have happened at that rite, things worse than death, but Cassian's attitude is, "Oh, I'll know when she's dead; until then, I can do nothing."

And if we are here I just want to mention how I hate the way Nesta's nightmares were ignored in the book. It's like all trauma disappeared because of Cassian's healing dick.