#Az was the first one who embraced hope | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

prythianpages · 8 days ago

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Out of My Head | Azriel x Reader

Azriel x Reader x Eris | Your father, the Night Court’s astrologer, is called to Velaris and you tag along with the hopes of catching a glimpse of Azriel, the one you’re madly in love with. The opportunity for Azriel to show you around comes up and you take it, unaware that things are about to become messy…

warning: this was meant to be cute & short to show your relationship with Az but it ended up being 5,685 words oops lol, some angst, rhys kinda being an asshole again

a/n: Eris does make an appearance in this if you look closely 🤭 I tried to write this fic off as a stand alone so it's still easy to follow but if you need more context, here is the masterlist.

Meeting Azriel had felt like fate, as if the stars and his shadows themselves had conspired to cross your paths. Becoming his friend had been a choice. But falling in love with him? That was out of your control, like being swept away by a tide you hadn’t noticed rising.

Now, you were drowning and happy to drown. To let the flood of him consume you entirely. Every time you’d see him, even from afar, it’d fill your chest with a feeling you couldn’t explain, your heart leaping at the mere thought of catching his gaze.

You welcomed the flood of emotions, let it carry you to depths you’d never dared to explore. Your heart was so irrevocably his, you had no desire to find the surface.

So when Rhysand had invited your father to Velaris to discuss his first born’s birth chart, you insisted on coming along. It had taken days of pleading to wear down his resolve, but you had done it. Manifested it, rather, with the help of the moonwater you kept hidden beneath your bed.

Seeing Azriel was not guaranteed, as you were unsure if he’d even be in Velaris. But that wasn’t the only reason you wanted to go. Leaving behind the harshness of the Court of Nightmares, even for a short while, was reward enough. And if fortune smiled upon you, perhaps your father would let you assist with the reading, just this once.

Your father had never quite embraced your desire to follow in his footsteps. The way he’d look at both you and your brother with that disappointed gleam in his eyes stung. He had always hoped you would stay at home and learn the ways of a “perfect,” traditional Night Court wife, much like your mother. His dreams of a successor rested squarely on your brother’s shoulders, not yours. But much to his dismay and your relief, your brother had chosen to become a warrior in Keir’s army.

Everything you knew of astrology, you’d learned by sneaking into his sessions, stealing glances at his star charts, or losing yourself in the dusty books of the Night Court’s observatory. That cold, stone-walled tower had become your sanctuary—your only glimpse of the night sky.

Though still in the Night Court, the air in Velaris was different. It felt cleaner, lighter. Freer. A wonderful contrast to the oppressive weight of the Court of Nightmares. You took a deep breath, savoring the rare glimpse of the day sky from the High Lord’s impressive townhouse, your father having just winnowed you both.

The sun felt so warm and soothing against your skin. Too caught up in the beauty of the daytime sky, you didn’t notice when your father abruptly stopped. You walked straight into him, sending the heavy box and stack of books in your arms tumbling to the ground.

A hiss of disapproval escaped your father as he turned to scowl at you.

“I’m sorry,” you mumbled, quickly dropping to your knees to gather the scattered items.

“I should’ve left you at home,” he said with an exhausted sigh.

"But who then would assist you in bearing the weight of all these books, given the state of your back? Rest assured, my arms are more than capable,” you said with a huff as you slowly rose back to your feet, arms overwhelmed with the weight of your father’s things. “I shall gladly bear the burden for you, father."

“Clearly.” Your father said dryly, his gaze pointedly lingering on the dented corner of one of the boxes.

You winced at his tone, grateful his back was turned to you again. The door to the High Lord’s and High Lady’s house opened, the former being the one to greet you. Even Rhysand was different here. His violet eyes gleamed warmly, free of the cruelty he wore like armor in the Court of Nightmares. The smile he sent you both softened some of the tension knotting your chest.

“Damus, Y/n,” he greeted. “I appreciate you both coming all this way.”

Rhysand gestured for you to follow him. This was not your first time in Velaris but it was your first time meeting Rhysand in a private residence of his here. You couldn’t hold back the small gasp that escaped you as you marveled at the beauty around. Paintings, no doubt crafted by the hands of your High Lady, adorned the wall and there was light. So much light and warmth in this house. It truly felt like a home. No stone walls, no darkness, no cold.

There was a flutter in your chest when you felt something cool and velvet-like brush against your legs. You instinctively glanced down, though the books obstructed your view. And when you looked back up, there it was–that giddy leap in your heart.

Azriel immediately rose from the couch he had been seated on, his hazel eyes meeting yours before they dropped to the weight in your arms. With a few swift steps, he was in front of you, plucking the boxes and books from your grip as though they weighed nothing. You exhaled softly, your thanks barely audible over the rush of blood in your ears.

Azriel smiled, shadows curling gently around him as he shifted closer. “I wasn’t sure you’d be coming along today,” he murmured.

“Neither was I,” you admitted, turning your head toward him as you continued to walk. “But I’m glad I did.”

“So am I,” Azriel said.

Your cheeks burned at his words, and you quickly averted your gaze. Azriel was glad you were here. Perhaps, even waiting for you, hoping for you to show up. That had to mean something, didn’t it? Perhaps it was proof of what you’d always suspected—that the bond you felt pulling you toward him wasn’t one-sided. A spark of vindication flared as you imagined Eris sneering at you from some dark corner of your mind. If only he were here to witness this moment. To see just how wrong he’d been.

Azriel did like you and it was only a matter of time before it evolved into something more.

You frowned, shaking the thought away. Why were you even thinking about Eris? And since when did proving anything to him matter?

“Y/n.” Your father’s sharp tone dragged you back to reality. “The books.”

“Oh,” you breathed, glancing at Azriel, who still held them. Before you could speak, your father’s gaze darkened as he realized the task you were supposed to handle had been passed off.

Azriel’s jaw tightened but he said nothing as he handed the books and boxes over.

You moved to follow your father into the study, but he blocked your path, his glare cutting through you. “Stay here and don’t cause trouble,” he said before the door shut with a resounding thud.

You flinched, staring at the closed door. “Sweet Cauldron,” you muttered under your breath, “did Mercury retrograde move into his mood?”

A shadow curled around your wrist, the soft caress of it soothing the sting of your father’s dismissal. The corner of your lips lifted slightly. Azriel had told you once how the shadows came to him during a time of unbearable darkness, offering comfort when nothing else could. They showed him that darkness wasn’t inherently wicked, that it could hold its own kind of solace and strength.

Azriel had also told you that his shadows didn’t approach others. At least not like this, so openly and friendly. To them, you were one of the few exceptions, having met them before you properly acquainted yourself with their master.

You often wondered why. Did they sense the sorrow you tried to bury beneath and conceal? The longing that seeped into your soul–longing not just for their master but for freedom, for a life beyond the suffocating confines of the Court of Nightmares?

Your gaze lifted, finding Azriel’s attention focused on the tendril wrapped around your wrist. His hazel eyes darkened slightly, thoughtful, as if trying to decipher a mystery.

“Well, what am I supposed to do now?”

Azriel blinked, his attention falling back to you, gaze softening. The siphons on his leathers caught the light and your eye. You followed the movement of his arms as he slid his hands into the pocket of his leathers and wondered what they’d look like in casual clothing. And how far did those tattoos stretch, the ones that peeked above his collar and disappeared into those leathers?

“We could go for a walk?”

Your brows lifted in surprise. “A walk?”

Azriel sauntered closer to you and a tingly sensation bubbled up in your stomach. “It’s a beautiful day outside and I would hate for you to waste it in here.”

“But my father…”

“He doesn’t have to know,” Azriel replied with a small, sly grin that felt almost boyish, his shadows dancing around him. He then gestured toward the door to Rhysand’s study, where some of his shadows had already slithered beneath the gap, lying in wait. “Your father will be in there for a while. And besides, I did promise you I’d show you around, didn’t I?”

You bit your lip in contemplation, gaze flickering between the door and Azriel. This was what you’d wanted, been hoping for, wasn’t it? A chance to see Azriel, and now here he was, offering you his time. Your heart leaped at the opportunity, already screaming yes.

But your mind wasn’t so easily swayed. What if your father needed you? Wouldn’t this be your perfect chance to prove your worth, to show him how capable you were? Then again, the way he had dismissed you earlier, slamming the door in your face, made it clear he wasn’t expecting or even wanting your help…

“Only if you’d like, of course,” Azriel added, his tone soft. He must’ve sensed your troubled thoughts. “I can always keep you company here instead.”

The flutter in your chest returned with full force. Azriel seemed to really want to spend time with you. Alone. And as much as you admired the beauty of the High Lord’s house, the promise of fresh air, open skies, and Azriel’s company was too tempting to resist.

You found yourself nodding, your heart overriding your head. “I think I’d like to go for a walk.”

Velaris continued to take your breath away.

Children darted between market stalls, their faces alight with pure delight as they chased one another without fear. So incredibly and unbelievably different to the cold silence and rigid rules of propriety in Hewn City. Here, no one glanced over their shoulder with suspicion or hurried along with their head bowed.

The people of Velaris moved freely. Kindness radiated from strangers who greeted one another warmly, who paused to chat in the bustling markets or helped an elder carry their bags. Artists lined the streets, painting the city’s beauty on canvas while musicians filled the air with beautiful melodies.

Azriel led you through the city, showing you as many places he could. He took you to a small bakery first, where he swore the best chocolate croissants were made. Then, to a cafe that sold a variety of appetizing teas. You drank it all in, committing the wonders of Velaris to memory.

As you walked along a bridge, the river’s gentle current caught your eye. It was broad daylight yet, the water glimmered like liquid starlight. You paused, resting against the bridge’s railings. Azriel moved to stand beside you, tucking in his wings so they wouldn’t bump against you.

You couldn’t help but think how unfair life could be. For a place such as Hewn City to exist at the same time as this one. Both of the same court, yet so divided. And why had you been born in the wrong one?

Azriel picked up on the way your expression had fallen. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” you said and at the way Azriel’s eyes watched you closely, you knew he was not convinced. You let out a soft sigh, relenting.

“It’s just…I thought places like this only existed in my dreams,” you glanced down at your hands. “And now, I just can’t help but dread my attendance at the next Court of Nightmare’s ball even more…when I could be here instead, watching the stars from the City of Starlight itself..free of any worry, any burdens.”

Azriel frowned at the hidden implication of your words.

A dark tendril fluttered toward you, brushing the hair that had fallen back behind your ear. Another softly brushed against your face and wiped a stray tear away. More went to you, wrapping around your hands, seeking to give you comfort and you honestly weren’t sure if it was of their own will or Azriel’s.

Their comfort brought you back to the fateful night you first met them. You’d known of them–of the Night Court’s shadowsinger, at least–long before you actually knew them. The same way you had known Cassian was the Night Court’s leading general and Morrigan, the court overseer.

Things had changed after the events under the mountain. High Lord Rhysand had gathered the Court of Nightmares council, a tense meeting filled with bitter accusations thrown across the room. Keir and a few other noble lords, including your father, sat around the table, each one arguing fiercely over who did what under Amarantha’s rule.

As the heated exchange unfolded, your father’s loyalty was questioned, and the words left you unsettled. You had nearly spilled wine over one of the lords in your discomfort, hands trembling as you failed to properly grip the chalice.

But then, a dark shape emerged from the shadows, winding its way around your wrist like a silent guardian. The shadow stayed there, curling around you in such a way that was strangely comforting.

You had snuck glances at the shadowsinger then.

Azriel stood just behind Rhysand, his face a stoic mask. His attention was elsewhere, either unaware or pretending to be, of the shadow that had strayed from him and wrapped around you.

A break was called. And then, Keir, always the one to provoke, threw an insult at your father. You had no control over your tongue, the words slipping from you without thought. It was in defense of your family but speaking out of turn was a dangerous thing for a female to do. Especially in this court.

And though you had done it in your father’s defense, he did not return the favor. His face twisted in a mixture of disgust and disapproval, making you feel smaller than you ever had.

Keir’s face reddened with rage and as he glared at you, the shadow around your wrist tightened. Azriel’s eyes flashed, a cold, sharp stare locking onto Keir. It was the closest thing to protection anyone had offered you in this ruthless court. It left you stunned and wide-eyed.

You had been quickly dismissed by your father then. The weight of your court’s cruelty pressed down on you, suffocating. You fled, finding an empty room, locking yourself away in a cold, lonely corner of the building.

And then the tears came. You didn’t even notice the darkness that had formed around you, so accustomed to the shadows yourself. But this wasn’t the same darkness. This one was… different. Comforting. Protective.

You could only stare at them in awe, one hand reaching upwards to touch the shadows.

But when the door creaked open, your hand fell back to your side. Fear had risen in your throat as your gaze shot to the tall figure in the doorway. You shifted backwards, your back hitting the stone wall behind you, fearing the worst. It was the shadowsinger. And he had come to punish you on behalf of your father.

But he did no such thing.

His eyes swept over the shadows surrounding you—his shadows. The mask of indifference he always wore slipped for just a moment. A faint furrow appeared between his brows, shock flashing in his eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” he murmured, sending the shadows a look that had them slithering back to him, albeit reluctantly. “If they’ve scared you. They don’t normally do this…are you alright?”

You blinked the tears from your eyes. “You’re not going to punish me?”

His brow furrowed deeper, confusion crossing his face. “Punish you? For what?”

There was a flicker of recognition in his gaze, followed by a soft exhale. He studied you for a moment, his expression unreadable. His shadows swirled around him, some curling around his ear, whispering to him. Whatever they whispered to him had his expression softening.

“If anyone needs punishment, it’s Keir. For having the nerve to talk to you like that.”

Azriel took your silence as an invitation. He lowered himself, slowly, attentive to the way your breath hitched. Finding no resistance from you, he flared his wings slightly to allow him to settle on the floor across from you. His boots brushed against your shoes, and he gave a quiet apology. Others had done much worse and yet, no one had ever apologized to you.

“I’m Azriel,” he told you with a small smile, quickly adjusting himself to the cramped space. “You’ve met my shadows. Though I control them, they don’t always listen. Sometimes, they follow their own will. I really hope they didn’t frighten you.”

You were still frozen in disbelief, but in that moment, something inside you shifted. A spark of hope—a spark you hadn’t known existed in the Court of Nightmares, didn’t know could exist.

“They didn’t. They’re nice,” you admitted quietly, gaze following the movement of his shadows. Your eyes then met Azriel’s, surprised at the warmth you saw in them.

And then slowly, you felt your body relax. “I’m y/n…”

A shadow wrapped itself around your wrist, squeezing you gently, pulling you from your thoughts. You couldn’t help but wonder if it was the same one from that night.

“Sorry,” Azriel murmured sheepishly, the same way he always did when his shadows caught him off guard. “They really like you.”

The shadow unraveled from your wrist, slowly and reluctantly. It returned to Azriel, the others that had begun to surround you doing the same.

“S’okay,” you shrugged, though a small wave of disappointment settled over you at the thought of his shadows acting on their own will and not his. “I like them too. My little friends, they keep me company during those dreaded court events. Them and Eris, though the latter isn’t exactly one I welcome…”

Azriel’s body tensed at the mention of the Autumn male.

“But it’s strange,” you continued, not sure why you were telling Azriel this. “Despite all the insults he throws my way, he’s somehow kinder than all the other males at court. Maybe Autumn males are–”

“Please, don’t ever pair Eris and the word ‘kind’ in the same sentence,” Azriel interjected, his tone filled with disbelief. “You have to be careful around him, Y/n. I don’t know why he gravitates toward you…” Your heart stuttered in your chest and Azriel's gaze hardened. “But he’s not to be trusted. If he continues to bother you…”

Was that… jealousy? The thought made your pulse quicken, but you kept your expression steady.

“He’s fine,” you said, your voice a little too casual. Azriel went still, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. You felt the heat rise in your neck, and you hastily added, “I mean—it's fine. Nothing I can’t handle.”

“Doesn’t mean you have to,” Azriel insisted. He turned to face you fully, and your stomach fluttered at the intensity in his gaze. “I can handle him for you.”

Azriel’s presence alone was enough to make anyone think twice before crossing you. It sure kept Keir from lashing back at you all those years ago and the handsy, sickening males away from you during court events. You knew he would handle Eris without hesitation. So you should’ve said yes, and accepted his offer.

But, as the words settled on your tongue, you hesitated. You weren’t sure you wanted him to.

However strange and uncomfortable your encounters with Eris often were, there was something intriguing about him. Something that pulled at you despite his sharp words and caustic demeanor. It was almost like a game, a dance of sorts, and you found yourself drawn to it. To him, more than you cared to admit.

A small part of you wanted to continue this twisted back-and-forth with him. He was not a welcome companion but one whose absence would, much to your denial or disbelief, go noticed. The way he challenged you, made your pulse quicken, even when you didn’t want it to. The way his eyes lingered just a little too long, and how he always seemed to know exactly how to get under your skin…

No. You didn’t want Azriel to step in. Not yet. Not while this strange curiosity about Eris still simmered beneath your skin.

“I can handle it,” you murmured, though the words felt more like a reassurance to yourself than to him. Your gaze trailed after the fae strolling along the river’s edge. Before Azriel could protest, you turned to him with a smile, changing the conversation. “Can we walk along the shore?”

The Sidra river was even lovelier up-close. With the sun beginning to set, the sky blushed in hues of pinks and oranges and you felt as if you were walking through a dream. A dream you didn’t want to wake up from. Azriel walked quietly beside you, the tension from earlier gone.

You breathed in deeply, reveling in the sweet mixture of fresh air and Azriel’s scent. The sound of water rippling against the shore was just as soothing as the early evening breeze. Your gaze fell on a rock ahead, its smooth surface glimmering in the fading light, and you quickly bent down to pick it up.

“It’s beautiful,” you murmured, watching as the stone sparkled like starlight cupped in your hand.

“It’s a rock,” Azriel said drily.

You couldn’t help but grin, lifting the rock to show him. “It’s not just any rock,” you corrected him. “It’s a rock from Velaris. It’ll make a perfect addition to my growing collection of–”

“Rocks,” Azriel finished for you, amusement dancing in his eyes.

He knew about your rock collection. Of course, he knew. How could he not? Azriel had been the one to enable it. It had started as a joke, a silly request from you when he had mentioned visiting Spring. You had asked for a souvenir, half expecting him to politely decline.

"What could you possibly want from Spring?" he had asked. “A rock?”

And out of all the things you could’ve chosen, you had simply nodded your head. “Sure.”

The way he had returned from his mission, slipping a smooth rock from his leathers and placing it in your hand, had been so unexpected, so sweet. You’d gasped, unsure whether to laugh or cry. He had remembered.

And when he mentioned going to Winter Court next, you had shyly grinned at him, asking for another “souvenir.” What had started as an innocent collection had become something far more significant to you. Azriel didn’t know but that rock from Spring was the first gift you had ever received in years–decades, almost.

You treasured those silly rocks, keeping them lined up neatly on your dresser. You even painted them with little designs—daisies on the rock from Spring, a tiny shell on the one from Summer, and snowflakes on the one from Winter.

“This may actually finish my collection,” you mused, slipping the rock into the pocket of your skirts, your smile soft.

“I thought I had brought you one already?”

“Must’ve slipped your mind,” you replied with a playful shrug of your shoulders.

Azriel’s expression shifts into one of mock seriousness. “Forgive me, my lady,” he said, bowing his head before his voice turned teasing. “What will I bring you now, then? I’ll be flying out to Dawn next week. You sure you don’t want another rock from there? Or perhaps, this time, a jar of dirt?”

You rolled your eyes, the motion automatic but immediately followed by a sharp pang in your chest as your heart seemed to freeze. A lady, especially one from your court, rolling her eyes at a male? No matter how familiar you could be with a male, a gesture such as this was dangerous and unforgiving.

But Azriel only chuckled, his gaze warm and unbothered. Relief rushed through you, leaving you momentarily breathless, though you tried to play it off with a dry tone. “Ha,” you said, your thoughts already drifting to other possibilities. “But, if you are going to Dawn…”

He tilted his head, eyebrows raising slightly as his lips curved. “Go on.”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to a feather…”

His dark brows furrowed in confusion, and you felt your heart beat louder in your chest. “A feather?” he repeated.

You shrugged again, trying to look casual about it. “A feather from a swan from Dawn. They’re native to the court and mate for life, you know. Some see them as a symbol for love and fidelity. I’d like a feather so that I can add it to my Aphrodite altar.”

“I see.” Azriel’s gaze had turned thoughtful, clearly processing the information. There was a brief pause, and you held your breath, suddenly aware of how ridiculous your request might sound…

“Y/n, are you… practicing witchcraft?”

You react almost too quickly, it’s suspicious.

“No,” you said, shaking your head with a small laugh. Even though you had sought out the help of a witch not too long ago, something you’d probably take to the grave with you, given the failed results. Or the fact that this feather would be an offering given with intent to Aphrodite for luck and blessings in love…

”Well, not exactly, I just–it’s a…”

“I don’t think I want to know,” Azriel mused with a chuckle, saving you from whatever disaster of an excuse you could come up with. The sound of his laughter was like a release, the tension in your shoulders easing. “If it’s a Swan’s feather you want, then I’ll make sure I bring one to you.”

There was something in his tone, the certainty in which he said the words, that had warmth pooling in your stomach. It was the kind of warmth that spread quickly, making your whole body feel lighter and creeping up into your chest.

You turned to look at him. “Really?”

“Really.”

Your feet faltered as the rush of emotions made you dizzy. You barely noticed the uneven ground beneath you, and before you could regain your balance, you felt yourself tipping forward. Azriel’s hand shot out, gripping your arm and pulling you steady against him.

Your breath hitched at the feeling of his touch, gaze falling to where his hand rested on your arm. Slowly, your gaze trailed upwards. Azriel’s gaze was soft, his eyes searching yours in that way that made your heart race.

“Thank you,” you breathed.

“Of course.”

You were both so close now, you could feel the heat of his breath. The world seemed to narrow to just the two of you. The sound of the river faded, replaced by the pounding of your heart. His free hand brushed against yours, a touch that sent a spark skittering across your skin.

And then, it happened.

A sharp, sudden tightening in your chest.

It wasn’t the pleasant flutter you’d grown accustomed to in Azriel’s presence. No, this was something else entirely. A pull, intense and demanding, like an unseen thread yanking you backward. You gasped, flinching out of Azriel’s grip, who immediately let you go when he felt your resistance.

Your hand flew to your chest. Azriel’s brows furrowed in concern and his shadows stirred anxiously, circling you as if they could shield you from whatever had caused your distress. “Are you alright?”

“I… I don’t know,” you murmured, your fingers pressing against the spot where the ache had settled, desperate to soothe the inexplicable burning. “But I think I’m fine now. ”

You weren’t sure if you were reassuring him or yourself. But you pushed the feeling aside, turning back to Azriel with an uncertain smile.

He took a hesitant step closer, hand hovering over your shoulder. “Are you sure? I can take you to a healer–”

“No,” you immediately shook your head, eyes widening. Calling for a healer meant risking your father finding out you had not heeded to his order of staying put, of you not causing trouble. You’d rather suffer the consequences of whatever sickness had suddenly struck you than be left to deal with your father’s reproach.

“I’m okay. Could we–could we head back now?”

Azriel's pov

Worry continued to brew in Azriel’s mind as he watched you settle onto an armchair, hand still rubbing at your chest. His shadows twitched restlessly, curling tighter around him. You had always been easy to read but he found himself struggling to decipher the distant look in your eyes. You hadn’t even looked his way once since he winnowed you both back to the townhouse.

He parted his lips, ready to urge you to see a healer, despite your earlier protest. But a shadow curled itself around his ear and he made himself busy with the book in his hand instead.

The door to Rhysand’s study opened. Azriel’s shadows whispered to him as they noted the way you had stiffened the moment your father stepped out and forced a smile onto your face. He was always unsettled by your father’s indifference to you, his grip on the book he held tightening.

"Let’s go home."

Lord Damus’s voice was detached as he dumped the books in his arm into yours. Azriel noticed immediately that it was a smaller load than what you had arrived with, but that did little to ease him as you winced under the weight.

He moved instinctively to help you, but the harsh stare Rhysand shot at him from across the room made him pause. Azriel blinked, momentarily stunned by the anger that flashed in Rhysand’s eyes.

"Thank you for your time, Lord Damus. I wish you both a safe trip back," Rhysand said, his voice smooth and composed, contrasting the look he had sent Azriel.

Lord Damus bowed in respect and you did the same. Albeit, with a struggle, given all the weight in your arms. Some of Azriel’s shadows darted toward you, hiding within the shadows of the sitting room. They settled underneath the books you carried, helping you silently. And at the way your arms eased, so did Azriel’s.

It was short lived because as soon as you and your father disappeared, Rhysand turned back to him.

“My office. Now.”

Rhysand’s tone left no room for questioning or contemplating. Azriel’s shadows hissed at the sharpness but the shadowsinger yielded to his High Lord’s command. As he entered the office, the faint traces of Feyre and Nyx’s scent lingered in the air, but neither was there now.

“Did something happen?” Azriel asked, senses on high alert.

Rhysand leaned against the front of his desk, his gaze locking onto Azriel. "I didn’t think I’d have to ask this twice, but... are you out of your mind?"

Azriel’s shadows swirled around him, speaking in tongues. He let out a sound, a mix of disbelief, defensiveness, and the all-too-familiar hint of rage that had been waiting just beneath the surface. Not again.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he muttered.

Rhysand’s humorless chuckle cut through the air. “Oh, trust me, I wish I was.”

Azriel’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

“I can’t believe you would be so careless as to sneak her out of here when…”

“Her father has no clue,” Azriel shot back, trying to defend the choice, though even he knew it wasn’t enough.

“I bet your scent still lingers on her,” Rhysand snapped. “Do you know how dangerous that could be? For an unwed lady of her status to be caught alone with another male, to smell like another male? It could ruin her. I don’t know what you’re intentions are with her but Y/n is in love with you—”

“I know.” Azriel cut in sharply.

Rhysand’s expression darkened further, his voice hardening into ice. “So you do know. What’s your game here, Az? Because all I can think and worry about is how it will end for her.”

Before Azriel could respond, Rhysand’s voice rang out again, cutting through the growing tension like a blade.

“You will stay away from her.”

The words hit Azriel like a slap, his body going rigid as the words seemed to echo in his mind. Because this was not his brother talking to him. It was his High Lord. His shadows were seething, reflecting the storm brewing inside. How had it come to this…again? The same damn warning, as though Azriel couldn’t be trusted to make his own decisions.

First, it was Mor. Then, it was Elain. And now you.

Unbelievable. His lips twisted into a humorless, bitter smile then. “Should I just ask you for a roster of females I’m allowed to be with? It would save us both a lot of time and trouble.”

“I said it before and I’ll say it again.” Rhysand breathed in sharply, barely able to restrain his vexation. “And I pray to the Mother I won’t have to say it for a third time...”

Azriel’s shadows froze mid-whisper. The room grew quiet and unnervingly still. His wings twitched, as if they too, braced themselves. Because he already knew what was coming.

But knowing didn’t make it any easier.

“If you need to fuck someone, go to a pleasure hall. Heck, I’ll offer to pay for it this time.”

And the words stung just as sharply as they had the first time.

“Just stay away from y/n.”

[series masterlist]

A/n: I had fun writing this <3 and I hope you can understand a bit more of why reader is madly in love with Az. I mean, who isn't? lol But does he like her back or simply like the idea of someone being in love with him for a change…😈

series tag list: @kaitttttttt , @nebarious , @daughterofthemoons-stuff , @justyouraveragekleemain , @tothestarsandwhateverend ,

@ratgirl2020 , @myromanempiree , @vanserrasimp , @itsswritten, @acourtofbatboydreams

@imjustagirl713, @paleidiot, @scarsandallaz, @marina468

@utterlyhopeful-fics, @bia-wayne-west

if you asked to be put on the tag-list and don't see your username, please remind me!

General tag list: @scooobies, @kennedy-brooke, @sillysillygoose444 @lilah-asteria @the-sweet-psycho

@daycourtofficial, @milswrites, @stormhearty, @pit-and-the-pen, @mybestfriendmademe

@loving-and-dreaming @azriels-human @mrsjna, @adventure-awaits15, @lorosette

@alwayshave-faith

#azriel x reader #azriel x you #azriel x y/n #azriel fanfiction #eris x reader #eris x you #acotar x reader #acotar x you #acotar fanfiction #hopelessly devoted to eris #hopelessly devoted to azriel

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azrielhours · 1 year ago

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Soft Spot

Azriel x Reader

Word count: 3k

Synopsis: Azriel is very particular about his lovers; typically hard-hearted women chosen so they don’t develop an emotional attachment. Reader is one of these lovers, except she’s the sweetest and cheeriest on his roster. This causes Az to begin breaking his rules about intimacy, especially when she unwittingly ends up at his home for work one evening and spends the night.

Warnings: Smut

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Azriel Shadowsinger. Methodical, efficient, focused. Rigid dietary habits, discipline in training, unwavering proficiency in espionage. The spies he trained were held to that level of diligence—hell, even the priestesses he oversaw knew he expected order even in his absence.

That detail orientation carried over to his sex life. The lovers he sought were deliberately chosen to allow him to maintain the level of control he desired. Women that understood what he wanted—how he wanted them. Women that didn’t grow emotionally attached, that understood it was purely a physical transaction. Women that he could keep from his busybody family, situated in parts of Velaris that weren’t in their usual line of frequenting.

Azriel found a positive correlation between softer, sweeter women, and their likelihood to form emotional attachment, and an equally positive correlation between women who fucked rougher, who were colder, more jaded, and their ability to remain unattached. Those who didn’t demand he slept over after, that he take them to dinner.

You were the closest thing to an exception, being the cheeriest on the roster, yet you never displayed any attachment to him. Never looked disappointed when he left without eating breakfast. That was one of the things he liked most about you; you were lively—more than any of his other lovers—so he could enjoy the more girlishly charming, satiating parts you offered, but you stayed within the limit of his preferred emotional detachment. It was like a controlled dosage of indulgence.

Besides your vibrant energy, the other thing that made you feel different from the rest was the way you touched him. In a sea of meticulously selected, hard-hearted lovers, you were the only one that touched him softly. The first time you stroked his face tenderly while he was rutting away inside you, he thought you’d crossed some emotional threshold, that you’d begin asking him to be exclusive. To let you meet his family. But that never happened, so he dismissed it.

But it happened again when you once pressed your entire torso to his in an embrace that caught him off guard while you rode him. Held him to your heart until you both found your release.

Azriel figured this was just another avenue of indulgence you sought from him. Pretences of intimacy. If you could enjoy them, so would he. He didn’t think there was anything wrong with that, even when he began seeking you out over his other lovers. He was still in control.

It was the morning after he’d spent the night at your house. He awoke early, his circadian rhythm in tune with his perfectionism. His fingers felt across the sheets—just to gain his bearings. The sheets felt cold. Good, he insisted. This suited him better anyways.

He dressed, washed up, and made his way out. Maybe you had an early shift, or you liked to meditate. It didn’t matter, it was just his spymaster mind naturally seeking answers. In the kitchen, you were nowhere to be seen, but a singular plate on the island caught his eye.

It was homemade banana bread, each slice in a neat paper wrapper. Beside the plate, there was a note.

Gluten-free, sweetened with honey, full of organic nuts for protein. Made yesterday evening. Hope you like ‘em! Had to run to meet with a friend.

Huh.

Azriel wondered if you’d prepared them specifically for him, or if you just happened to have similar nutritional regiments. He took a slice, leaving your apartment.

He strolled, basking in the emptiness in the streets so early in the morning, and admittedly, the banana bread was very good. Who did you have to meet so early in the morning? Or was it a means to keep him an arm's length away? If anything, that was appropriate—it was simply an occupational by-product to find curiosity in everything. Azriel pushed the thoughts aside, finishing his dillydallying, and winnowed home.

Cassian sat next to Azriel in the lounge while everyone transferred there after dinner. He hadn’t seen his brother all day with their respectively packed schedules, but Rhys called an impromptu gathering at the Town House.

“Long night last night?” Cassian asked.

Azriel shrugged. “It was fine.”

“Who’s the lucky lady?”

“Just another girl. Kind of bubbly.”

“I didn’t know that was your type,” Cassian laughed.

“It’s not. Just trying something new.”

Cassian shook his head, chuckling. “Long as you’re happy.”

Azriel didn’t know if he was necessarily happy, but an image flashed in his head of you baking in your apartment. If you had that concentrated furrow in your brows while you worked.

“What was the meeting called for, again?” he changed the subject.

Cassian shrugged. “Nesta had some new contact she thought would help with research.”

On cue, the twin wraiths entered the space. “Your guest is here,” Nuala spoke, stepping aside.

Azriel’s eyes widened as you walked right into his living room.

Nesta stood from her seat. You squeezed her in a tight embrace, joy unconcealed as you laughed brightly. Nesta began introducing you to everyone who you greeted with similar enthusiasm, the sweetness practically dripping off you. Your pretty smiles and firm handshakes had everyone matching your warm energy, and Azriel found his throat going dry.

Your eyes scanned the room, halting and widening when you spotted him. Then snapped back to the High Lord who was asking you about archive sources for the library.

“I—I have a friend who works in the Day Court. They—um—” another glance at Azriel, cheeks bright red— “they accidentally duplicated some texts. I’ll get the details for you soon.”

Cassian noted your glances at Azriel, not necessarily a rare sight for females to be smitten by him, but when he saw his brother’s shadows snaking the ground hastily—a tell of Azriel��s restlessness—Cassian narrowed his eyes.

You made your way over, shaking hands with the General, pointedly avoiding Azriel’s eye. Cassian tried to ease your apprehension by smiling kindly, making a joke about walking into a den of vipers to which you laughed.

Then it was Azriel’s turn, and he was facing his lover in front of his entire family.

You stared up at Azriel, brows raised and eyes wide like a doe. Your blushing cheeks and nervous fidgeting had Azriel biting back a smile despite the ordeal, unexpectedly amused by the fluster. It was adorable.

Azriel stuck out his hand, seeking to ease your nerves, surprising even himself at the urge. You placed your hand in his, still hesitant. “Y/N,” he spoke softly. “Nesta introduced us earlier,” he lied.

“Oh. Yes. It’s good to see you again, Azriel,” you quickly recovered, and Azriel was impressed, resisting the upward tug of his lips.

His shadows whispered of Nesta frowning at the lie, then just as quickly, her mouth parting in realization. She came over, pointedly staring at Azriel, then looped her arm through yours and guided you to sit as everyone retook their seats.

Conversation resumed. You were occupied with the High Lord and Lady, answering questions about the texts. Azriel glimpsed at you again, taking in how expressive you naturally were, how he could read your every emotion. The way your eyes shone when you showed interest in something, how you nodded eagerly. He’d always taken pleasure in how responsive you were, but he’d rarely seen you outside the bedroom; didn’t get to enjoy it otherwise. Cassian leaned over to Azriel. “Not your type, hey?”

“Shut up,” Azriel muttered as Cassian chuckled.

Someone eventually brought out Rhys’s good wine, and the group indulged themselves. You listened eagerly as Cassian told stories at Azriel’s expense, peering over at him shyly. Azriel couldn’t help but wink, making you blush all over again and break his gaze.

Soon the respective couples began retiring. Nesta was making promises about meeting with you again when she suddenly faced Azriel, mischief bright in her eyes. “Azriel can fly you home, Y/N. Have a goodnight.” She rose, taking Cassian’s hand who was biting back a laugh.

When the room finally cleared, it was just you and Azriel.

You faced him. “Azriel, I’m sorry—I didn’t know this was your house,” you stammered. Azriel had never seen you so nervous before.

“It’s alright, this was an unexpected… coincidence. I hope it wasn’t uncomfortable for you.”

Your brows rose earnestly. “No, your friends are lovely. I just hope you’re not upset or anything.”

Azriel shook his head. “Not at all.” He scanned your tense form. “It’s alright, I’m not upset.”

You nodded, forcing a tight smile. “I can just walk home by myself, it’s okay.” You collected your bag, looking to the door, but Azriel found himself speaking before he thought twice.

“I didn’t know you knew Nesta.”

Your attention was drawn back. “I met her at a bookstore a while back. I was just with her this morning.”

Ah. “So that’s who you snuck off to see,” Azriel smiled teasingly.

You gaped for a beat before smiling comfortably. “We had a very important meeting.” You finally seemed to relax; he found himself wanting more.

“Is my company so dull that you needed to replace it with books at eight in the morning?”

You laughed openly now, making Azriel grin. “Oh, yes. Real monotonous guy. Quite the prude.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Azriel stepped closer, and you craned your neck back. “I’m just not doing it for you?”

“Nuh-uh.”

“You’re not enjoying yourself?” he murmured.

You shook your head, staring up at him as he stepped even closer.

Then he bent to whisper in your ear. “That’s not what it felt like.”

Azriel relished the sight of your mouth parting in shock. Then your eyes narrowed, and you rose on your tiptoes to whisper back, “You can’t prove that.”

His brows rose. “Is that a challenge?”

You shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “I suppose.”

Azriel shook his head, glaring playfully as he weighed his options. He’s never brought a lover home. All escapades were done at their houses or some ulterior location. He eyed the stairs, wondering if he could muster the willpower to turn you down, especially with the way you were looking up at him.

When he met your gaze again, he knew there wasn’t a chance in hell. He scoffed, wrapping an arm around your waist, and winnowed to his room.

You gasped, clutching onto him before the world rematerialized. Never in your wildest dreams did you imagine you’d be here, that Azriel would ever let you in like this. You stepped out of his hold, nervousness creeping up on you all over again. Azriel was the most enigmatic male you’d ever come across, but this felt unpredictable even for him.

Azriel watched you pace, taking in his space in the dark. Watched as you crossed your arms across your abdomen, the stress he’d noted in your body earlier becoming visible again.

Worst of all, Azriel had the distinct urge to comfort the anxiety away. Again.

You’d lounged with his family, and now he bore witness to the sight of you in his room. It was too intimate. It broke his rules, taunted his discipline.

Azriel walked over to where you stood near the window, and you turned to face him. He brought a hand up to the back of your neck, cradling it. “Have you changed your mind?” he asked lowly.

“No,” you stepped closer to him.

Azriel kissed you. There was nothing soft about the way he moved his mouth, how he pressed into you demandingly. He felt your gasp in his mouth, gripping you tighter to him. His other hand moved through your hair, fisting it at the scalp and tugging it back for more access.

Your hands flew to his shoulders, matching his fervour, and it only spurred him on. He walked you back to his bed, yanking at your clothes blindly, stripping you without releasing your mouth.

You were naked by the time your knees hit the mattress, and Azriel broke off to watch you fall back into the bed.

His bed.

He growled and began yanking off his clothes. He crawled to where you lay, hovering over your body. Your legs widened instinctually, allowing him to cushion his hardening length against your core, relishing in the warmth. He ground into you, kissing your neck. Your gasps were frequent, hands carding through his hair as your hips bucked of their own accord against his movement. You reached down between your bodies and stroked his length. Azriel shuddered, leaning into your touch. But then you looked up at him again with those damned eyes, and Azriel’s breath caught.

“Turn around,” he rasped.

You stared for a beat, brows faintly pinching before obliging him. He lifted off you to give you the breadth to turn, watching as you braced yourself on your hands and knees.

Azriel stroked himself against you a few more times before easing in, groaning at the tight fit. He waited a few moments as you adjusted to the stretch before he began moving.

Azriel had never made love before, but even when he regularly fucked his women, he did so within the limits of what they wanted. What they could take. But as he repeatedly withdrew and buried himself, there was a distinct urge to take you harder. Like being rougher would salvage his detachment, annul any inklings of intimacy. Erase the etching of your wide-eyed gaze from his consciousness. So he pounded hard, savouring how you massaged him from the inside. How you arched forward from the force, bracing yourself on your forearms from the harsh snap of his hips.

He’d taken you from the back before, but even then, you’d managed to work some tender touch into the act; grasping his hands where they gripped your hips, a stroke to his thighs from beneath your body. But this time, you weren’t making any attempts as he jackknifed again and again.

No soft touches.

That observation grounded Azriel in the haze of his unrelenting carnal chase. He studied your form. You were panting, taking him well and clenching around his length, but he noted that tension was still present in your body—your shoulders and back were stiff. Azriel gentled his thrusting. “Am I hurting you?”

“No,” you breathed. Then you reached a hand back as if to touch his reassuringly, but you froze mid-reach and retracted it. That sent an ugly pang through his chest.

Your words from before echoed in his mind. I hope you’re not upset.

Azriel halted inside you.

He was a bastard for making you endure his callousness.

You pushed back against him, trying to urge him on, but Azriel didn’t let up, holding your hips firmly in place. “Why’d you stop?” you whined.

Because you’re not touching me like you usually do.

It was like cold water to the face, realizing what he wanted.

But Azriel couldn’t explain it. Didn’t want to admit to it—the urge to treat you softly, to soothe away your worry. That he sought your caresses. So he didn’t try to verbalize it. Instead, he pulled out, gently guiding you onto your back, and lowered himself to his forearms on either side of your head. You stared in awe.

When he entered you this time, it was slower, more intentional. Immediately, your face contorted in pleasure, and Azriel could feel how your body eased beneath his, how you relaxed. And when he lowered his mouth to yours, you sighed. He kissed you deeply and softly. Sweetly. You couldn’t help but wrap your arms around his shoulders, pulling him tighter to your torso, to wrap your legs firmly around his waist. Azriel’s deep groan reverberated through your chest, bringing you back to the edge of release.

He moved with deliberate, deep strokes, adjusting according to how you responded, which angles made you gasp. There was no space between your bodies; with each push, you felt him everywhere, felt him brush against your breasts, felt his hips move languidly between your trembling thighs.

He noted how close you were from your writhing against him, how you arched further into his heaving chest. So he snaked a hand down to your apex and rubbed gentle circles, tipping you over the edge. Release tore through you, and you couldn’t breathe, white-hot ecstasy coursing through you as he worked you through it. He raised his head to watch you fall apart.

When the waves abated, you pulled his head down against yours, his cheekbone resting directly against your lips. His eyes fluttered shut when you stroked his other cheek softly, whispering breathily for him to let go, baby, let go, and you felt his orgasm tear through him, how it erupted warm bursts of his seed deep in your belly. You kept stroking his cheek as he came down, only releasing him when he stopped shuddering.

When he pulled back and looked at you, there was something in his eyes you’d never seen before. Then, a tiny smile tugged the edges of his lips up, and he finally removed himself from you, laying next to you.

Before you could even consider whether he wanted you to stay, Azriel tugged the sheet over your body and wordlessly caressed your hip. By his standards, it was an invitation if you’ve ever seen one, so you silently shuffled closer with your back to him and basked in the way he pulled you to his chest.

For the first time, Azriel initiated the soft touches. He cupped your shoulders, stroking down your arms to your hands, interweaving his fingers with yours with his palms cradling the back of your hands. He crossed your clasped hands across your abdomen.

You sighed, pressing closer to his chest, savouring his body heat. He’d never held you like this—never held you at all. “You’re so warm, Az,” you breathed, squeezing his fingers.

Rules be damned, he thought.

When he was sure you’d fallen asleep, he whispered, “You bring it out of me.”

Azriel awoke; the remnants of a feeling lingering in his mind… something peaceful. Something hopeful.

You’d stayed the night. At his house. Slept in his arms.

He reached across the sheets. When they were cold, he couldn’t lie to himself, couldn’t deny his disappointment.

Had he taken it too far? Was it because he’d been so rough before he gentled himself?

Azriel frowned, rising out of bed.

It was ten in the morning. He’d slept in. Whatever’d gotten under his skin lately was really giving him a run for his money. He had a sinking feeling it had to do with a bubbly girl with a wide-eyed stare.

Azriel entered the kitchen, finding his entire family already eating.

“Late morning?” Cassian grinned.

“Late night, more like,” Rhys added as Azriel rolled his eyes, taking his seat.

The food tasted bland. Azriel frowned into his coffee; why did it bother him this much? You were only doing what he always did—leaving immediately. Should he expect something different just because he’d been soft with you?

Then Nesta entered the kitchen, and you walked in right behind her.

Azriel’s eyes widened, and you halted. “Oh,” you breathed.

Nesta smiled devilishly. “I was just showing Y/N the library while you slept in, Azriel.”

Oh.

Azriel nodded in silence, finding his plate suddenly very interesting.

“I—I’m just going to get my bag,” you said, turning to leave hurriedly.

In your absence, all eyes turned to Azriel, who let out a longwinded exhale. When he deigned to look, everyone was smirking.

“Looks like someone had a big boy sleepover,” Mor teased.

Cassian drawled, “Anything you’d like to share, Az?”

“Not particularly,” Azriel replied, standing to leave, ignoring the innuendos tossed around, the wolf whistle sounding above the laughter.

Azriel walked back to his room, an unexpected nervousness creeping up on him. You stood inside. “Y/N,” he spoke softly, drawing your attention.

“Azriel, I don’t mean to impose. I didn’t know your friends would be in the kitchen.”

He shook his head. “It’s alright. You’re not imposing. I’m—I’m glad you stayed,” his cheeks warmed at his own admission.

You bit your lip. “It’s just—I know you’re very… um, particular. With your methods.”

Azriel smiled. “My methods?”

You fidgeted, smiling shyly. “Mhm.”

He walked closer. “Well, it seems you’re making a rulebreaker out of me.”

Your eyes narrowed, glinting with mischief.

“Will you stay for breakfast?” He beamed when your mouth parted, fond of your candid nature. “Unfortunately, I can’t say I baked any pastries for you.”

But you quickly recovered, glaring accusatorily. “Who’s to say those were for you?”

There was that sass he adored. Azriel laughed. “My apologies for assuming.”

You gazed up at him in wonder. “I’d love to. It’s just—you know, your prude tendencies,” you shrugged. “They’re not to my liking.”

Azriel chuckled. “Not the prude tendencies again.”

You smiled warmly. “I didn’t think I’d be—you know… I didn’t account for our time. I have to run, unfortunately.” Damn. Before he could sit with the sting of disappointment, you continued. “But I’m gonna be really hungry this evening.”

“Dinner, then?”

You touched a hand softly to his arm. He wondered if you knew what those touches did to him. “Yes, dinner. I’ll see you at seven, Shadowsinger.”

Moments later, as Azriel stood by the foyer window watching you leave, Cassian approached him, leaning over his shoulder. “Look’s like someone’s got a soft spot,” he muttered. Azriel scoffed, but the words rang true. Cassian added, “I’m happy for you. Are you happy?”

Azriel unwittingly smiled as you turned at the end of the street, peering over your shoulder, catching his eye and winking.

“Yeah, I’m happy.”

taglist: @iimisty-a @feyretopia @aroseinvelaris @cullenswife @reiincarnatiion @sfhsgrad-blog @answer-the-sirens @mrstangerinejohnson @marigold-morelli @courtofjurdan @azriels-mate123 @emotionless-lover @marina468 @slvtherinseeker @owllover123 @banasheefan56 @nyotamalfoy

#azriel x reader #azriel/reader #azriel shadowsinger #azriel spymaster #azriel smut #azriel x you #azriel fanfiction #azriel fanfic #acotar fanfiction #azriel #azrielhours #azriel fluff

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qwimblenorrisstan · 5 months ago

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Candles and Cuddles | Azriel x Reader

Summary: You take Azriel to get a personal wax mold of your hands intertwined, and after overcoming insecurity, settle into each other’s warm embrace.

Word Count: ~ 1.3k

Warnings: Mentions of past injuries, scars, insecurities, fluff, nothing bad.

A/N: Really liked writing this, hope you enjoy it <3

Requests are open!

You had originally gotten the idea when you’d seen all sorts of cute pictures of couples getting wax molds and melts of them holding hands in a heart shape or fingers interlocked. It was, in your opinion, positively adorable, and so you decided to drag your mate along with you for this particular adventure.

“What, pray tell, are we looking for?”

Azriel’s deep voice, calm and gleaming with curiosity, spoke softly. His head was tilted slightly to the side as you walked excitedly down the bustling streets of Velaris, your soft hand holding his larger, scarred one and pulling him gently along.

The children played in the streets, vendors calling out their prices as some roamed the streets with baskets of fresh products or supplies to try or test, hopefully, to lure in some customers. It was a warm evening, a cool breeze blowing through that lifted the autumn leaves to stir around your feet, only to settle in piles before being further blown away, or gathered into piles as the children jumped into them.

“It’s a surprise, Az, you’ll know when we get there!”

You said, being drawn into the direction of one street corner by the warm light coming from the building, only to find exactly what you were looking for with a quiet sound of triumph.

A small smile graced Azriel’s face as he peered down at you curiously, studying your happy smile and the twinkle in your eyes, one that spoke of joy, and an innocence he would gladly protect with his life.

“You’re going to love this, it’s so cute.”

You said, eagerly entering the store hand in hand with him. He ducked to avoid the top of the doorframe, wings folding in tightly to not disrupt anything inside of the small business. His shadows curiously observed and watched, taking in information on the surroundings on instinct.

There was a small desk at the front with a woman who he assumed was running the main operation, and to the left of it in another open room were pots full of different colored melted max, with a few other people already dipping a dry white base into it to make their own custom candle. It looked..intriguing, he would admit. He was ashamed that he’d never come to see all these small thriving businesses in Velaris.

“Come on!”

You said, bursting at the seams with excitement as you paid the woman up front and eagerly pulled him along to the wax room. He’d been so caught up in thinking he’d missed your entire conversation with the other female. Oops.

He patiently followed along, until you were both standing in front of a blue wax pot, a deep, rich blue like the siphons he had. Blue was a nice color. Maybe even his favorite.

“See? We dip our hands in together, and it makes a wax outline we can keep.”

You explained, beaming up at him. He returned the smile, a warm one spreading across his lips as he intertwined his hand with yours.

“I understand, love.”

He replied, waiting for you to begin moving first before submerging both of their hands in the melted wax, letting it sit a bit before pulling it out and dipping it again, and that went on for a few more layers until both of your hands were covered in a thick layer of blue dried wax, about the consistency of a babybell cheese wrapper.

A worker came over and helped you both get the wax off of your hands, leaving the mold of your hands together before the worker spoke up. It was a male with short brown hair and ghoulish skin, and distinctly Fae eyes in a shade of chocolate brown. Maybe a mix between a ghoul and Fae? The shadows seemed to think so as well.

“We could use the wax mold to make a quick concrete markup?”

He offered, at which you eagerly nodded.

“I’d love that, how long would it take?”

You asked, at which the worker simply waved a hand.

“Not long, only like, five minutes. We got a new concrete mix, the stuff works like magic! I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t some sort of enchantment on it…”

The worker went on, before seeming to realize he was rambling and giving a little chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I’ll have it ready for you in five, just take a seat somewhere.”

He said, gesturing to some of the seats in the small business area, before walking off to the back room with you and Azriel’s wax mold in hand. You both went and sat down next to each other, and he tried to pull you on his lap. You gave him a look. He only smirked.

“What? Shouldn’t we save space for any other potential weary customers?”

He asked with a playful tone, still smirking, at which you laughed and shook your head in fond exasperation, finally sighing and sliding onto his lap.

A few minutes later, the worker returned, the wax mold gone, but with concrete of you and Azriel’s hands intertwined together. He smiled and gave it to you, and after paying a bit extra for the stone structure.

After walking back home, and a short flight, you triumphantly set the stone structure on your favorite bookshelf in a space with good visibility.

“Don’t you love it?”

You asked Azriel with a happy grin, leaning back into him. He nodded, but when you glanced back at him, you saw a hint of worry and hesitation in his gaze. You turned to face him, wondering what was wrong. Had you done something to upset him? Had the wax made his sensitive, scarred hands start aching?

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

You asked, one hand sliding up to his cheek to move his face so he was looking down at you. He hesitated before speaking. That was odd. He never hesitated much, if ever.

“You don’t think my hand looks a bit…out of place? With all the..scarring against your smooth skin?”

His now tentative and quiet voice asked, eyes studying the structure with a meticulous gaze, picking apart every minor detailing of his winding burn scars the wax mold had picked up, and the contrast of it against your smooth, soft skin. You pulled his gaze back to yours, taking his hands in yours.

“No. Not at all. Your hands are perfect just the way they are, and they look perfect in mine, and they belong there. If you ever start talking about them like that again, I’m revoking hand privileges for a week.”

He raised a brow because of the last statement but seemed a bit comforted by your statement, going to pull his hands away, but you wouldn’t let him, instead going to kiss every inch of his scarred hands until he was a blushing mess, his shadows looking more purple than usual as they crossed and danced around you in an embrace.

“Alright, love.”

He murmured, a small smile gracing his lips as he began gently pulling you towards the bed, a sign that he wanted to go to bed. You laughed softly, relenting as you pulled your bra off from under your loose shirt, tossing it onto the floor as you crawled into bed.

Azriel shimmied out of his leathers and crawled into bed wearing only his boxers, settling under the blankets before wrapping his arms and wings around you in a cocooning embrace, his head in the hollow of your neck, deeply inhaling your scent as he allowed himself to relax.

“Goodnight, Azzie, love you.”

You murmured, already sleepy. He smiled against your skin, shadows dancing before gently settling around you and him, before closing his eyes and replying.

“Goodnight, love.”

#azriel x reader #acotar fandom #acotar fanfiction #acotar fluff #acotar x reader #azriel #azriel acotar #writers on tumblr #azriel fluff #azriel comfort #acotar comfort #comfort #fluff #established relationship

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sellasstories · 5 months ago

Text

CLOSE (II)

word count: 4.9k

pairing: paige bueckers x azzi fudd

⚠️warnings⚠️:

slightly explicit themes, light angst, swearing

prompts:

what happens when two best friends with strong, undefined feelings quarantine together (part 2: paige)

in other words, the pazzi covid fic

Azzi gazes at the girl beside her, taking in Paige’s long lashes and the way the sun streaming in from the window is practically making the blonde glow.

“Thank you for taking care of me,” Azzi says softly, leaning in and placing a hand on Paige’s arm. She realizes too late that she doesn’t know if her best friend is awake yet.

“Fuck, Az, not so loud,” groans Paige, not bothering to open her eyes.

Azzi jerks her head back in disgust. “Your breath smells awful!” She ignores the other part of herself that fixated on how the words sounded coming out of her best friend’s mouth. “Sorry, I just need to know what you did with the bottle,” she whispers, a hint of anxiety piercing her voice.

Paige only gets closer. Seemingly unbothered by Azzi’s concern, she buries her face in the dark-haired girl’s neck. “It’s hidden, we’re good.”

After the night she’s had, the feeling of Paige’s lips on her neck (which, she quickly realizes, has never happened before) is entirely too much for Azzi to deal with.

“Paige, tell me.”

“Closet. Hamper, under clothes.” Her head falls back onto the pillow and it seems like the blonde falls asleep almost instantly.

Azzi bites her bottom lip almost hard enough to draw blood. And since she already seems to be in her own personal hell, she admits to herself that Paige may have had a hand in (or entirely been the cause of) the sudden swooping sensation in her stomach.

Looking around for her phone, Azzi takes two photos. The first shows the curtain of blonde hair doing little to hide all the points of contact between Paige’s face and Azzi’s neck. The second shows the pale hand nearly digging into Azzi’s exposed side, the pushed up hoodie (she’d always recognize it as Paige’s) making it look even more suggestive.

She knows it’s a bad idea, maybe even a terrible one, but she tells herself that she’s going to use them for something productive, like sending them to Imani (whoever she is) and telling her to back off. It doesn’t even sound convincing to her. She’s fucking ridiculous.

Reluctantly, Azzi pulls herself out of her best friend’s tight embrace, only managing to do so as the blonde appears to have completely knocked out again. She gives her head a firm shake but instantly regrets it as she feels her headache worsen.

Sighing, she stands up and makes her way to the bathroom. Soothed by the familiar morning routines of washing her face and brushing her teeth (the bitter aftertaste in her mouth taking a while to go away), Azzi is able to look at her reflection without wanting to scream.

Making fun of herself has always been her best defence mechanism, so she does a stupid pose in the mirror and takes a stupid photo of herself in Paige’s hoodie and posts a stupid ‘Who wore it better?’ poll on her private story. She’s been sitting on the counter brainstorming what to do with the bottle for less than three minutes when a FaceTime from Colleen covers her phone screen.

Azzi is quick to answer, not even getting a greeting in before her friend blurts out, “So what’s up with you and Paige?”

Eyes widening, Azzi hops off the counter to find headphones, frantically mashing the volume button down before Colleen can say anything else.

“What are you even talking about?” She whispers once she’s settled back in the bathroom.

The other girl shrugs. “Did something happen between you two?”

Azzi still doesn’t get it. “Like, a fight? We’re fine, I promise. Why are you asking, though? Did Paige say something to you?” She hopes her voice doesn’t sound as paranoid as she feels. It’s been a long 24 hours.

“Your story? It looks a bit… y’know,” Colleen smirks. “I figured it was only a matter of time, but I didn’t think you’d post it like that. I have to say, though, I thought Paige would be the type to leave hickies. Unless they’re just somewhere el-”

“SHUT UP!” Azzi shrieks, immediately slapping her hand over her mouth. “How are you getting all of this from a photo? We’ve never even kissed!”

Colleen has the decency to look slightly apologetic. “Sorry, I guess you wouldn’t see it that way. Look at the photo again, Az. Try to understand, because I promise I’m not the only one.”

“Fine.” Azzi clicks on her story. Shit. Her hair is messy, her tongue is out in what she realizes now looks like a smug smile, and Paige’s hoodie is hanging off her in a way that makes it look like she’s not wearing anything else. Colleen is totally right.

“Oh, my god.” Her reaction is so genuine that Colleen finally drops the teasing.

“You really didn’t know, huh? Look, forget I said anything, but you might wanna think about taking it down if you’re worried about what people could say.” There’s an awkward silence as Azzi sits with her head in her hands.

Suddenly, she raises her head, eyes narrowed accusingly. “Care to explain what the fuck ‘a matter of time’ is supposed to mean? Does everyone know something I don’t?”

Colleen fails to suppress a giggle as she raises her hands in the air. “I was never gonna assume anything, but I figured you two wouldn’t be able to spend that much time together without… figuring it out. Apparently,” she rolls her eyes, “I was wrong.”

“I don’t know what you think you’re seeing, but I can’t deal with this right now,” Azzi squeezes her eyes shut and takes a deep breath. “I’m so hungover, and I still have to deal with P and my parents.”

“You’re WHAT?!” Colleen’s screech of disbelief nearly sends Azzi falling off the counter a second time. “You don’t even drink… what the hell happened last night?!” It’s really more of a statement than a question, and Azzi has no choice but to explain.

Briefly, she considers telling Colleen everything, but she’s given up enough secrets recently, and it hasn’t gotten her anywhere good. The other girl believes her when she claims to have forgotten a large part of the night, and the story is apparently more interesting than the original subject of the call, of which Azzi is very grateful.

Miraculously, Paige is still asleep when Azzi hangs up the call and goes back into the blonde’s bedroom. She really needs to focus on making sure that she doesn’t get in a massive amount of trouble, but she can’t stop her eyes from continually drifting to her best friend’s sleeping form.

Telling herself that she and Paige can come up with a lie if worst comes to worst, she finally allows herself to do what Paige definitely can’t help her with — process the previous night. The cold wall against her back grounds her as she sifts through her feelings.

In hindsight, her best friend being queer isn’t all that surprising (Azzi does have eyes, after all), and really neither is Paige liking a girl. Even when it comes to Paige, Azzi tries to be logical and reasonable, but she’s only human. She can’t help but imagine all the girls that must be throwing themselves at the blonde (her brain conveniently chooses to ignore the fact that she doesn’t even know if Paige is out), and the jealousy sits heavily in her stomach.

Paige must be used to it, then, and according to Colleen, it looked like Azzi was one of the aforementioned girls. She cringes internally. Was it really that obvious? The problem is, though, that it must look like Paige has been reciprocating this hypothetical, unintentional flirting in some way. Azzi can’t think of any other reason for what Colleen had told her, and her friend had been very clear about it being something with both of them. She thinks about the way Paige held her while she cried, and she thinks that she might understand.

Azzi can’t tell if her head hurts from the hangover or the absurd mental gymnastics she’s undertaking, and she hasn’t even considered the dream yet. Wanting Paige is nothing new for her, but she’d broken too many of her own rules the previous night. She’s never messed up with Paige like that before, and she worries that it’s only going to get worse.

As her thoughts drift back to her conversation with Colleen, Azzi realizes that she never actually deleted the photo on her story. Maybe it speaks to how far she’s fallen, but it fills Azzi with a sick sense of pride as she looks at it with new perspective. Maybe she wants people to see this- maybe she wants Paige to see this, wants to know how her best friend would react.

Shutting her phone off, Azzi feels like she’s just made a pivotal choice, one she knows she wouldn’t have made a few months ago before Paige was living with her, and she’s going to have to make another purposeful concession to keep her sanity. Rationalizing once again, Azzi reasons that flirting with Paige just a bit wouldn’t be all that bad. The older girl might just be oblivious if Colleen is to be believed and they already have that outward dynamic.

Maybe her sudden feeling of giddiness is preventing her from seeing the obvious flaws of the idea, but the more she thinks about it, the more Azzi likes it. While there’s no guarantee that it will make her life any easier, it’s something that she can control, and she hasn’t felt in control of anything when it comes to Paige for years now.

By the time Paige wakes up, Azzi has two plans: the first one being another secret that she’s going to have to keep, and the second being something that she immediately goes to share with the other girl.

Paige is groggy and hungover, but somehow she gets past the rambling and mild panic in Azzi’s voice to understand what she needs to do. They’re able to sneak craft supplies onto the back deck, and Paige even manages to keep a straight face when she runs into Jose with the bottle under her hoodie.

She nods dutifully as Azzi explains the smashed bottle to her parents as a simple accident while trying to do a TikTok trend, and the girls escape with nothing more than a request to ask before taking anything else after promising to clean up the mess.

“You’re scary good at that,” Paige remarks as they’re squatting on the deck with dust pans in hand.

“At what? Lying?” Azzi asks absently. Smiling brightly, she picks up a big piece of glass and makes a heart out pink and purple glitter on it. The gesture makes Paige melt.

“No, at solving problems. You’re incredible, Az.”

The dark haired girl gives her a look. “Is this what you’re like hungover? All sappy and shit?” Her judgemental tone is offset by the fact that she’s currently making a second heart on another piece of glass.

“I’m like this all the time, what do you mean?” Paige pouts. “I know you love it anyway.”

“Mmm,” Azzi’s busy adding the finishing touches to her masterpieces. She carefully places them on the table before turning back to Paige.

Their gazes cross briefly and Azzi thinks maybe she sees something that looks like love. As she goes back to sweeping up the glass, she has to physically shake her head as she tells herself to get it together. She figures she must still be drunk or something.

But Azzi isn’t seeing things. Paige is lucky that the younger girl is distracted, because the lovestruck gaze that she’s failing to hide is the least of her worries. Since she woke up, there’s been a feeling that she just can’t shake, and she’s run out of explanations of what it could be.

Except for one, that is. Waking up tangled in Azzi’s arms this morning had felt different, and so, so right. Paige wouldn’t hesitate to say that Azzi was the person she was the most comfortable with, but never before had she considered the feeling that they belonged together.

That feeling had only intensified when Paige had accidentally brushed her lips against her best friend’s neck and then compounded it by holding Azzi’s side like she belonged to her.

Sure, that would’ve looked really bad. But what felt worse — not worse exactly, just… new and kind of scary — was when Paige, still drifting in and out of consciousness, heard Azzi’s anxious demands and found them only endearing.

Not long ago, she would’ve found herself getting annoyed, but even with the stress of covering their tracks pushing Azzi into her controlling state, the fondness in Paige’s heart still hasn’t dissipated. Does this mean Paige… has a crush on her best friend?

There, outside on the deck, Paige metaphorically gives Azzi her heart as the younger girl gives Paige a physical one. Paige thinks the broken glass that is the medium of Azzi’s creation makes a pretty good metaphor for her perception of their friendship. Shattered, splintered, permanently altered.

Trying not to say anything too sappy (or too insane for that matter, she has no idea how she came up with the broken glass thing), Paige elects to admire the methodical way that Azzi is now checking for missed pieces of glass.

When they finally go back inside, the first thing Paige does is place the glass heart on her night table so she can look at it every day. The second thing she does is open Snapchat, which is apparently a terrible decision. As soon as she clicks on Azzi’s story, that weird feeling is back, but it’s less surprising.

Azzi wears Paige’s clothes all the time, but she doesn’t normally draw attention to that fact the way this story so clearly is. Has the dark-haired girl always looked so good in Paige’s hoodies? Probably. Somehow, Paige had just been blind to it. She wishes desperately that it was still the case, because it would definitely be weird to ask her best friend to share clothes more often.

Groaning, Paige throws her phone onto the bed before flopping facedown after it.

“Whatcha doing, Paigey?” says Azzi in a singsong voice from the doorway.

Paige rolls over, not bothering to open her eyes. “I’m sleeping- or at least I was,” she says exasperatedly.

“Can I join you?” Azzi’s sounds seductive in Paige’s ears, and she has to open her eyes to confirm it’s just in her imagination. Fuck.

Azzi’s still wearing her sweater, and there’s definitely a slight smirk on her face as she stands with her arms crossed and her head tilted to the side.

“You look good in my sweater,” Paige mumbles sleepily. Shit, shit, shit. There’s no way she just said that out loud. Throwing her arm over her face to hide her blush, Paige misses Azzi’s smile widening.

“I know I do,” Azzi is closer now. She traces a finger down Paige’s bicep. “You didn’t answer my question, though.”

“Just come here,” Paige whines. She moves her arm so Azzi can rest her head on it. At the younger girl’s sigh of contentment, Paige has to squeeze her eyes shut. She is so, so fucked.

•••••

‘Fucked’ is maybe an understatement. Paige doesn’t know what to do anymore. She really wishes she was able to keep her thoughts locked away. She knows Azzi would be able to.

At first, they’d been manageable and fairly harmless. She’d just catch herself staring at Azzi here and there and find that she had the urge to ask the other girl if she knew how beautiful she was. Sure, she’d noticed that Azzi was pretty before, but she hadn’t had time to really appreciate how her features complemented each other so well. Friends look at each other like that, right? Paige wasn't totally sure, but she’d sort of been able to convince herself that they did, backtracking on her earlier realization. That had worked for all of a few hours. Then she was right back to where she started, looking at Azzi like she wanted them to be something more than best friends.

Now that a few days had passed, it seemed that Azzi coming out to her had been both a blessing and a curse. Fortunately, it had allowed Paige to come out with much less stress. She was never planning on keeping it from the younger girl (she didn’t think that was something she was even able to do), but she had never found what felt like the right time and it had been weighing heavily on her. She really didn’t think they could get any closer, but since the mutual confession, their bond felt even deeper.

Unfortunately, it seemed to have unlocked something in her subconscious mind. And that was the problem — not when she realized that Azzi was pretty, but when she realized that Azzi was hot. Like, really hot, so hot that she regularly got Paige worked up. The blonde would toss and turn in bed, thighs squeezed together, as she tried to push away some of the crazier thoughts, reminding herself that they were about her really hot best friend, not some random crush.

Knowing that Azzi liked girls had apparently given Paige’s brain new material and explicit permission to use it. Even though she was quick to dismiss the thoughts as soon as they popped into her head, she was bombarded by images of Azzi in various states of undress, doing things with her that girls who like other girls do. While they did make her feel a bit guilty, she wasn’t going to lie to herself and pretend that she didn’t also enjoy them. She also wasn’t going to pretend that, on the rare nights where Azzi wasn’t wrapped around her, her hand wouldn’t dip below her waistband as she allowed herself to briefly indulge in her newfound forbidden desires.

There is also a second (and admittedly more complicated) problem: Paige isn’t just attracted to Azzi, she’s pretty sure she’s in love with her. Like, the full-blown ‘I want to spend the rest of my life with you’ kind of love. She’d been drawn to the dark-haired girl since the day they met, and the more she actually thinks about it, the more she realizes that there was probably never a time where she wasn’t in love with Azzi. She goes back and forth between cringing at her own obliviousness and thanking the Lord for not making her have to live with it for all these years. She can’t imagine grappling with these feelings at the age of fifteen when even looking back at the mess of interactions from her short time at the Fudd’s is enough to give her a headache.

Even if this whole love thing is new, Paige would still consider herself something of an Azzi expert, or at least an expert on the way that Azzi acts around her. And she’s sure that it’s not the same as it was last week, or ever, for that matter. Because in all their years of friendship, Azzi has never whispered in Paige’s ear so close that her lips ghost across her skin, never ran her hands across Paige’s upper thighs, and certainly never looked at Paige with those eyes. And at the family dinner table, no less.

Well, she’s at least somewhat sure. Technically, Paige realizes she can’t be completely sure because she wasn’t exactly looking for it before. Maybe it was there all along and she was just oblivious. Or worse, maybe Azzi isn’t even doing anything and Paige is making it all up to serve her own interests.

But whether or not it’s in her head, it’s absolutely torturous. Nighttime fantasies aside, Paige wants it to mean something when she holds her best friend at night. She wants Azzi to know that the forehead kisses (a new habit she’s picked up) and words of affection whispered in the dark are a million little confessions, all uttered in place of one that she will never dare voice out loud.

She never imagined the thought crossing her mind, but sometimes Paige wants all of this to be over, almost needs to get away from Azzi for both of their sakes. But then her best friend will flash a smile in Paige’s direction and everything else melts away. Because Azzi has Paige wrapped around her finger, and Paige is hardly fighting it anymore.

•••••

Paige has seen Azzi in a bathing suit before, but not since she’s… figured some things out. When the dark-haired girl runs out of the house in a simple black bikini, Paige doesn’t even know where to look. There are so many places that she wants to but basically nowhere that she thinks would be appropriate at this point, so she settles for the safest option of locking eyes with Azzi. That turns out to be a mistake, because of course Azzi’s looking at her like that, and Paige wants to go back inside to hide from her.

Being unable to make eye contact with her best friend, Paige’s gaze inevitably shifts downwards. The blonde has enough self-awareness to realize that the look on her face as her eyes snag on Azzi’s lips and collarbones is something she never wants the other members of the household to see. She schools her features into neutrality as she turns around, confusion quickly clouding them when she sees only Tim at the grill.

“Where are Katie and the boys at?” she asks.

A brief smile ghosts across Tim’s face. “Inside, I guess,” he shrugs dismissively. “They’ll be out soon, I’m sure they’re getting dish soap or something.”

Paige doesn’t have long to ponder his evasive answer before Azzi is calling her over.

“Come help me with these staples!”

The DIY slip-n-slide was another idea they’d seen on Tiktok, and when the forecast predicted a particularly hot and sunny day, it seemed like the perfect time to try it.

Paige and Azzi are securing the last corner of the plastic sheet when they’re finally joined by Azzi’s mom and brothers. Only Katie is holding a bottle of dish soap, which Paige registers as somewhat suspicious, but she’s quickly distracted by Tim’s call to come eat.

—

They try the slip-n-slide after lunch. After much bickering, Azzi gets to be the first to go. She slides gracefully on her stomach, laughing joyfully the whole time, before jumping to her feet and turning to Paige with a huge grin on her face.

Paige would be the first to tell anyone how much she loves Azzi’s smile, but she barely registers it this time as her eyes latch onto a water droplet on Azzi’s shoulder and her earlier attempts not to look are all for nothing. Almost hypnotically, her eyes follow the trail of water past her best friend’s collarbones, between the valley of her breasts, and across her abs before it soaks into her bikini bottoms. Paige fully takes in the warm brown skin glistening with soapy water and it’s just so much. All Paige wants to do is touch, anywhere she can. She’s imagining running her hands down her best friend’s body in very inappropriate ways when Jon’s voice next to her snaps her back into the present.

“Hello, Earth to Paige?” he yells, practically screaming in her ear. Face burning, the blonde’s eyes snap away just in time to watch Azzi’s youngest brother turn the hose on her.

“Oooh, you’re so dead for that!” she shrieks, chasing after him.

It soon becomes apparent what Katie and the boys were doing when Jose comes running out of the house with a huge bucket of water balloons. He starts chucking them at Paige and Jon, who are wrestling in the grass, and soon the whole family is having a water balloon fight.

Paige and Azzi try to seek shelter behind a table, but it turns out to be a bad decision as the rest of the Fudds gang up on them. With their supply dwindling, both girls jump up and run across the yard, dodging many balloons but still getting soaked.

“Please, spare us,” Paige cries as she ducks behind Azzi. “You wouldn’t hurt your sweet sister, would you?”

Jon and Jose consider it for about three seconds. “Fuck family, this is war!” Jon shouts, earning a cheer from Jose and poorly masked laughter from Tim and Katie. The onslaught continues, with Paige still trying to use Azzi as a human shield.

If Paige’s hands slide when she puts them on Azzi’s sides to reposition her, surely it’s just because of the soapy water. If they brush across Azzi’s abs as she turns around to push the older girl away, Paige’s breath certainly doesn’t catch in her throat. And when the girls lose the water balloon fight, it’s definitely because it was basically two against four and not because Paige was horribly, atrociously distracted.

—

“Today was really fun,” Azzi muses as they lie in her bed that night.

“Easy for you to say when you didn’t get a sunburn,” Paige winces at the slight sting as her back rubs against the sheets.

“That’s because I’m better than you,” Azzi shrugs like it’s obvious. “Don’t worry, I still think you look cute… even if it means you won’t let me cuddle you tonight.” She yawns and rolls over.

Paige freezes. What the fuck? Her brain is telling her that there’s no way she heard Azzi right, but with the way her best friend has been acting, it almost makes sense.

Shaking her head, Paige shifts around before deciding that the least painful sleeping position is flat on her back. When Azzi slinks her way into Paige’s arms, the older girl grits her teeth against the pain, never once considering pushing the dark-haired girl away to ease her discomfort.

—

Paige is in a desert. Her burnt skin stings under the sun and the hot sand scorches her feet as she stumbles desperately towards a jagged mountain, the only landmark for miles. She’s disappointed to discover that it offers no shade, but hope blossoms as she circles it.

The back of the mountain is an imposing rock face, but all thoughts of trying to climb it are dispelled when a small dark line running down it catches Paige’s eye. She draws closer and is relieved to find that it’s a trickle of water descending from the top of the mountain hundreds of feet above her. The rivulet is scarcely wider than one of Paige’s fingers, but she desperately presses her tongue to the rock, needing to get as much as she can in case it runs out.

The first drop of water invigorates her. It tastes like dreams and desires and a million other things all at once, and soon Paige doesn’t think she could stop lapping it up if she tried. The water drips down her chin and she welcomes the sensation. The trickle grows into a stream and still Paige keeps drinking, closing her eyes as it washes over her like a baptism.

Paige’s senses are flooded by vanilla and jasmine and she has only one thought. Azzi. When her tongue brushes against the rock face again, it’s not the rough feeling she’d gotten used to, causing Paige to open her eyes in shock. She’s on her stomach on what appears to be a flat rock in the middle of an oasis.

But Paige barely has time to take in her surroundings because right under her is the source of her desires. Azzi has an arm thrown carelessly over her eyes, legs spread so that Paige can lie between them, her head inches above the other girl’s smooth, toned stomach. Paige realizes what she’d felt on her tongue and dips her head down, experimentally tracing the path of a water droplet up Azzi’s stomach. She swallows thickly, revelling once more in the heavenly taste of it.

“Why’d you stop?” Paige’s head snaps up. They make eye contact for the first time, Azzi’s relaxed body language juxtaposed by the lust darkening her deep brown eyes.

Paige realizes that Azzi’s wearing the black bikini top she loves, but as her arm brushes the dark-haired girl’s bare hip bone, she’s not brave enough to look down.

“It’s just us here,” Azzi purrs. She arches her back slightly so she can reach the knot holding her top on. “Just you and me.” Azzi fixes Paige with an intense stare, not once breaking eye contact as she begins to pull her top off.

Azzi’s scent is intoxicating, clouding Paige’s senses and leaving her almost in a trance. “You know what I want, baby.” She licks her lips.

Paige doesn’t know if it’s the pet name or the sultry tone of Azzi’s voice, but her head is starting to feel fuzzy.

“I- I do,” she says almost reverently.

“Good girl,” Azzi murmurs. “Think you can do that for me, then?”

And Paige finds herself nodding eagerly, letting soft hands tangle in her hair as Azzi gently pushes her head down.

—

Paige wakes up absolutely parched. She tries not to be disappointed when the water she gulps down tastes nothing like the elixir from her dream. There’s only one thing that she thinks could possibly taste that good, and it’s the one thing she can’t possibly have.

#pazzi my loves #close #the covid fic #paige my love #azzi my love #paige bueckers x azzi fudd #pazzi fic

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pricklepearbloom · 10 months ago

Note

Hey I've love love loved your acotar fics and was wondering if you could do like a jealousy fic with az like he's being completely irrational about the amount of time your spending with one of his brothers but you only love him and he goes to elain for comfort but it ends in fluff after a big argument because as we know he struggles to regulate/show his emotions thanksss

-🥒

a/n: hey loveee I hope this is something along the lines of what you wanted! I've never done an ask before (omg first!!) If anyone else has any request, don't be afraid to slide into my inbox bb.

All I Want

Pairing: Azriel x OC (Ruby)

Warnings: just some good old-fashioned angst, not beta read

Word count: 3.5K

As the morning sunlight gently filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room, Ruby found herself in a cocoon of comfort, wrapped in the tender embrace of the love of her life, her sweet mate Azriel. The soft rhythm of his breathing and his heart synchronized with hers in a sweet lullaby. In the mornings, it felt like the world outside the haven of their bedroom seemed to pause before the chaos of the day began. Gods she loved weekends, nothing to do but relax and stay cozy Ruby mused as she cuddled in further into her mate’s strong chest.

He pulled her closer as he began to wake placing a soft kiss on her head, practically shoving his nose into her hair to drown in the scent of her shampoo. “Mmm what time is it?” Ruby lightly rasped out, voice rough from disuse. “Who cares, I intend to stay right here all day.” Azriel replied as he gave her a small squeeze, running a thumb lightly along the small of her back. Ruby smiled softly letting her brain imagine spending all day in bed.

Shoot. She couldn’t spend all day in bed. Ruby’s eyes shot open and she sat up at breakneck speed. Azriel scrunched his brows and followed her up to a sitting position. “Is everything alright? Hey, wait where are you going?” He calls as Ruby jumps out of bed throwing on her dressing robe running into the bathroom.

“I’m sorry! I totally forgot I promised Cassian that I would meet with him today.” Ruby said her voice muddled from speaking with her toothbrush in her mouth. Azriel felt his stomach drop a bit, he had been looking forward to spending time with her today. Rhys had been piling more and more work on his plate and he promised he wouldn’t intervene today. “But wai-“ he tried to get out “I’m sorry I’m running terribly late I can’t believe I forgot, he’s going to kill me.”

Azriel took a deep breath as he watched her run around their bedroom putting on undergarments then picking up and smelling and pair of pants, making a face and putting it back down before repeating the process until she had found one that suited whatever clearly questionable requirements she had for clean laundry.

“I’ll be back later okay?” Ruby glanced up from pulling her shoes on her feet and saw the slightly lost look on Azriel’s face as he was still sitting upright in bed, mouth slightly ajar. She felt a kernel of guilt tighten in her stomach. “I can cancel if you want. I’m sorry I forgot to mention it, Cassian asked me to help him pick out an anniversary present for Nesta and you know him, he’s useless at that kind of stuff.”

Her eyes softened and she crawled back on the bed placing a soft kiss on Azriel’s sharp jawline that seemed clenched before immediately relaxing after feeling her soft lips on his face. “But if you want, I can absolutely cancel, and we can stay in bed and spend the day together?” He shook his head lightly, “no, it’s fine. You should go. Someone needs to stop him from buying her an engraved horse saddle.” He sighed “I’ll just miss you; will you be back later? Maybe we can make hot cocoa and read together?”

A fond smile came to Ruby’s lips at the idea. “That sounds lovely darling. I think I should be back just after lunch; I’ll see if we can stop by the bakery to get some of those pastries that you love.” She scooted off of the bed before leaning back in for one last kiss. Azriel wanted to make it count, his hand gently caressed her jaw and neck, thumb swiping back and forth along her cheek as he firmly planted a deep kiss that sent Ruby reeling. Azriel’s kisses were always filled with passion and love, they were like a drug to her, she could never get enough. Azriel was the first to pull away, a small smirk on his face seeing her eyes still shut spinning from his kiss. Still got it, he thought to himself smugly. “I love you.” She said softly before practically prancing out of the room, taking Azriel’s heart with her.

That was only the beginning, it seemed. Azriel noticed that Ruby seemed to be spending a lot of time with Cassian. Rationally he knew that nothing would ever happen between them, but his feelings didn’t seem to care much for rationality when Ruby was concerned. His anxiety rose higher and higher as the weeks passed on, holding it all in until one day, after coming home from a long and hard mission, he came to his breaking point.

Muscles aching from a mission, Azriel landed on the balcony of the Townhouse to see Rhys. Meetings with Rhys could take either five minutes or an hour and he had a feeling that this particular meeting was going to be on the longer side. He mentally groaned, his entire body was practically screaming at him to return to his home and wrap his arms around his warm, soft, loving mate. Ignoring the buzz that’s ever present when he thinks about Ruby, he steps off of the balcony and opens the glass door and is met with a rush of warm air and the comforting scent of his home and- is… is that his mate?

His pupils immediately dilated, and his pace picked up tenfold. He swiftly moved through the house following her unmistakable scent, his ears perking up at the sound of her laughter. His ears picked up a low rumble that distinctly did not sound like his mate. His hackles immediately rose as he rounded the corner to see Ruby and Cassian sitting side by side on the couch. He was operating on fumes and all his mind saw at that moment was the love of his life with a man that was not him and all. he. saw. was. red.

“What is this.” His voice cut through the warm atmosphere like his truth teller on a mission. Ruby’s eyes snapped up to meet his and lit up with excitement “Az!” Jumping up off of the couch to greet him. She took in his tight expression and lowered her arms that were barely raised to embrace him.

“What’s wrong?” She said cautiously taking a step toward him “Oh, not much. Just came here to debrief before going home after a very long day to see my faithful, loving mate. Only come to find her here with my brother.” Ruby’s eyebrows scrunched shocked while Cassian’s rose to his forehead “Azriel. You’re out of line.” Cassian said slowly rising from his seat on the couch with a confused expression on his face.

Cassian’s defense only served to anger Azriel even more. Obviously if he was being defensive that meant that something was going on. Ruby had been spending an obscene amount of time with Cassian, something more had to be going on. “Am I? Please, Cassian, tell me why you’re spending your night with my mate when you have your own to attend to? Or is she not enough for you anymore that you had to take what was mine as well.” Azriel practically spat out, his shadows lashing out from his body reacting to his heightened emotions.

Cassian’s eyes darkened at the slight against Nesta. “Don’t speak a word about my mate. She is and will always be enough for me. What is going on with you? This isn’t like you at all.” And he was right, the emotions that were roiling through Azriel didn’t feel like him at all. Usually, he would be ecstatic to see his mate and his brother getting along so well. When they first met, Ruby had some issues with feeling welcome into the inner circle. They were a tight nit group, and she was easily overwhelmed by the depth that each of them knew each other, it often felt like she would never find her place beyond being Azriel’s mate.

“Cass do you mind giving us the room for a minute?” Ruby said gently, not letting her eyes leave Azriel’s. Once the war general gave a tense nod and slipped through the doorway to give the couple some privacy, Ruby took another step toward Azriel. “Az,” Ruby said hesitantly “I promise nothing was going on, Cassian and I were just catching up. Why don’t you take a seat, and we can talk about whatever’s going through your head?” A wave of embarrassment flooded through Azriel, but he shrugged it off, choosing to shut down instead. “Unfortunately, I need to meet with Rhys to debrief. I’ll meet you at home.” Ruby’s eyes sharpened at his harsh tone. “Fine. But don’t come back until you figured out what the hell is going on with you and you’re ready to talk.” Azriel didn’t bother to acknowledge her as he strode out of the room headed for Rhys’ office.

Following the fight, Ruby went home and sat and waited for Azriel to come back. She reflected on their little spat and agonized over every word. What could she had said differently? It pained her that her mate was hurting and that he wouldn’t let her help. When he comes home, she thought, we’ll sit here and talk about whatever is going on with him and then we’ll move forward from there. That’s all we can do.

But minutes turned to hours and Ruby still sat on the couch. A debrief had never gone on this long before and Ruby was sure that he was probably just taking some time to cool off. She didn’t move from her spot on the couch as the day turned to night and somewhere in the late hours of the night, she fell asleep on the couch, still waiting.

A door shutting woke Ruby from her slumber, her neck aching with the pain of being held in the wrong position for too long. Ruby reached up, trying to rub the ache away her eyes locking onto the dark figure standing in the archway that leads to their living area. “Hi.” Azriel said hoarsely “What time is it?” Ruby said her gaze peering out of the window seeing the light peek through the linen curtains they had picked out together “Did you just get home?” Azriel nodded unable to meet her eyes. “W-Where have you been? Why didn’t you come home last night? I waited up all night for you.” Ruby said standing from her place on the couch, leaving the imprint of her body on the couch from hours of use.

“I stayed with Elain for the night.” Ruby’s heart sunk through the floor. It was no secret that there was bad blood between the two. Azriel and Elain had an attachment of sorts until Ruby came into the picture and Elain made it very clear that she was not a fan of Ruby. She was constantly spouting vitriol about Ruby while she was still new to the inner circle, never in ear shot of Azriel of course. Eventually, Ruby made her discomfort known to Azriel and he had put distance between himself and Elain. His interest in her had been waning for some time and when Ruby came into his life, he didn’t give the Archeron sister another thought. His heart and mind set on the kind and strong female that the cauldron had blessed him with.

“Why?” Ruby’s rasped through a tight throat, thick with emotion. “Did you- Azriel did you cheat on me?” Her eyes welled up with tears as she stared at him incredulously, a sharp pain shot through her chest at the idea.

“No, no. I would never do that to you Ruby. I just...” he paused dropping his gaze to the floor. “I wanted you to feel how it felt when I saw you with Cassian.” Now that the words had left his mouth, he wished he could take them back. He wished he could shove them into a box and never let them see the light of day again because the look on Ruby’s face, it was enough to make him want to take truth teller and shove it into his gut until he bled out at her feet.

“You- you went to Elain’s to get back at me?” she said hoping that her ears had been lying to her and she didn’t hear that her mate had done something so… so spiteful. She had been trying to hold them back but once the first tear came it was like opening the floodgates. Azriel took a step forward reaching out to brush them away and to comfort her but she matched his step, taking one backward, flinching away from his hand. “I think I need some space.” She stepped past the couch that she had been sitting at all night waiting for him to come home so they could make up, but he was with her.

Azriel lightly grabbed her wrist as she passed him intending to head quickly toward the stairs that led to their bedroom. “Ruby, please. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” Ruby jerked her arm out of his grasp spinning around on him. “Really? You weren’t thinking for the entire night? I find that incredibly hard to believe Azriel. Leave me alone.” She practically ran up the stairs and slammed the door shut, locking it swiftly. She practically collapses into sobs on their bed, her tears staining the pillows still made and fluffed from yesterday morning.

Azriel’s heart shattered into pieces as he tried the door handle, finding himself locked out of his bedroom, unable to console and comfort his mate who he betrayed. He felt like beyond an idiot. What was he thinking? Going to Elain of all people? After his meeting with Rhys, he felt his emotions pulling himself in a million directions. He ran into her in the kitchen, fully intending on going home to sort things out with his mate, she saw the look in his eyes and offered an ear and some tea. A dark part in Azriel thought well if his mate was going to talk to another male then he could talk to another female. A large part of his heart ached to be with Ruby, but mess of his feelings kept him seated. They sat there all night talking and the next thing he knew it was light outside marking the next day.

If he could turn back time, he would slit his own throat before sitting to tea with Elain. It would probably hurt less than he felt now, hearing his mate’s sobs through the locked door knowing there was nothing he could do to help. “Please, Ruby.” He croaked out after hours of sitting outside of the door. “I’m sorry. I… I was jealous and stupid, and I wanted to make you hurt like I was hurting. It’s felt like you’ve picked Cassian over me for weeks and I didn’t know how to talk to you about it. I’m so sorry my love, you deserve a better mate.” Her cries had softened to a sniffle and he heard a click of the door. It surprised Azriel who had been sitting on the ground, head hung low.

He shot up, the door opening to reveal Ruby with a red nose and puffy eyes, irritated from hours of crying. He didn’t think his heart could break any further, but he found himself wrong once again.

“I don’t deserve a better mate. I have the perfect mate, Azriel.” She said softly, his heart daring to lift an inch off of the ground of the pit that it found itself in at her words. “I deserved to be treated better though, yes.” He hung his head nodding solemnly. Ruby walked back to bed and crawled beneath the sheets. Azriel hesitated to get close to her, his eyes shone with tears unshed. The desperation to be close to her was palpable and Ruby granted him mercy lightly tapping on the bedspread next to her. He wasn’t going to question her as he kicked off his boots practically racing for the bed before she changed her mind. They lay side by side turned so they could see each other. Whenever they were in bed, they were always wrapped in each other’s arms so not being able to touch her was agony for Azriel.

“What happened Az? Why didn’t you talk to me about how you were feeling with me seeing Cassian?” She whispered, wrapping her arms around herself as a way to comfort herself from the conversation they were having. Azriel reached out to tuck a piece of hair that had fallen into her face before thinking better of it halfway and pulling it back away. Ruby gently grabbed his hand and led it back to her cheek. As upset as she was, she craved the comfort that only he could provide. He caressed the side of her face, his thumb gently stroking back and forth. She closed her eyes feeling the familiar sensation, relishing in the warmth and care he provided.

“I was embarrassed, I think. I know you would never cheat on me but whenever you left to see him it felt like you were choosing him over me. And then it felt like you were spending all of your time with him and I felt like I wasn’t enough for you. Like you had to seek happiness elsewhere with someone more worthy.” He whispered back the insecurities that had flooded his brain as of late. Ruby shook her head vehemently, “I’m sorry you were feeling like that Az, I had no idea. Why do you keep saying that you aren’t worthy? You are.” She pressed not breaking eye contact with him as if to hammer home her reassurance. He didn’t deserve his kind mate. He should be reassuring her and here he was blubbering about his insecurities. “I don’t know. You are this ball of light and bring so much warmth into my life and what do I bring you? Baggage and pain.” He held his breath as he dared to whisper his deepest thoughts. As if, if he spoke them too loudly, she would realize his words to be truth and would up and leave. But she didn’t. She just shook her head sadly.

“I wish you saw yourself the way I saw you. You are strong, you’re a loyal friend,” he flinched, he wasn’t being very loyal when he went to Elain, Ruby gave him a knowing look. “We’ll get there. You are the best person I know Az. I wish you gave yourself the benefit of the doubt.” Ruby gave a moment of pause watching Azriel shake his head in disagreement “Do you think that I am a good person?” He nodded, “of course. The absolute best.” “Then why would my mate be someone terrible? Wouldn’t it make sense for the one that my soul is bound to by the cauldron to be just as good?” Azriel pondered, he had never thought about it that way before.

Ruby nodded to herself before taking a deep breath “So. Tell me about Elain.” Azriel shut his eyes. “Gods I’m such an idiot. I’m so sorry my love. I promise that nothing happened, I was fired up after the meeting and she and I just talked. I acted despicably and if I could do it all over again, I would come straight home. Words-“ His voice cracked and he cleared his throat “words cannot express how awful I feel about it. If you want me to never speak to her again I will, just say the word. Please don’t leave me. Please. I’ll do anything.” He had never begged before, but he wasn’t above getting down on his knees for this female that ruled his world.

Ruby shook her head lightly “I’m not leaving you.” A weight lifted off of Azriel’s shoulders at her words and he began softly crying tears of relief. The rare sight of Azriel crying was too much for Ruby’s heart to handle and she wrapped her arms around her mate holding him tight. “What you did wasn’t okay. You lashed out to hurt me and I won’t just stand by and be your punching bag when you don’t know how to express your emotions.” Azriel nodded pressing his nose further into her hair taking a deep breath centering himself in her scent. She was here, she wasn’t leaving. “I’ll do better, I promise. I’ll communicate more when I’m feeling upset and we can work through it together.” Ruby nuzzled into his chest humming her approval. “And I’ll be more sensitive to making quality time with you a priority.” They stayed like that for an hour before Ruby broke the silence. “What if we took a little time off from the world? Spent some time just cooped up here, getting back into our groove and patching everything up?” Azriel let out a deep sigh a small fond smile finally taking to his face. “Yes, my love. That sounds wonderful.” They spent the rest of the day there, holding on to each other basking in the other’s warmth.

#azriel angst #azriel x oc #azriel x reader #acotar #azriel #no beta we die like men #request #acotar request #if this doesn't make sense #dont tell me

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redheadspark · 1 year ago

Note

Is it too early to drop a request for the prompt? This is my first *ever* request, so I don't know how this actually works.

Mine is #8 and #15 with Az.

It's a personal one that is close to my heart. I'd love that kind of energy in my life, and maybe a good fic will help manifest that for me. 😉

I love your work, and I appreciate the effort you put into what you do! Thank you so much.

A/N - Aww this is great! This might be more of a somber piece, but I think it's great! Let me know what you think! I hope you like it!

Grief

Summary - Azriel knows a thing or two about grief, and he vows to never leave you in it.

Warnings - mostly angst with a hint of fluff in the end :)

The cool air was hitting you along your backside as you were kneeling in front of the small patch of new grass, the clouds above were giving off a shield over your head while you were holding a fresh bouquet of flowers in your hand. The meadow was cleared out, which is rare for a weekend since it would be filled to the brim with Velaris citizens to enjoy the weather. But that day everyone was in town, shopping for winter solstice that was right around the corner. You would have been joining them if you could, but not that day.

Not on the anniversary of your mother’s birthday.

Her grave was tucked away at a secluded piece of land, owned by Rhysand and used just for his family. It was a gift he wished to bestow on you when your mother passed away, making sure it was always well-kept and maintained. Being the ever-loving cousin that he was, he never wished for you to stress over the gravesite or the funeral, but you did. She was the one woman who raised you since you were an infant on her own, not leaning on others for help and making sure you could survive in the world on your own. You did, all thanks to her, and her sudden death at the hands of King Hybern and his invasion into Velaris devastated you to your core.

You were a wreck, but your mate stayed at your side.

Even now as you were placing the fresh flowers from Elaine’s personal garden on the grave, you knew he was standing not too far away and giving you the space you needed to both grieve and breathe. You sensed him, you always have since you two met as teenagers and then became mates 300 years ago. He knew how to show he was close by without saying a single word, which made you grateful for him as you took in a long breath and looked at the small slab of marble that was in the ground. Placing the flowers on top of the grave, you hummed.

“All is well here, Mother,” You replied, your voice softly floating in the air as the grass was swaying in the wind, “There’s peace again here in Velaris as we get ready for Winter Solstice. It was your favorite holiday, as was mine. It still is, and you should see the house and how we decorated it, plenty of garland and holly from head to toe. I think Elaine went a bit overboard this year, but I can’t say no to her,”

You chuckled wetly, a few tears were hitting your cheeks as you felt a small sliver of a shadow licking against your arm. You hummed, knowing who It was as the shadow swirled around your fingers, a silent request to join you. You nodded once, the shadows flicking away then the soft sound of boots in the grass coming your way from behind.

“We all miss you, Mother,” You continued, the footsteps stopping right behind you as you wiped some tears away briskly, “It’s not the same without you here. I know I miss you the most, I miss your laugh in the morning during coffee, I miss you telling Rhysand and Cassian to stop bickering with one another like they did when they were kids, and I miss hugging you. Your embraces were always home to me, and I’ve been missing them so,”

A scarred yet gentle hand was placed on your shoulder then, the faintest of pressure along there as you sighed and more tears fell.

“Azriel and I have been well. Your shop is running so well, Mother. You should see it, we’re almost sold out every day which helps in remodeling our home that you wanted us to have,” Once again you paused, clutching your fingers together a bit more as you were trying to find the right words in what you wanted to say. Wounds still felt fresh under your skin, past memories of the first year without your mother were flooding back to you and how hard those nights were. Not having her guidance or words of wisdom, not having her times of counsel when you were at a crossroads.

He knew of your mother and admired her for not only raising you on her own but also being a support for him, Cassian, and Rhsyand as you were all growing up together. He spoke to her about courting you, then later asking for your hand in marriage. His respect for her was massive, to which your mother loved him all the more and approved instantly.

“I know you will love my daughter and treat her as your equal, Azriel.”

“I swear to you, I will,”

Azriel was the backbone you needed to get through that dark time, holding you every night when you were in tears, always sitting at your side when you were lost in thought, during his love to you every chance he could. Azriel knew the guilt you carried in not protecting your mother during the attack in the town square, finding you hunched over her body and screaming into the void as no life was evident in her. That whole day was etched in tragedy and in pain. Hearing his voice brought you peace during those rougher nights.

“Why do you always think you have to do everything on your own?” Azriel asked against your head as you were snuggled against him in bed one summer night, his fingers raking through your hair and your legs intertwined, “I vowed to carry your burdens in dire times, sweetheart. You gotta let me,”

“I can’t,” You mourned into his shirt as he kissed your cheeks and shook his head.

“You can. I can no longer stomach seeing you got through this on your own. Grieving alone will kill you, baby. I won’t let you do that to yourself, you hear me?” He asked, you looking up at him and seeing his own eyes glistening a bit with tears. Tears from seeing you in pain, tears from not knowing how else to ease your pain and sorrow, and tears from simply thinking you were slipping away from him. You were grateful for him, the stubborn Illryian that he was to simply not let you out of his sight. You knew he also knew pain from his childhood and how true a mother’s love was.

You gave him the softest smile, and for the first time in a long time, you felt your mating bond hum and flutter in simple love and affection. It was safe to say your love for one another was simple and yet intense, mixed together in years of friendship and mutual respect.

“I can’t lose you either,” He stated to you as you held him a bit tighter, “I’ll do whatever it takes to bring that light in your eyes again, the same light I fell in love with when we were young. But losing you is not an option, not with me. I won’t survive in this world without you by my side,” He traced a few tears away with his scarred thumb, “I hate seeing you like this. Please..let me help.”

So you let him in, and you felt your heart preparing itself slowly but surely.

Azriel knelt down next to you, a bundle nestled in his arm showing an infant baby sound asleep and tucked away in a warm cotton blanket. You grinned at the sight, reaching over to tuck the blanket in a bit more under the chin of your babe, who cooed and snuggled into Azriel some more as the dark thick hair contrasted with the light yellow blanket. Looking from the babe to Azriel, you saw him smile with a hint of love and pride in those hazel eyes, then finally looking back at the grave in front of you.

“I want you to meet someone, Mother. This is your granddaughter,” You said softly, your voice no longer having pain but a sense of hope, “She was born in the summer, on the hottest day of the year actually. Madja said she was born a week early, and almost didn’t make it through the night since she was too tiny. But I knew, mother. I knew she was a strong babe and she would bring us joy, and she has. Her laugh reminds me of bells, she has her father’s eyes and my freckles, but I think she has your smile. I wish you could have held her, she’s so soft and little but I knew she’s fierce,”

“Like her mother,” Azriel hummed next to you, having you grin again. Your daughter was a shock for both you and Azriel, you both heard the news that you were with child and beyond happy. There were talks of you two wanting to have a family, but nothing too serious. Perhaps it was perfecting timing then, a new life coming into your little world that was still repairing itself and being made new. Azriel saw a growing seed inside of you as you were moving along in your pregnancy, a new sense of hope that sprouted from the notion of being a mother and having your own baby to love and care for.

The rest of the Inner Circle was excited for the babe, Nesta throwing a baby shower for you when you were 7 months along, High Lady Feyre painting your nursery from top to bottom with stars and hillsides, and even Rhysand gifting you both with handmade furniture to put in the nursery. Azriel requested Cassian and Elaine to be the godparents, and you knew that your child was going to have the best family to grow up with and to lean on.

For that, you were thankful. The same family that vowed to support you will now support your baby.

You and Azriel walked away from the grave and along the worn path in the meadow, you holding your daughter close in your arms as she was sleeping soundly without a care in the world. Azriel had a hand along your lower back both as a sense of peace and a sense of familiar protection. Every time you came to this place, you had moments of grief and sadness that came in small flickers of waves. But it wasn’t all bad now. Not with the life you had with your mate, with the Inner Circle, and now with your daughter.

Your daughter, who was named after her grandmother: Adeline Rose

The End

Hurt and Comfort Promp Session

#azriel shadowsinger #azriel acotar #azriel x reader #azriel x you #azriel x oc #acotar fic #acotar fanfiction #acotar #a court of wings and ruin #a court of silver flames #a court of mist and fury #a court of thorns and roses #fanfiction #writing #acotar imagine #Ariel x female reader #azriel angst #azriel spymaster

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lanitalay · 10 months ago

Text

One Day : Chapter 5

Azriel x reader, based on the Netflix series by the same name

a/n: I haven't forgotten about AFAS but this one is so comforting to write. Also a master post for this series sis on my todo list I just haven;t gotten around to it.

warnings: canon typical mentions of violence, a lil fluff

Word count: 1.6k

Masterlist

You were sitting beside Elain as you had done every morning since the Archeron sisters had arrived at the Night Court. She was no better than yesterday or the day before that. She ate very little and she was almost fighting against breathing. You had never seen anything like it, her body perfectly healthy but her mind… you imagined she was filled with rage and sorrow and grief for her past life. Not that she gave you much of an indication.

Being with Elain was calming in a way, she didn’t move much. You encouraged her to change positions every so often so her muscles wouldn’t atrophy but that was it. Sometimes you thought that your friends assigned you to her because of how Azriel arrived from Hybern. How he was seconds away from death. How you could only say “but I just got you back” over and over as you and Madja worked on his wounds. How you didn’t sleep for days until his eyes opened. How flashes of his too pale skin would cause you to crumble because he looked like a corpse and if Azriel was gone…

So you painted Elain’s nails, braided her hair and told her stories of Feyre when she first arrived at the Night Court. You reassured her that she would be back soon and that the three sisters would be safe in Velaris.

Your favorite story to tell her was of how her sister freed the fae from Amarantha’s reign. How, because of her blood and kin, peace was within grasp. You told her how it felt when Amarantha died and magic returned and the sky at the Dawn Court glittered with the colors of the rainbow. How Thesan arrived at his palace and told everyone in his court of the brave girl who saved them. You told her that you had basically given up hope because if salvation lay in someone falling in love with Tamlin...

“I only saw him once or twice during the reign but he was the most un-charismatic male I have ever met, we’re lucky Feyre has such a beautiful heart.”

You didn’t tell her that when you returned to your cottage after the announcement and the initial euphoria there was a tall male with giant wings standing at your door. His head turning the instant a shadow told him you had arrived.

“I thought maybe you moved.”

You couldn’t tell her that you ran and wrapped your arms around him. The last fifty years had been an ocean and, just then, you finally found your lifeline. He hugged your shoulders, bringing his head to the crook of your neck and breathed in your unchanging scent.

After minutes of the embrace that put your heart back together you pulled away and inspected his face. Perfect. He was absolutely perfect. “Az… you’re here.”

He nodded and grabbed your hands, noticing the way his thumb brushed over your ring finger.

“Rhys is back home… and I had to make sure you were…”

“I’m fine, the last five decades have been hell, but I’m fine. What about you?”

“I’ve wanted to say I’m sorry for so long, what I said that day-”

“I know. You don’t have to apologize.”

“I do. I was jealous and foolish and it has haunted me ever since.”

“It’s alright Az, I just… I’m so happy you’re here.”

The version of events Elain got was “once Thesan returned I knew someone would come for me.”

You told her how Feyre also had a difficult time with being turned fae, that it was fine for her to take her time to heal.

After lunch there would be a knock on the door. Sometimes it would be Nesta, sometimes Madja, sometimes Rhys but today it was Azriel. He had made a complete recovery and would often keep you company while you were with Elain.

He handed you a bouquet of flowers. “Happy anniversary.”

You felt your cheeks redden at the gesture. “You know it’s not until tomorrow.”

“I felt like starting the celebrations early, you know, to make up for lost time.” Rolled your eyes as he grabbed your free hand, “come on.”

Just then Nesta walked into the room, a novel tucked under her arm. “I can stay, y/n, go on.”

“Where are we going?” You asked as Azriel picked you up and launched into the sky.

“You’ll see in a few minutes.”

You landed on a little cove by the Sidra. “I figured you needed a break from the house.” You nodded and sat on the shore, your feet just touching the water. Gentle waves lapping at your legs. He sat down next to you.

“You never told me what actually happened with Lenus.”

“We just stopped loving each other… and he cheated.”

Azriel looked like you had just said something ridiculous “Lenus cheated on you?”

A nod “yep.”

“Lenus, glasses Lenus? Lenus the scribe?”

“She was also a scribe. Get this, I caught them in the library.”

“No you did not.”

“I most certainly did. Anyways, after that I put everything of his in a box and threw it away. Haven’t heard from him since.”

“If I ever see him again, I’ll kill him.”

“You don’t have to kill him, just remind me to never date a scribe ever again, please.”

“Noted.”

“Have you ever dated someone in the last fifty years?”

“No.”

“Really?” You raise a brow at him.

“We had to keep the court running, I was busy.”

“Yeah, yeah… Az?”

“Do you think you have a mate?” He looked up and thought about it.

“I hope I do, but who knows.”

“I’m afraid I don’t.”

“Why?”

“Well I’ve been alive for so long and I haven’t felt it yet. But the Archerons were turned and immediately found theirs.”

“But Rhys was over 500 when he met Feyre, so… there’s still hope. You’re what? 499? Still have one year to find them.”

You splashed water on him “you’re so dumb sometimes.”

You spent the rest of the day in the cove. But even the longest day of the year had to end so when the sun was setting, Azriel flew to your apartment. “Home sweet home.” He said as he put you down.

“I haven’t been here in weeks, there’s nothing to eat.”

“Let's go to a restaurant then.” Azriel grabbed your hand and led you to a small place at the end of your street. You always came here when you wanted something with noodles. You were led by an employee to your usual table, a small booth near the back. Just big enough for Azriel to fit comfortably but hidden away from curious fae.

You ordered what you always get and so did Azriel. While you waited for the food you took Azriel’s hand in yours, feeling his pulse, confirming it. “I still can’t believe you’re alive.”

That arrow was straight through his chest.

“It’s going to take a lot more to kill me.”

You lifted your gaze to meet his. His breath caught in his throat at the intensity, like a switch had flipped. “Promise me I’ll die first.”

The air got thicker and Azriel’s wings tensed. “What?”

“I can’t watch you die Az, I- I won’t survive it. So just promise me I’ll die first.” He grabbed your hand with both of his.

“It's ok. See? You patched me up good as new.” He wasn’t getting it. Tears began to pool in your eyes as you pleaded.

“Azriel-” you said so low he could barely hear it “please…” He saw your chest heaving and knew what was happening. So he pulled you next to him with both arms and made a shield with his wings and shadows. “Breathe, y/n. I’m right here. I’m right here.”

You were sobbing now, clutching his leathers as if he would float away. He held you firm against his chest. His heart a little faster than normal, but steady. It was the greatest symphony and the most beautiful prose. You kept your ear pressed against his chest. He was mumbling “I’m here, I’m ok, It’s alright.” Over and over.

You were back in your apartment now. Azriel had asked for the food to go and brought you back home. So now you sit on your couch, the food getting cold on the coffee table. Hugging your knees to your chest as Azriel draws circles on your back. The crying stopped a while ago. The mortification on the other hand… You hid your face in your knees. “I’m embarrassed.”

“Why? At least you didn’t have a panic attack in the middle of a one night stand.” He attempted to joke.

“I always keep it together.”

“You don’t have to.”

“It just- it keeps me awake at night, the arrow right through your chest. Your heart-” a gulp “I could feel your heart desperate for relief, the ash and the blood loss put so much of a strain on it- you didn’t see how close you were to being gone and- I close my eyes and I see you on that table limp and-” You hadn't spoken with him about any of this. He woke up and you were your usual self, if a bit sleep deprived.

“I never thanked you” , his hands still drawing circles on your back,“thank you for healing me.”

“Anytime Az,” you lift your face from your knees and give him something that resembles a smile. With his thumb he brushes away a few tears and some strands of hair stuck on your face. “Are you hungry?”

You nod.

“Then let's eat.”

#acosf #acowar #acotar #acofas #acomaf #acotar fanfiction #azriel shadowsinger #rhysand #a court of silver flames #a court of thorns and roses #a court of mist and fury #a court of wings and ruin #one day series #azriel x reader #azriel

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acheemient · 6 months ago

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Things I think Will happen in Season 3 (it's not spoilers if it hasn't happened yet!):

Crowley takes up the roll of Duke of Hell.

Aziraphale was put into the role of Supreme Archangel so Metatron could keep an eye on him/get him out of the way/control him

God has been removed from the Book of Life or has been trapped or whatever by Metatron since the Not Apocalypse (hence no God narration in season 2)*

Crowley was a high ranking Archangel who Fell when he went to Metatron with questions. Crowley's memories have been erased (Duh)

Nina and Maggie will be back

Crowley dies in Aziraphale's arms, but Az is able to miracle him back from the dead (foreshadowed in season 2 by the whole "Lazuri" measuring system)

Crowley tells Aziraphale, "I forgive you," at some point**

Ineffable Husbands retire to a cottage in South Downs (because Neil loves us and will do right by us)

A Nightingale will sing outside the cottage and will be the last image we see.

Things I think Might happen in Season 3:

Crowley HATES being Duke of Hell, but he does it to spite Aziraphale

Aziraphale HATES being Supreme Archangle, but he pretends he's Fine. Lots of fake smiles

The Second Coming is a baby, and the Ineffable Husbands have to deal with keeping a baby safe from both sides

The Them come back to help save the day

Aziraphale brings Crowley back to life with a very tearful kiss **

Ineffables free God/bring Her back/add her back to the Book of Life somehow

God narrates the ending scene of the Ineffable Husbands living happily ever after, now that She has been freed/brought backby the Ineffables

The Ineffable Husbands end up raising baby Second Coming as their own in their cottage (throw back to them raising the fake Antichrist).

Thinks I Want to happen in Season 3:

So many kisses (I think we will get one, maybe two) between the Ineffable Husbands

A Big Hug between Aziraphale and Crowley (I'm taking about Embrace levels)

Crowley sarcastically bowing to Aziraphale and addressing him as "Supreme Archangel"

Adam still has some of his Infernal Powers. Nothing like before, but some left over

The return of Anathema, but I think her story is done, so this is less likely

A sex scene or an allusion to sex (but it won't happen, so don't worry - see below)

The last scene shows Aziraphale, Crowley, and the Second Coming in their garden outside the cottage in South Downs living as a happy little family.

Things I think we Won't see in Season 3:

Coffee Theory ***

Body Swap Theory ***

A sex scene or an allusion to sex between Aziraphale and Crowley (even though I want it, Neil won't bring it up one way or another. He'll let us all make our own choice on that one)

Newt. I just don't see him coming back

These are all just my opinions. Please do not get angry about anything listed above if you don't agree.

* God's Ineffable Plan was always for the Apocalypse to be stopped by Aziraphale and Crowley. Metatron still wants Earth to be destroyed. He wants his war.

**I'm hoping the "I forgive you" is heartfelt. Possibly when Aziraphale kisses Crowley back to life. Imagine Aziraphale holding dying/dead Crowley in his arms, saying, "Pease don't leave me, I need you, please don't go, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Crowley" (etc.). And then Aziraphale's eyes glow purple as his pulls up every bit of his power and presses his lips firmly to Crowley's lips (much like their first kiss), and we finally see Crowley lift a hand to Aziraphale's cheek to kiss back, and Aziraphale is SHOCKED and pulls away to look at a very weak smiling Crowley who quietly says, "I forgive you."

***I know some people really hang their hats on this one, and no insult to them, but I don't think Aziraphale needed any extra prodding or powers used to get him to go back to Heaven. It's enough that he thinks he's going to be able to make Heaven better and/or protect Crowley. I kind of feel like it cheapens Aziraphale's agency and the story.

#good omens #ineffable husbands #crowley #aziraphale #david tennant #michael sheen #good omens season 3 #season 3 predictions #long post

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azrielsoulmate · 1 year ago

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Magnificently Cursed - Prologue

Azriel x Rhea

(OC and Rhysand’s younger sister)

a/n: hello loves! i’m so sorry for being gone for so long but i hope you’re still willing to read this series of mine! please do let me know what you think about this part, i’m always open to feedback! also, i’m going to try and stay consistent with posting but school is kinda crazy right now so please be considerate of that :) also english isn’t my first language so pls ignore any language mistakes

series summary: Azriel and Rhea are just one of those things, as she always liked to call it. Ever since they met as children, they have been on and off. But with her coming back from under the mountain and a possibility of war, both Az and Rhea are getting impatient, worried for one another. Will this time be their final or is it just another one of their games that will be over all too soon?

word count: 1162

genre: angst

warnings: none!

enjoy!

The kitchen of the small apartment in the center of Velaris seemed oddly like home, as she set the table for dinner. She had made Azriel’s favorite kind of pasta, poured them some red wine and lit up the fireplace. And although Rhea was never much of a cook, she had spent the whole day in the kitchen. Azriel was to come back from one of his shorter missions that day and she had asked him to come to dinner.

Rhea and the shadowsinger were just one of those things, as she liked to call it - but really what they had should definitely not be described like so. Ever since they met, her a seven year old sister to the future high lord of the night court, with a heart still gentle, unmaimed by the cruel hands of the world, him a nine year old boy who had spent his most recent years locked in a dungeon. He had never met someone who was, to put it simply, nice to him - even his friends seemed to find his inability so fly or do certain things amusing. Rhea was the first and only person to protect him, and what a ridiculous sight that must have been, the girl running up to three boys twice her size, flaring out her wings and scolding her older brother and his friend for making fun of him. Azriel’s youth did not stop him from noticing that that very moment, with this very girl would alter something, not only in his mind, but the world altogether, a shift in the air and his heartbeat and his soul which from now on seemed to be at peace only when she was around.

How saddening it was that their roads never seemed to collide and all their last times turned out to be the firsts. Always their hearts were aching for the other, but never could they get themselves to ask the other one to stay. She sometimes wondered if it was his own past shoving her loving hands away, or maybe her own, always telling her to run, not let her bear her heart to anyone else. The world ached with them, burdened with the wait for when the two would find one another the one final time, oh, and they would - everyone was sure of that, but when?

As Rhea searched back through her memory, she really did hope that this would last. No war raging through their minds, or their court for that matter, the timing was perfectly right. But the time was never nice to them, to her, no. And she knew that this would either be their final time together, or it wouldn’t. That was the way things worked for them, she had figured after one of their breakups and for her own, staged, peace of mind started telling herself that she doesn’t care. They either stayed together, or they didn’t.

Her trail of thought was interrupted by the sound of quiet footsteps in the foyer right behind her, the smell of smoke and cool whispers of shadows making their way to tangle into her hair. She turned around to find her Azriel standing before her with disheveled hair and dirty fighting leathers. Without a word he made his way to embrace her and hide his face in the crook of her neck. They stood there in silence for some time before she pulled back and gently brushed back a strand of hair fallen on his forehead, half-expecting his eyes to light up or soften at the gesture, but his expression remained solemn.

“Did something happen?” she inquired, but it was when he didn’t respond for a little while that concern started creeping in “Az-” “We can’t do this anymore” she stared at him as he continued “I’m sorry” he added. The world stopped going round for her at that moment, as if it dropped everything awaiting for the situation to be resolved. The air cooled down despite the burning in the fireplace. “What?” “I just, I can’t do this anymore, Rhea. I cannot lead you on anymore” she just continued looking at him, as if she didn’t know why he was doing this. As if she hadn’t memorized his sorry excuses years ago, all the reasons he had to keep her at arms length - always close but never too close to comfort. Never too close to let her in on his heart’s secrets, the darkest corners of his mind, never too close to show her the places his scars were. Almost as if she didn’t already know, as if she hadn’t had him figured out for four and a half centuries at that point. As if a single look in his eyes, the crease of his eyebrows could not tell her all she had to know, and even as it did now - she could see it all. He was getting defensive, she had almost made it to his heart and he refused to allow that.

She let out a laugh and his eyes narrowed. “I know you, Azriel” she said “This isn’t about that-” “Really, what is it about, then?” His silence was enough of an answer.

She let out another laugh, but couldn’t get herself to say anything more. Maybe because silently she had feared this moment would come again, that he would come bearing another apology, knocking on her door and they would stand before one another, aching. Or maybe it was that she knew what he was doing, because she had done it countless times before herself. It was back and forth with them, really. “It wasn’t supposed to end like this this time” she whispered “I know, my heart, I know” he looked down at her as his shadows embraced them both, smoothing down the two matching scars on her back and around his wings. She breathed out as she asked “Will we ever learn?” “I hope we do”.

Oh, The Mother herself knew they would. But the skeletons in both their closets were starting to cramp up, taking up more and more space, and soon they would run out of it. As he was making his way to the door, the sound of the creaks in the wooden floors memorized by the both of them all too well, seemed grotesque. She brought up a hand to her lips and turned, unable to watch him leave. Azriel however, did look back, his shiny eyes whispering a promise to come back to her, to bring her peace one day, when he was ready. She knew the smell of smoke would linger and that he would crawl back home to her, and he knew he would get the courage to allow her in one day.

What they both did not know though, was that the next time they would see each other would be fifty years later, welcoming a new world, and a few new scars in Rhea’s eyes.

#acotar x reader #azriel x reader #acotar #a court of thorns and roses #azriel acotar #azriel x rhysand’s sister #rhysand x reader #rhysand acotar #cassian acotar #cassian x reader #a court of mist and fury #acomaf #acotar series #acotar fandom #acotar fanfiction #eris vanserra #eris acotar #eris x reader

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prythianpages · 1 year ago

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ACOSM | The Night they joined the Bloodrite

azriel x rhysand's sister (oc)

warnings: angst, mentions of abuse and violence

summary: Valeria bids farewell to Rhys, Cass and Az as they are to particpate in the bloodrite, hoping they all return to her.

A/N: this is an imagine among my collection of imagines that follow Rhysand's sister, Valeria. while I'm still working on them, you can find the masterlist for it here. I couldn't help myself and post this imagine today. As promised, things are about to get angsty and sad. There will also be more explanations to what unfolds here in the upcoming imagines.

The day had arrived when the men in her life, her closest and dearest, prepared for their participation in the upcoming Bloodrite. A formidable Illyrian tradition that tested their strength and valor. It was such a pivotal time for Illyrian males of age, so much that the High Lord of the Night Court graced Windhaven with his regal presence to bid his son and heir luck and farewell.

However, for Valeria, the sight struck a chord of envy. Her father made sure to show up and extend his support to Rhysand but he had failed to do the same for her birthday dinner just last week.

Lady Yvaine, standing by Valeria’s side, sensed her daughter’s emotions and offered a comforting squeeze before letting it go. The three of them had stopped by Windhaven’s tents in the training grounds of the camp, where all Illyrian males participating in the bloodrite would spend the night before being winnowed to the guarded Ramiel, Illyria's sacred mountain.

The morning sun cast a golden hue over the training grounds as Valeria stood among her brother and his closest friends—Rhysand, Cassian, and Azriel. The air was tense with a mix of excitement, anticipation, and underlying worry. She stared at all three of them. Sensing her distress, Noctis, perched on her shoulder as always, tenderly nuzzled his small head against her neck in a sweet caress.

“Please come back to me.” Valeria said, her voice carrying an almost desperate plea. “All three of you.”

Cassian grinned, his usual bravado shining through. "You know us, Val. We'll make sure to come back in one piece and be victorious."

Cassian had come prepared to say his farewells to Valeria. Since he knew his charming grin and words would not be enough to ease her anxiety, he pulled something out of his small satchel. Valeria’s eyes landed on the book...a gift for her.

“I meant to give this to you for your birthday but knowing you, you would’ve finished it by now.”

Valeria stared down at the book in her hands. The title hinted at a romance novel but a subtle gesture from him hinted that there was more beneath the cover. She discreetly peeled the cover off to reveal a book on Illyrian training and fighting. Her heart swelled at his gesture. Cassian had always been encouraging to her interest for training and fighting.

A note on the first page bore a handwritten message: For my little warrior, may the wind always guide your wings.

Valeria chuckled as her gaze fell to the bottom of the page where another message was written: P.S. please don’t cause any chaos while we’re gone. You know I have a great fear of missing out on the fun.

“Think of this as your homework while I’m gone. I want you to read it”--Sensing the determination in Valeria, he decided to add–”at a steady pace and when I return, I want you to show me what you have learned.”

Valeria nodded appreciatively. “I’ll do just that. Thank you, Cas.”

She proceeded to envelop Cassian in a warm, tight hug. He chuckled lightly as Noctis emitted a small squawk, momentarily caught off guard by the strong embrace, before adjusting himself.

“I didn’t know you enjoyed romance novels so much.” Rhysand quipped, noticing the faint smile on Valeria’s face.

“Only the ones Tanwyn recommends.” Valeria quickly hid the truth of the book's content from her brother, who wouldn't have approved of such reading material, especially not when their father was around.

Valeria tried her best to hide her worry as she looked at her brother. She knew he was capable–they all were. Yet she was unable to shake off the fear that gnawed at her heart. So many what ifs plagued her thoughts. Sensing her worry and anxiety, Rhysand stepped forward as Cassian excused himself to say his farewells with their mother, who was currently hugging Azriel.

Rhysand, though masked with confidence, showed a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes. "We'll be back before you know it." He assured her.

He pulled her into a tight hug, being careful as to not hurt the bird that was perched on top of her shoulders as Cassian did moments ago. That damn bird, he couldn’t help but think, a mix of annoyance and strange fondness swirling within him.

“I love you, Val.”

“I love you too, Rhys.” Valeria replied, squeezing her brother’s hands. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment, as if engraving the image of her older brother into her mind. Stop, she told herself. Your brother will come back. They all will.

I promise, Rhysand whispered into her mind.

She had been so consumed in her thoughts that her mental shields wavered, allowing him to enter with ease. He then projected an image of his arm, that was currently concealed by his leathers. Intricate black swirls etched themselves into the form of a mountain with three stars above its peak.

Valeria felt a tingling sensation on her own arm, mirroring the pattern of black ink Rhysand showed her. A bargain tattoo. A mountain with three stars–Ramiel–a promise of his definite return, bringing a small sense of ease to her.

Rhysand gently withdrew, shifting his attention to Noctis. “Keep her safe for me, Noctis.”

Noctis responded with a strong chirp, bowing his head and extending his wings in promise. Rhysand felt a sense of gratitude toward the bird. Something he'd never thought he'd feel toward the small creature whose chirping often got on his nerves. Pressing a brief kiss to his sister’s forehead and a pet to Noctis’s head, Rhysand went to join Cassian and say his farewells to their parents.

Azriel seized the moment to bid his farewell to Valeria. Noctis let out a chirp as he spread his wings and flew to Azriel, finding temporary shelter on the Shadowsinger’s shoulders. Azriel’s shadows greeted the bird as a dear friend, embracing Noctis with their gentle tendrils of darkness.

“I don’t know who will miss you more. Me or Noctis.” Valeria mused with a soft smile on her lips.

Azriel chuckled as he stepped forward, bridging the space between them. There was so much he wanted to say to Valeria, but he knew he had to be careful with his words.

His shadows, now displaying a playful dance of joy over his shoulders, redirected their attention from Noctis to Valeria. They caressed her cheek tenderly and then her neck. Azriel’s eyes followed their every movement, pausing at the necklace she wore. It was the necklace Azriel gifted her on her birthday. An elegant silver piece that beheld a mesmerizing moonstone, which was delicately cradled within a silver frame shaped like a crescent moon.

Valeria’s heart quickened its pace as Azriel, with a tenderness that spoke volumes, brushed against the moonstone wrapped around her neck.

A faint smile graced his lips, a rush of warmth filling him, at the sight of her wearing his gift. The moonstone with its ethereal, milky hue, captured and reflected the light in a way that reminded him of her own unique powers.

For a fleeting moment, he thought he saw a delicate coil–a fine thread of gold and silver–radiate from the necklace. It vanished as swiftly as it had appeared, disappearing within the blink of an eye.

"I'll wear it every day, waiting for your return," Valeria assured him.

"Only until I return?" Azriel teased, a playful glint in his eyes.

"You know what I mean," Valeria replied, her cheeks flushing with warmth.

"Hmm," Azriel hummed, his touch lingering as he softly grazed from her neck to her cheek, mirroring the caress of his shadows. His breath caught as her free hand sought his free hand, her thumb gently tracing soothing circles on the back of his scarred hand.

“I’ll be waiting for you, Az.” Valeria said softly, her violet eyes looking up at him with a depth he had never seen before. He had never been this close to her. He could appreciate the details in her violet irises he hadn’t noticed before. They were a delicate kaleidoscope of purple and blue hues, swirling like a myriad of galaxies within a vast universe.

A universe he desperately yearned to explore and unravel.

A surge of emotion washed over Azriel, a longing to express what had been growing inside him for so long. He wanted to kiss her, to show how much she meant to him. Despite his confidence in his abilities as an Illyrian warrior, a small fear lingered…that this could be his one and only chance to kiss her, to taste her.

He leaned in, his breath fanning her face.

But he hesitated at the very last moment and pulled away, his fingers brushing over her lips instead. An unspoken promise. An assurance that he would kiss her. But at a different time.

Perhaps, upon his triumphant return from the bloodrite.

“And I'll be sure to return to you, Val.” He finally managed to say, gently removing his hand from her face.

The weight of the unspoken hung in the air and all of his shadows returned to him, displaying disappointment and seeming to chastise him for his shyness. Even Noctis seemed to shoot him a look as he returned to Valeria’s shoulder.

Valeria, too, felt a flicker of disappointment as she reluctantly increased the distance between them, her grip loosening on his hand.

She turned her gaze with worry and anxiety, wondering if anyone had seen them. However, a sense of relief washed over her as she realized Cassian and Rhysand were still engrossed in conversation with her parents, oblivious to what had just happened between Azriel and herself.

She didn’t even know what to call it herself, but surely, he was about to kiss her right? She quickly strengthened her mental shields at the thought.

The two walked over to the group to say their final goodbyes. Lady Yvaine pulled Valeria into her side, wrapping an arm around her daughter’s shoulder. Unknowing to Valeria or Azriel, her mother had noticed their close embrace and provided a distraction for them to have their moment.

With a heavy heart, Valeria watched as the three men she treasured the most departed. She stood there, the weight of their absence already felt in her heart and the unknown outcomes weighing heavily on her mind...

The crisp air kissed Valeria's cheeks as she glided gracefully across the frozen lake, her skates leaving imprints on the ice. Mallory, her friend, was her companion on this chilly afternoon. Noctis watched with interest from on top of a tree branch as the girls danced around one another. It wouldn’t be long before their cherished frozen lake would thin and eventually melt as spring was already vastly approaching.

Despite the sun shining down on them, Valeria felt a sudden shiver racing down her spine. Windhaven’s winds were always chilling and unforgiving when present. Mallory, noticing her friend's discomfort, swiftly unwound the large gray shawl from her shoulders and offered it to Valeria.

"Here, take this. It'll keep you warm," Mallory insisted, a warm and caring smile gracing her lips.

Valeria protested, not wanting to trouble her friend, but Mallory persisted. "It makes your eyes pop out even more," she chuckled, draping the shawl around her friend’s shoulder, using any excuse to keep Valeria from protesting further.

“They’ll be fine, Val.” Mallory said, sensing that there was still an unease in Valeria. She was well aware that tonight was the eve before the cruel initiation of the annual bloodrite. “They’ll be back before you know it.”

Valeria smiled at her friend, grateful for the reassurance but her smile faltered as her gaze fell upon Mallory's bare neck. Bruises littered her neck.

“Mal–” She began.

Mallory’s eyes widened in realization, suddenly feeling small under her friend's worried gaze. “It’s nothing–”

“Nothing?” Valeria replied, incredulously.

This wasn’t the first time she had witnessed bruises and injuries on her dear friend. It brought her immense sadness to see her friend suffer at the hands of her abusive father. She had offered for Mallory to stay and live at her house but every time, Mallory refused, knowing the depths her father would go to get her back.

“Shit,” Mallory let out a frustrated curse as she spared a glance to her watch. “I’m sorry, I have to go. I promised I’d be home well before sundown.”

“Do you want me to walk you?” Valeria said, concerned laced in her tone.

“No.” Mallory shook her head, a hint of worry in her brown eyes. “It’ll only make things worse.”

“I’ll see you in two days?” Valeria suggested. “I can bring the jewelry box you left at my house from my birthday then.”

“Yeah,” Mallory replied with a grateful smile. “I’ll see you in two days.”

They exchanged a hug. Valeria was unable to shake off her concern for her friend, her mind already racing with new ideas on how she could help Mallory in her situation. She was lost in thought, preoccupied with finding solutions, that she didn’t notice the discreet note Mallory slipped into the gray shawl she wore.

Two days later, Valeria found herself at the cherished frozen lake. The snow was melting under the sun’s warmth. She knelt down beside the lake and applied pressure to the thinning ice. A sharp cracking sound filled the air and before she could react, the ice gave way beneath her hand. She let out a startled yelp as her hand plunged into the cold embrace of the lake.

In her moment of panic, Noctis sprang into action, flying from her shoulder and desperately pecking at the back of her coat in a frantic attempt to pull her away from the cold water.

Frowning, she felt the weight of disappointment settle in her heart as she stared at the now broken patch of the once-frozen lake. The lake was not safe to skate in anymore. She cradled her trembling hand to her chest.

The minutes ticked by, and Valeria chose to wait for Mallory, contemplating how her friend would take the news about the lake.

But Mallory never came.

The next morning Valeria set out to find Mallory.

She was worried about her friend. The last time Mallory had failed to meet her at the lake was when she fell sick with the flu and Valeria couldn’t shake off the foreboding feeling that something might be terribly wrong, especially after seeing those bruises. It had been awhile since she last saw her friend hurt by the hands of her father and she wondered if Mallory had just gotten better hiding her injuries.

Her destination was the quaint little shop where Mallory's family worked. However, what she encountered there shattered any chance of morning calm and relief.

A wicked grin adorned a man's face. He stood behind the counter, where Mallory usually did, his eyes cruel and devoid of light. It was Mallory's father.

“Hello,” Valeria greeted warily, trying to peek out from behind his shoulders. She hoped to see the silhouette of her friend from behind the beaded curtains. Noctis did the same. “Is Mal here?”

“No,” came the curt reply.

Unease settled within Valeria as she pressed on, trying to remain polite. “Could you please let her know I came looking for her?”

“Don’t bother.” He sneered.

Valeria furrowed her brows together, causing Mallory’s father to laugh. It cut through the air, a cruel sound that sent shivers down her spine.

“Sweet ol’ Mal decided to partake in this year’s Bloodrite.”

Valeria felt her breath catch in her throat, her heart sinking like an anchor. A mixture of worry, confusion, and disbelief swirled within her. The revelation hit her like a sudden gust of icy wind, leaving her breathless and reeling.

She could feel it–the all too familiar overwhelming prickling sensation that ignited in her bones. Her powers. They surged through her, awakened by the storm of emotions raging within. The necklace adorning her neck began to shimmer, recognizing and resonating with her abilities. She contemplated finally putting her powers to use, yearning to harness them as they wished.

But the consequences of losing control in Windhaven were far too great. She had to leave. Now.

Her hands curled into fists at her sides, the silver glow barely contained within them. She turned away from Mallory’s father and ran. Noctis followed, flying over her head and managing to keep up with her despite his undersized wing. She ran and ran until the taunting echoes of Mallory’s father’s laughter faded into the distance, until she could no longer hear the cruel words that echoed in her mind.

But new words came forward, replacing Mallory's father's. They were the words Rhysand had said to her when she had asked about females participating in the bloodrite:

“It’s a cruel way for fathers to punish their daughters, an excuse to slaughter them without getting their hands dirty themselves.”

There were no words to convey the tempest of emotions that continued to rage within her. She fell to her knees, a couple of feet away from the steps to her house.

But the tears wouldn’t come.

All she felt was cold and numb, much like she had when her hand broke through the frozen lake’s surface.

A/N: I really liked the idea of Rhysand's mother catching on to the growing bond between Val and Az. Also, there will be more revealed about Mallory in the next imagine.

Tag list: @justrepostandlove @kemillyfreitas @thelov3lybookworm

#azriel x oc #azriel shadowsinger #azriel #azriel x rhysand's sister #azriel x reader #acotar imagine #rhysand's sister #azriel imagine #acosm

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roselensedeyes · 1 year ago

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Be still, my foolish heart - part two

Pairing: elriel, elain x azriel

Word count: 5k

NSFW: yes

Hello everyone!

Here's finally part two! It's shorter than the first part, but don't worry! I have a multichaptered elriel fic releasing during Azriel's week. It features Elain as a single mom, and I'm super excited to finally share it with you!

Here's the link to Part one and the link to AO3! I hope you enjoy!

Uri’s arms were tight around Elain’s neck as Azriel gathered both of them in his arms and shot in the sky.

Although his flying had improved greatly in the month since his first flying lesson with his new father, the flight from the town house to the river house was still too arduous for Uri’s recently-healed wings.

Not to mention how nervous he was for tonight’s dinner.

Elain and Azriel had tried to reassure him that everything would be fine, yet his heart still beat too rapidly, his hands felt clammy and shaky, and he still kept picking at his nails.

He was fidgeting in Elain’s arms, trying to assess how long until their descent. Not that he had any actual idea; after all, this was going to be the first time he visited the river house, the first time he met the High Lord and High Lady of the Night Court, and their inner circle.

“Don’t fret, sweet boy,” his mother soothed. “Everyone will love you. I heard there might be presents with your name on them, too,” she whispered, conspiratorially. Even the promise of gifts wasn’t enough to draw away his anxiety. So Elain settled on rubbing his back, hoping the comfort of her embrace would help calm her son down. It did, a little.

“We’re here,” Azriel announced.

She heard Uri take in a deep breath as they made their way down the path that led to the entrance. Elain assessed the state of the flowers she’d planted a few weeks back; she made a mental note to remind her sister and brother-in-law how often some of the flowers needed to be watered.

Uri was holding both of his parents’ hands as they walked. When they were a few feet from the door, their son stopped dead in his tracks.

“What’s wrong?” Az asked him.

“I want to go home,” the Illyrian boy replied quietly.

“Can I ask why?”

Uri didn’t say anything, his gaze fixed on the ground. He shook his head, once.

Elain and Azriel exchanged a look, before Az got down to Uri’s eye level. He gently lifted his chin. “If you want to go home, we can and we will,” he said firmly, holding Uri’s gaze. “Though I know your aunts and uncles really, really want to meet you.” The boy’s eyes gleamed with uncertainty at that. “All week, your mom and I got so many questions about you from our family.”

Some of the nervousness had eased off from their son’s face the more Azriel spoke. He glanced behind his father’s back, toward the door. His eyes widened.

Elain looked at it, too, and saw Cassian staring at them from the window near the entrance. She rolled her eyes, and tried her best to hold in her laughter. Especially as she saw Amren’s smaller figure trying to take a peek from behind Cassian’s much bigger frame.

Her mate had noticed them, too, and snorted. Uri glanced back at him. “I told you,” he shrugged. “They’re really excited to meet you.”

With one last look at the now-clear window, his hands in each of his parents’, Uri took the final steps and entered the river house.

Azriel watched as his son played with his cousin Nyx and his uncle Cassian. He wasn’t sure what game it was, but as Uri laughed, loudly, again, he found he didn’t care much. As long as he was happy and safe, he let him have his space and possibility to explore himself, to find out who he was, what his likes and dislikes were.

As he sat on the end of the sofa, his lovely mate on his side in the middle of what appeared to be an intense conversation with her sister Nesta, Azriel thought back on tonight’s dinner and how smoothly it went.

He’d had no doubts that Uri would adapt quickly — even less that his family would wound up loving his son — yet he didn’t have the words to convey the emotion that overtook him when Uri had finally relaxed his body completely, and hugged Feyre of his own will.

Az’s High Lady hadn’t let him go for a long while. Nesta had tried to take him from her, but Feyre refused, claiming her favorite nephew needed her love a while longer. Nevermind that he was her only nephew, a fact she waved off when her older sister pointed it out.

When they’d gotten through the threshold, Uri had been pale with apprehension. Rhys had answered the door, and promptly stopped his new nephew from bowing to him. “You’re my family. I never ask that of my family,” he’d explained gently. The young Illyrian had blushed, but before his embarrassment could escalate, Rhys said, “We weren't sure what you liked. Your mother and father weren’t really helpful with that, so if you don’t like it we can change it.” Then, the High Lord of the Night Court gestured behind him, towards a pile of presents.

Spring was approaching, yet it felt like Solstice. “They’re all yours,” Rhys nodded at Uri, whose jaw dropped open in wonder. He pointed at his chest in disbelief. Rhys smiled and, grabbing his hand, led him to the gifts. They were from Rhysand and Feyre, Cassian and Nesta, from Mor and even from Amren. He’d gotten toys and clothes, shoes and jewelry. Cassian had gotten him Illyrian fighting leathers, promising him to be the one to train him when he was ready. Uri had glanced at Azriel at that, murmuring he wanted his dad to train him. His heart had warmed in his chest, and he’d looked smugly at his brother. The latter had rolled his eyes at him, before grudgingly amending that Az could train with them, too.

His son had been shy for the majority of the dinner, until Nyx had woken up and demanded to play with his new friend. After that, any tension that still held Uri in its grip vanished. His quietness had released him, and Az was now rubbing his temples, sensing a headache forming.

Elain’s delighted laugh brought him back to the present. He looked at her now. His mate was the most beautiful in all of Prythian. He was a lucky bastard. He wondered if he’d ever think he deserved her. He shook his head. How could he, so broken and sullen, deserve someone as perfect as her? Elain’s beauty went beyond a pretty face. No, hers manifested when she cared for their son, when she looked after her garden and baked her family’s favorite desserts. It came out when she used her power to help the court she belonged to, when she used her weaknesses to create something greater. It showed when she kissed him, soft and sweet, in their bed late at night, early in the morning in the bath, nothing between their naked bodies. When he was inside her, the loving sounds she made.

No, he could never deserve something as magnificent as she was.

Azriel was still staring at the love of his life as she looked him over her shoulder. Elain smiled softly at him, light dancing in her eyes. I love you, she mouthed. He wanted nothing more than to whisk her away to find a hidden alcove and show her with his mouth and body how far his love for her went.

A shadow appeared in front of him. Not one of his own. Rhys.

Things between them had been tense for a while, since that fateful night over a year ago, in the office where Rhys had forbidden him to be with Elain. Even after their mating bond had snapped into place, things between them hadn’t gone back to how they were before. It made Az feel guilty that he couldn’t let that sense of betrayal go.

A week after they’d accepted the mating bond, when the frenzy and animalistic instincts had finally allowed them to be around people who weren’t their son, they’d announced it to their family.

Azriel could still remember the tension in his body, how cold and clammy his hands were, how Elain’s were shaking, the rapid beat of her heart as they told their family. Feyre and Nesta had been overjoyed. They’d been worried about their sister ever since she’d told them about how she and Lucien intended to cleave their bond. It was something never-been-done before, their fears well understandable. They’d thrown their arms around her, hugging her so tight with their love and happiness. So was Cassian, while Amren only smirked and sipped from her cup. Mor had looked at them with a strange gleam in her eyes, but had smiled and congratulated them.

Yet they weren’t the ones who worried them. It was Rhys, Rhys who had stayed silent while the others expressed their felicitations, and who now was looking at them without a hint of what he was feeling. Az had been ready to grab Elain and take them back to the town house, to Uri, who they’d thought best to leave at home with Nuala and Cerridwen for this meeting. Then Rhys had smiled at them, and had wished them a happy union for eternity.

Azriel had frozen as Elain had thanked her brother-in-law and kissed him on the cheek. Az’s brother had noticed his reaction, though, and a while later, while everyone was distracted, had taken him aside and told him, “I am sorry, brother, if I made you feel like your feelings didn’t matter to me. They do, they always have and always will. I shouldn’t have said those things to you.”

And that had been that. They’d exchanged a look of understanding, before they hugged and went back to their family. Where Elain and Az had dropped a bigger news: they’d adopted a child.

Yet things still hadn’t smoothed between them yet. He guessed some things needed time to heal and grow anew, and perhaps this was one of those.

“Hi,” Rhys said now. “It looks like Uri is enjoying himself.”

Az smiled and nodded his agreement. “He does. Now he has a friend to play with, as does Nyx.”

Rhys gave him a pleased smile. “They do. It’s what I always saw in my mind, as I worked to build this court into something I was proud of. Our children being friends, playing without a care in the world.”

Azriel thought on his words, and realized it was the truth. His son, and any other children he might have one day, would never again feel unsafe or scared. And it was thanks to him, to Elain, to Rhys and the Night Court.

Elain interlaced her fingers with his in that moment, as if she could hear his thoughts. He sent his gratitude and love down their bond, and felt a kiss through it.

Their family had insisted, though it hadn’t taken much convincing.

As she walked down the aisle in a beautiful strapless, champagne, flowy dress, Elain thought back to her girlhood, when she used to dream and plan her wedding. There was always a handsome young Lord at her side, but reality had given her someone else. Someone her young, human mind couldn’t envision. He was much better than any of her fantasies.

The love of her life, her husband, was looking at her as she made her way to him. Elain had thought they’d have a mating ceremony, but Azriel had surprised her by telling her he wanted to have a human wedding.

“We’re already mated,” he’d explained. “All fae know we are. Now I want the humans to know you’re mine, too. Plus, I want to put my ring on your finger,” he’d shrugged.

She’d rolled her eyes at that, though the smile on her face was huge. She’d kissed him, and kissed him some more when he told her he knew she had their wedding planned already, and wanted to hear it.

The reality was pretty faithful to what she had in mind.

Elain reached her soon-to-be-husband, stared him in the eyes the entire time the High Priestess talked, when they recited their vows, when they slid their rings on each other’s fingers. Only closed them when they shared the kiss that sealed their union.

The rest of the evening went by in a blur. They danced, laughed, ate. They celebrated their marriage with their family, but most importantly with their son. Uri had perhaps been more excited than them.

But now they were back at their home, alone. In the morning, they would leave for the continent, where they’d spend a week there traveling from town to town. It was Elain’s dream, and her perfect mate was about to crown it.

But that was tomorrow, tonight their first as husband and wife. It felt foolish to be nervous. It technically wasn’t different from the others, from their first as mates. Still, her stomach was fluttering, her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

Azriel was looking at her, hunger and love battling in his eyes. Elain swallowed before she turned around, giving him her back.

“Will you take off my dress?”

Nothing— He neither said nor did anything for a few beats.

Then she felt him walk over, his scarred hands landing on her nape, where the zipper lay. The descent was agonizingly slow. Goosebumps appeared on her back, her arms, her neck. When the zipper met its end, she could have sworn his little finger grazed the top of her bottom. She shivered, arousal making her eyes roll in the back of her head.

She heard him take a deep breath. In a flash, she was against the wall, his mouth pressing against her hard, hot, wet. She matched his fire.

Elain felt his hardness against her pelvis, thrusting against her, seeking relief. She bit his lip, hard enough that he reared back. “Take your wife to bed, husband.”

His eyes flashed as he did just that. He stripped both of them. Then, his head was between her legs, tasting her wetness. He groaned as she gripped his hair as she thrusted against him, her legs finding their place on his shoulders. She gasped as she found her pleasure, but he wasn’t done.

In one single push, he was inside her. A moan wrenched out of her, loud, and she would have been embarrassed if he wasn’t already sliding in and out, reaching that sweet spot deep inside her. His mouth was wet against her throat, making goosebumps appear on her skin, before sliding down to her breasts.

When he bit a hardened peak, white stars appeared behind her eyelids. She soon heard his answering groan, before he fell on top of her, breath haggard.

They kissed, slow at first, quickly became passionate and bruising. Lust and devotion, fervor and tenderness. “I love you,” she whispered to him.

“I’ve been in love with you since the moment I laid eyes on you. I didn’t know at the time that that was what it was, yet now I look back and feel like a fool for not realizing it sooner. I will never be able to explain the depth of the emotion I feel for you. You are my sun, my moon, and my guiding star,” he said, not once tearing his gaze from hers.

Elain had managed not to spill any tears all day, yet now they escaped freely, rolling down her cheeks. She’d once thought Graysen would be the one to murmur these loving words to her, that he’d be her husband. She was the real fool, here.

She kissed him again, trying to tell him without words how much she loved him.

They fell asleep while he still was inside her, embraced tightly together.

Elain and Azriel had a secret.

They didn’t mean to keep it much longer – not that they could, even if they wanted to. But, they weren’t ready to share it with other people yet. They wanted it to be theirs for just a little longer, the unexpectedness of it still so surreal. Elain smiled each time she thought about it, though the knowledge stayed at the back of her mind constantly. It wasn’t something she could forget, something she didn’t want to forget. She smiled again now, before it nervously fell away.

Yet the main reason why they hadn’t told their family yet was another. And he was staring at them right now.

Elain’s leg kept jumping up and down as she dined with her family. Her churning stomach didn’t want her to introduce any food inside it, but the concern on her mate’s face was enough to make her force some of the stew down her throat.

Uri’s beautiful hazel eyes looked up at her, apprehension swirling in them. She tried to smile, but by the way his eyebrows furrowed even more, she knew it didn’t do anything to smooth his nerves.

“What’s wrong?” He asked them, putting down his spoon.

Azriel looked at her before replying, “Nothing is wrong, baby. Keep eating your stew.”

But Uri only shook his head. “You’re lying. Why are you lying? You hate it when I lie, so why are you lying to me now?”

The corners of Elain’s mouth threatened to quirk at the habit he’d picked up when he was five. Even though he was almost eight, it was still something he hadn’t outgrown. Maybe he would never outgrow it, instead become a defining trait of his personality.

Taking a deep breath, she met her son’s eyes. “Nothing is wrong, but we need to tell you something.”

Azriel went still at her side. Biting her lip she nodded, more to herself than to Uri.

“We have some exciting news.” Az grabbed her hand. “We haven’t told anyone, yet, because we wanted you to be the first to know.”

“I’m pregnant.”

Her words were met with silence. She watched as her son’s features slowly fell, her own smile equally dropping. She looked at her mate, lost.

“You’re going to be a big brother. Aren’t you excited?” Azriel asked him.

In answer, Uri began eating again. Elain placed a hand against her chest, where she could have sworn she could feel her heart breaking underneath.

She remembered how excited she was when her own parents had told her she was getting a new sibling. She’d prayed for another sister, who she could dress and have tea parties with. Feyre hadn’t really enjoyed them, though, so once again Elain’d had to play by herself.

“You’re going to have someone to play with all the time, isn’t that exciting?” She tried a different tactic.

He only shrugged. Tears pricked her eyes, but she blinked them away. “Is there– Do you… not want a sibling?” Her voice was quiet, tremulous.

Again, Uri only shrugged. Az cleared his throat. “You know you can always come to us for anything, right? You know we’ll always love you, no matter what?”

He nodded. “I’m finished. Can I go play for a while before going to sleep?”

Her heart beating rapidly, lost for words, Elain only managed a nod. He was out of his chair before her next blink.

When she was sure he was far away, she let out a quiet sob. Azriel’s arms were immediately around her. “Shh, my love. It’s alright.”

Elain shook her head. “No, it’s not. You saw how he reacted, Az. He’s not happy about this,” she said, gesturing to her still-flat stomach. It would take a while before it’d begin to swell, Madja had said.

Azriel had insisted she visit the healer as soon as he noticed the change in her scent. It happened one lazy, early morning. His kisses had woken her up, and when she opened her eyes it was to the sight of Azriel’s filled with unshed tears. He’d held her in his arms, his hand resting against her belly. “My love,” he’d whispered. “You’ve given me too great a gift.”

They’d made love, gently, their hands held together, their wet cheeks touching. their breaths mingling. They told each other how far their love went, not just with their words, but with their hands, their bodies.

Yet, now that quiet joy she’d felt that day threatened to crumble in the face of Uri’s dismay.

“He only needs to come to terms with this. It’s a big change, and considering where he comes from, it makes sense that he needs some time before he can fully embrace this new adventure of sorts,” said Azriel.

Elain nodded, praying to the Mother that he was right.

He wasn’t right.

Azriel and Elain laid on the couch, going through reports Rhys had sent over. Nuala and Cerridwen, with the occasional help from Azriel, had trained her in the past few years, and now she proudly called herself the Spymistress of the Night Court. Her visions helped with their missions, although with the recent peace they’d reached those missions were now very few and far between.

Elain let out a yawn and snuggled closer to her mate, who dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Let’s go put our son to sleep, my love. Then we can go to bed, too.” He gently lifted her, sorting the papers and placing them on top of a shelf, where Uri couldn’t reach them. He knew better than to fly inside the house. Not that there was enough space, anyway.

Their boy hadn’t come downstairs since dinner. They’d hear him move at times, but mostly he was being quiet. Maybe Az was right, Elain mused, maybe he just needed to brood and work through his emotions and thoughts before he could understand how he truly felt about having a new sibling. After all, he’d been an only child his whole life. When he did figure out his true feelings, he’d come to them, and they’d discuss and face them like the real family they were.

Sure, it would devastate her if Uri was unhappy about his sibling, but she was sure talking about it would make him see how great of a news it was. Sentiment reinforced, she straightened her spine and got up, following her mate up the stairs.

That was when an eerie sensation had her go still. Her stomach clenched. She gripped Az’ hand, her eyes searching for Uri’s door. Az turned to her, a question written in his gaze. “What’s wrong, my love? Is it a vision?” They —Uri included— had gotten used to her sudden visions. She had better control now than when her powers first manifested, could block them or make them come forward when she deemed it best, yet when the vision was too strong, the message too important to be ignored, there was nothing she could do but submit to it. It used to frighten Uri, while it made Azriel restless, but now it was familiar, accepted.

Elain shook her head even as her grip on Az’s hand tightened. “Uri— It has to do with Uri.”

He didn’t question her — he never did. Her mate simply turned around and marched toward their son’s bedroom.

He knocked, once, twice, three times. Only then did he open the door

The sight nearly knocked the breath out of her lungs.

All of Uri’s clothes were no longer in his wardrobe. Instead, they were all over his bed and the floor, where the child in question was sitting, carefully folding his clothes. He looked up at them, then went back to placing the shirt in his hand in a big, black bag.

“What’s the meaning of this,” Azriel asked, though it was more of a demand than a request.

“I’m packing my stuff, and then I’ll leave,” Uri answered, and though Elain could tell he meant to sound collected, the tremors in his voice gave him away.

“What,” she gasped.

“I’m trying to be as fast as I can, I promise,” Uri rushed out to say. “I am not going to take all of the clothes, either. I know you’ll need them for the baby,” he said.

A shudder went through her body. The thought of having a brother or sister was so awful for Uri that he planned on leaving them.

“Can I take my toys with me? I would like something to play with at the orphanage, unless you want to give them to your baby,” he explained, and he sounded so calm, like this was a fact nothing and no one could change.

A sob wrenched out of her. Uri looked up at her in surprise, his eyes wide.

“You are our baby,” Azriel said, intensely. “If you think we’ll allow you to go away, you’re sorely mistaken.”

Uri’s brows furrowed in confusion. “But—But you’re having your own baby.”

Elain tilted her head. “You already are my own baby. Just because I didn’t bore you doesn’t mean you are not. It pains me to think I ever made you feel like I don’t love you from the deep well of my heart.”

He quickly shook his head. “No, I– I know you love me. It’s only that…” He trailed off, looking down at the ground, almost like he couldn’t bring himself to say the actual words.

Then Elain made the decision to sit down on the floor with him. Azriel quickly followed. She laid a hand against his cheek. It was still baby soft, one of the few remembrances of his childhood. “What’s troubling you, my sweet boy?”

Uri’s face crumpled. And then he sobbed. Elain’s hands wrapped around his head and brought it against her chest. She swayed back and forth, murmuring soothing words, stroking his hair. Az rubbed his back.

“I don't want you to stop loving me!” Uri bellowed out, like he’d restrained himself from speaking the words out loud for so long that now they fought to get out as loudly as possible. “I want you to love me forever, I don’t want to leave,” he yelled.

Elain’s eyes watered, and she wanted to cry, too, yet her words were steady and unfaltering as she said, “Listen to me, Uri.” She lifted his head up, staring right in her son’s red, shining eyes. “That will never happen. You’re not going anywhere. You are our son, and you’ll live with us forever.” She left feathery-light kisses on his swollen eyes. “And then one day, many, many years from now, you’ll decide it’s the right time to move out and create your own family, and I’ll be inconsolable for days on end, and you’ll roll your eyes and call me dramatic, which in turn will make me cry even more, but deep down I’ll be happy and supportive of your next adventure, even though you won’t be able to tell at first as I’ll be trying to lock you in your room—”

Her son’s giggles were the best sound she’d ever heard.

“You can’t say that, mom!” He admonished, even though laughter still colored his tone.

She smiled, and caught Az’s gaze. The Spymaster’s own eyes were glassy from unshed tears. Yet even that wasn’t enough to conceal the love reflecting in them, the love for her and their son. He cleared his throat, once, twice, before he said, “Uri, the baby your mom is carrying will be your brother or sister, do you understand? We will love you the same. You’re as much our child as this one.” He pointed at Elain’s still flat belly.

Uri looked at her stomach for the first time for a long time. Then he nodded.

She was aware the issue wasn’t resolved just like that, that it would take some time for Uri to truly believe it. Still, she peppered his face until he was gasping for air.

When his giggles quieted down, when he was nestled between them in their bed – no way was he sleeping by himself tonight. His room was a mess, anyway. — his Illyrian stuffed toy in his embrace, Uri sighed. “I hope it’s a girl. I want a sister.”

Azriel and Elain looked at each other over him. Azriel inclined his head, a silent agreement. They fell asleep with their smiles plastered over their faces.

Uri grumbled when they told him he now had a brother. Over the past ten months, he’d tell everyone he met he was really excited to meet his new baby sister. No matter how many times his parents tried to prepare him from getting disappointed. He was dead set on getting a new baby sister.

And now he had a brother.

“Mom, it’s so unfair,” he whined now. “I wanted a sister.”

Elain had just given birth. She was tired and in pain, though the tonic Madja had given her subdued it. Yet she was the happiest she’d ever been. Uri was nestled against her side, her mate on the other, her new child suckling at her breast.

She’d dreamed of it as a girl. It’d seemed an impossible dream when she was thrown into the Cauldron, the months of depression and heartbreak that had followed it. Yet it was now before her eyes.

It was exactly as she’d envisioned it. Perhaps even better.

“I know, baby,” Az echoed his statement. “But we love him, right? We’ll protect him?”

Uri rolled his eyes. “Of course. He’s my little brother,” he said.

Elain smiled. “You better. He already loves you so much. He told me.” As though he had heard her, the baby blindly reached out his hand. It landed on Uri’s cheek, a light touch that one might have called a caress. Uri kissed his brother’s palm. “I love you, Adi. Please grow up quickly. I want to play with you.”

“He loves you, too, baby.” Azriel pressed a kiss against his two sons’ foreheads. “Plus, next time you might get a little sister.”

Uri’s eyes sparkled with mischief at that. Elain shook her head, her smile still shining on her face.

It took two more tries before Uri finally got his long-awaited sister. That day, his scream of joy could be heard from all over Prythian.

#elriel #elriel fic #elriel fanfic #elriel fanfiction #elain archeron #azriel #elain x azriel #elain archeron x azriel #azriel x elain #azriel x elain archeron #acotar #a court of thorns and roses #pro elriel

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acourtofthought · 1 year ago

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Do you think Elain would actually try to get back to her human self somehow? I saw a lot of people think that she’d be in cahoots with Koschei because she wants to be turned back. I think the “I don’t want a mate/male” quote and Feyre thinking she wants a human man thing is in ACOFAS, so since then things have changed. She seems more accepting of the fact that she is fae, she just hasn’t accepted Lucien yet. These ideas mostly come from the evil Elain theories which I really don’t like anyway 🙄 but if Elain and Lucien are connected to Koschei I hope her trying to go back to humanity isn’t her main plot line. I hope she’d be over that by now

Elain did say "I don't want a mate / male" but then turned around and developed a crush or flirtation with a male shortly after which suggests progress.

SJM isn't the kind of writer to wave a magic wand and make these characters traumas disappear so Elain saying she didn't want any of the above after the war, after losing her father, after Graysen's rejection, etc. are not surprising.

She was thrust out of a world she loved and into one where she was turned into a being she grew up fearing, suddenly finding herself kicking beats and stabbing kings in battle. I think it's normal that she was trying to distance herself from extremely fae things like mating bonds and relationships with non humans when she really hadn't had times to come to terms with the fact that she is now fae and living in a place that is so unlike what she was used to.

However it's been over a year since the war. Nearly two years since she was turned. Elain may not be ready to fully embrace being fae (as Nesta wasn't ready until the end of her book) but that doesn't necessarily mean she wants to go back to a life where she knows people turned their backs on her.

Also, I can't recall a single SJM main character hero / heroine who has tried to work with the bad guy for selfish reasons and not ended up looking like the villain.

(spoilers for TOG to follow)

In the ACOTAR series we have Rhys looking like the bad guy because he was working for Amarantha. But....he ended up the hero because he was actually protecting his entire court and trying to find a way to free Prythian.

In TOG, we had Dorian seeming to work with Maeve. But in the end, he had only been playing her, finding how her powers worked so he could use them against her.

The above are two scenarios where a main character looked like they were working for the big bad only for us to discover they were using their intelligence to turn the tides in their favor.

But.........

In ACOMAF, we have Tamlin playing double agent to Hybern. Even though he was gathering information that did benefit them in the war, his main reason for allying with Hybern was to get Feyre back.

As a result, SJM made his character one that now "sucks" (her words from an actual interview with Eva Cheng).

Tamlin may get some sort of redemption but my guess is he's never getting his own book. With his journey, the author has told us that when a character tries to play double agent for selfish reasons it's not going to leave them looking like the hero, even if they were also trying to gather information on the side.

So Elain trying to ally with Koschei to be turned human again? HOW does that end up with her as a heroine?

First, it means she's willing to put others at risk for her own selfish desires, that is not FMC energy. Elain has had visions of Koschei, she knows he's kidnapped other females. Who would ever root for her knowing that she was willing to work with someone like him after that?

Also, Elain seeking him out then needing rescuing....isn't that just proving that she shouldn't have tried handling anything dangerous like Az believed? That she was a "little girl" trying to play in a "grown mans" world and failing? That Nesta was right telling her not to get involved with the Trove?

The only way the Elain / Koschei theory would work for SJMs kind of writing is if everyone thought Elain was working with Koschei for her own reasons but it's revealed she never wanted to be human after all. That she set out to prove she could best him with her intelligence and came out victorious (as Dorian did with Maeve or Rhys with Amarantha).

I am with you, there are so many more things that SJM could do with Elain's character than having her regress back to 2 years ago. We've already witnessed her at her lowest where she struggled with becoming fae and losing her life in the human lands. She's not 100% and I don't think she's thriving like she could be elsewhere but she has now made a few friends, keeps busy around Velaris helping others, developed her first "crush" on a fae male and now has a nephew to love. SJM would have wasted multiple books of Elain working through the worst of it and coming out on the other side to turn around and have her willing to put others at risk to become human again.

#elain archeron #elucien #pro elain archeron

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elijowa · 1 year ago

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100% this! I don't think either Crowley or Aziraphale have the faintest clue they are in love until it's pointed out in the most blindingly obvious ways possible.

I'll go further and say that they're such ineffable idiots that they don't realise they're actually *friends* until 1941 - and the whole of S1 is basically them trying to reconcile this idea with what is expected of them by their respective sides. The end of S1 with them dining at the Ritz is them saying they are happy to acknowledge that they have now in common with each other than either Heaven or Hell, and they're (mostly) ok with that.

(Crowley is definitely more ok with it than Aziraphale, but he's has been fully embracing 'living in the grey' for nearly 6000 years more than Aziraphale, so it's not surprising that he is more comfortable than Az, especially now the forces of Heaven and Hell seem to have backed off for now)

And S2 sees them having already fallen into "old married couple" life, without either of them realising it. They still think of each other as Really Good Friends who drive each other up the wall, but whom they trust implicitly and sometimes want ... *something more* ... but it doesn't occur to them what the 'something more' is. Remember, they don't have any other relationships with other angels or demons that they can compare their feelings to. For all that know, this is what platonic friendship feels like.

I think it's only when Crowley is confronted with Nina's outsider perspective that he begins to realise that all these words to describe human romantic relationships (partner, boyfriend, husband, bit on the side) also apply to his relationship with Aziraphale, and that throws him for a loop.

And I think it's not until Aziraphale actually sees Gabriel and Beelzebub that he has any clue that *that* is the something more he wants with Crowley - hence the little arm grab. (Edit: actually, maybe he begins to get some sort of inkling when he finds himself thinking of Crowley in response to Gabriel's musings about being near one person makes everything seem better, but he clearly doesn't know what to do with that inkling so tries to shut it down and lock it up fast!)

Even when he asks Crowely to dance, I don't think he fully understands why he's doing it or why it makes him so fizzy with happiness - he's just caught up in the moment and goes with it. If he actually stopped to try and plan asking Crowley, I don't think he'd have done it because he'd have got inside his own head too much and talked himself out of it.

There's a lot of discussion about how Aziraphale and Crowely don't communicate properly, and they absolutely don't. But I don't think they *can* communicate their feelings to each other, because they don't understand them themselves (this is why therapy is important people!)

It's all new to both of them, and just when they're getting to the point where they each *start* to understand their feelings for each other, in swoops the Metatron and rushes everything. If they'd just been given time, they would have got there eventually, and their first kiss would have been the soppily romantic one that we were all hoping for.

BUT I think (hope) that all this heartbreak will actually lead to a better relationship than if they had just taken their time. It would have been incredibly easy of them to continue the unhealthy patterns that were beginning to emerge. Their time apart is going to force them to do some work on themselves so when they do come back together, they will be able to see themselves and each other more clearly and honestly.

So there had better be a S3!

Thank you all for coming to my TED talk.

thee literal funniest thing in season 2 is the implication that crowley didnt realise he was romantically involved with aziraphale until that conversation with nina. we all thought he'd been playing the long game waiting for aziraphale to catch up we all thought no way is he not aware of what's going on between them that's been our collective understanding of crowley's motivations for years now but no apparently he just walked on hallowed ground and ran into a burning building and tried drinking himself to death and stopped time and fought literal actual satan himself risking total annihilation for aziraphale because that's what best friends do. platonically. apparently

#renew good omens #good omens #aziraphale #crowley #pay your writers #pay your actors #pay your artists #ineffable husbands

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fieldofdaisiies · 2 years ago

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After returning from a long mission Azriel and his family had a lovely dinner ( reader and their 2 years old daughter) After putting their daughter to sleep in her room Azriel and reader came back to their room and just being romantic, having sweet talks , telling how much they missed each other , kissing and cuddling and they were having sex and suddenly their daughter wakes up and enters their room and seeing her parents like this she was confused 😂❤ and she started asking weird questions that what they were doing and all and then Azriel and reader makes up such a cute and nonsense stories and excuses 🤣.......( smutty, fluff and funny ) ❤

Hahahah I love this idea, thank you. so much for requesting. I hope you like it <33 I enjoyed writing this so much. And I hate saying this about my own writing, but I believe this is one of the best things I have written on here so far.

Azriel x Reader | The Joys of Parenthood

type: fluff, smut warnings: so much fluff, a fine amount of smut, some rougher bits (Az missed reader quite a lot), getting caught by your child word count: 3378

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Daddy's home!” your daughter, Everly, chirped and jumped of her chair. Her tiny wings happily flapping behind her back, she ran towards the entrance hall. Obviously she would be the first to notice that Azriel had returned. You hurdled after her—she was only three and not yet so steady when walking and especially not when running.

Your heart exploded and your chest filled with warmth when you came to a halt in the entrance hall of your house and your eyes landed on your mate who had your daughter cradled to his chest, both of them giggling while embracing each other tightly.

“Daddy's home!”

“Yes, my love. I am finally home!” Azriel gave her another squeeze and kissed her cheek before his eyes moved to you — his gaze full of love and longing. The spymaster had been gone for so long, you and Everly had missed him terribly, but finally he was back.

Without further ado you stormed to your mate and flung your arms around both your daughter and him. “Gods, I missed you!” you expressed and drew in a deep breath to inhale his marvelous scent.

“And I missed you, my mate. My two favourite girls in this world.” Every giggled happily when Azriel kissed the top of your head. For a few minutes longer you stayed like this, tightly holding onto each other. A mission always came with the possibility of something going wrong so you were always more than relieved when your mate return unharmed.

“As usual absolutely delicious,” Azriel murmured when taking another bite of his meal. Your daughter sat on his lap, one bite was always for her, the other for Azriel. You talked a little about Azriel’s mission but mostly the focus was of course on your daughter, on what she had learned in the past weeks. She had drawn a few things for Azriel which she gifted Azriel him, she also had gotten two new dresses which she really wanted to show her father and so and so on.

You gave them a bit of space, knowing how much Azriel valued the time with his child. You went to clean up the kitchen and the dining room, hearing them giggle and chat in the background. It was probably the most amazing sound in the whole entire world, your heart swelling every time. Azriel, as much as he had dpubted it during your pregnancy, was absolutely amazing with children. They could play for hours with Everly dressing up her father, Azriel having to attend her tea parties, paint with her or play with her dolls. Azriel would do anything, he didn’t mind at all. His greatest gift in life was his daughter, and of course you.

When it suddenly got calm you dried off your hands and walked to your big family living room where you found Azriel sitting in an armchair and your daughter peacefully asleep on his chest. She looked so happy and fully at ease, lips slightly parted, snoring softly and cradling her father’s shirt in her tiny fist. Azriel smiled at her.

“Fell asleep while playing,” Azriel mouthed to your, his hand resting on your daughter’s head, carefully brushing through her hair. Your lips formed a big smile when you moved your hand over your mouth and made an internal painting of those two—you had to remember this moment forever, it was too beautiful.

Carefully Azriel wrapped his other arm around her as well and got up, holding Everly tightly to his chest. With his head he motioned to her room and you dipped your chin.

“I’ll take her to bed if that is fine?” Azriel whispered to your when he reached you.

You brushed your hand over Everly’s back and quickly leaned up to kiss her cheek. “Of course this is fine, more than fine. She will appreciate it. She missed you so much.”

Azriel’s gaze stayed locked with you for a moment longer, his chest heaving with a deep inhale while he just looked at you. “Gods, and I missed the two of you so damn much.”

And with that your mate leaned down and kissed your forehead before moving past you and heading for Everly��s room.

You decided to go to the bathroom in the mean time and then head to the bedroom to wait there for you mate. It wouldn’t take him too long to join you as Everly was already alseep and would probably only wake up momentarly to change into her pyjamas.

It wasn’t like you had too big hopes for that night, knowing your mate was probably tired and just wanted to sleep, still you picked out his favourite nightgown of yours—a midnight blue, satin one that left nothing to imagination.

The last thing you did was brush through your hair before returning to the bedroom and sitting down on the bed, then lying down. You didn’t want to make it too obvious how much you actually wanted your mate that night.

You had been mates for nearly a half century by then but that did not mean that the frenzy wasn’t that strong anymore. There were still times where you simply wanted to rip his clothes off right where you stood.

You rolled onto your side, facing Azriel’s pillow and smiling to yourself. He was back!

It took a few months for you to become intimate again after you had our daughter; it was perfectly fine. Your life was better than it had ever been before. You couldn’t be happier to spend every living minute with your little girl.

But still some days and especially nights you really craved your mate and it got worse when he was gone for so long. You had missed him terribly and also his soft touches, his kisses, how he kissed you, how he touched you and how he made lo—

“What are you thinking about?” Azriel chuckled out of the blue. You hadn’t heard the door open.

Your eyes snapped open and you rolled onto your back. “What?” “I said, what are you thinking about?”

You smiled and shook your head. “Just you being back.” Azriel seemed only half content with your answer. He was toeing of his boots when your gaze landed on his glorious body.

To tease you Azriel took his time, slowly discarding of his jacket, then his shirt, the siphons on the back of his hands, his pants, …. his socks. Gods! How could a person take off their socks so agonizingly slowly?

A deep and full hearted laugh broke free from your mate when his gaze moved to your eyes. “Seems like someone is a bit needy tonight? I think you are drooling my sweet.”

And with that and heat rushing through your whole body Azriel finally also dropped his underpants standing fully nude right in front of you. And Cauldron, he truly was the most beautiful male in the entire world. Your breathing csme in quick pants when your toes curled on the bed.

“I just missed you,” you whispered, trying to focus on anything else other than glorious view he had just revealed to you. Biting down on your lip you forced your dyes to move upwards again, locking them with your mate’s.

“I missed you too, but let just talk and cuddle for a bit. I want to know what has happened here, how you have been doing. Everything. Is that fine?”

Smiling you bowed your head and made grabby hands at your mate so that he would finally join you in bed. Azriel practically jumped onto the bed, pulled you to him and enveloped you into his arms and wings, pulling the big blanket over the both of you. “Now, tell me. How have you been doing?”

“I or rather we have been well. Nothing special. We spent a lot of time with Feyre and Nyx, painting and baking and that was actually it. Everly has already told you the rest. Now you: how was the mission? Did you find out anything important?”

You tipped your head back so that you could look at your mate. Azriel was already looking at you.

“I am so happy to hear that. Her and Nyx got along?” “They do, oh Mother, they are so cute together. But now tell me, Azriel!” you pressed, squeezing your mate’s biceps. You were dying to find out what had happened on the mission. It always was nerve-wrecking yet also thrilling.

And so Azriel told you about the mission, about what he found out, about the special trade that was thought about between Rask and the Night Court. You listened cautiously to every word he said, finding it impressive what he had found out. Azriel made a short break to peck your lips before continuing with his story.

“So then we returned to the harbour and suddenly all of the boxes were gone…”

Your breath sometimes halted when your mate told you about the dangerous parts of his mission but he always tried to calm you down with a either a kiss or caress of your cheek with his thumb.

“It is so good to be back. At night it is the worst to be away from home—from you. There is nothing better than falling asleep with you in my arms,” Azriel trailed a few kisses down the side of your face while slowly moving your body closer to his. “I hated falling asleep without you,” you answered him.

Azriel brushed his lips lower, moving to your jaw, lower to your neck where his teeth softly grazed the sensitive skin.

“Did you touch yourself while I was gone? Thinking about me?”

You shifted slightly, adjusting to your mate and breathed a “yes”.

“Good girl. I did too.” “Thought so,” you giggled when finally Azriel’s left hand slide under blanket and over your body. “Did you, my smart mate? Tell me what you thought about!”

Azriel pushed himself up on his other arm, leaning onto his elbow while slowly moving on top of you. The shadowsinger’s lips closed over yours in a passionate and soft kiss, his tongue carefully parting your mouth and sliding inside. Your spread your legs a bit, making more room for Azriel to lie down on top of you. His already hard length pressed softly against your core and made a breathy moan slip through your lips. Azriel pulled back and smiled at you, his eyes not for one second leaving yours while his hand worked to shove your nightgown up your hips.

“Tell me. All the things you thought about, the positions, how I took you, what we did, what you did, what I did. I need you to say it. Need to hear what that dirty mind of yours is capable of,” Azriel whispered against your lips and softly you kissed you once again. It was just a peck while he carefully thrusted his hips against yours, the thin fabric of your undergarments the only thing separating the two of you them.

You felt the heat in your cheeks and bit down on your lip. “This is embarrassing,” you whispered but Azriel shook his head. “Not one bit.”

“Alright, I thought about you—oh Gods!” You arched against your mate when he pushed against you again. Azriel chuckled lowly, content about how easy he could make your writhe underneath him.

“I thought about you in so many ways. I thought about you taking me against the wall, on the table. I thought about tasting you, gods, I thought about tasting you so many times. My mouth wrapping around you and—“ Azriel shut you off with a kiss—gone was soft and gentle now it was replaced by a raw and ravishing almost bruising kiss that made your toes curl and damp heat pool in your core. Sparks and heat exploded in every place Azriel’s fingers touched, his lips kissed. Your skin felt so tight, too tight and the pressure building in your core became nearly too much. “I need you,” you breathed, your hands holding Azriel’s had while stealing another breathtaking kiss from him. "I need you in me."

“And you will have me.” Azriel did not even go as far as to take your underwear off. He simply shoved the fabric aside and pushed two of his fingers into you. He growled at the wetness he was met with and let his head fall to your neck. His kisses where soft yet filled with lust and heat. “Always so wet, my mate,” he purred and flicked his tongue against your skin. “Gods, I missed that feeling of you. Tight and wet and so ready for me.”

“Fuck me, please!” Yes, you were desperate for him at this point, no longer wanting to wait.

Azriel’s chest rumbled with a chuckle when he kissed your collar bone and removed his fingers from inside you. Desire reached you through the bond, filled with so much love and longing it nearly drew tears to your eyes. You knew how hard it was for Azriel to go away, to leave you and now that he finally had you again it was hard for him to hold back from fully ravishing you.

You did not want him to hold back so you took manner into your own hands. Curling your legs behind his hips you forced your mate closer to you. Azriel complied, pushed the fabric of your panties even further aside and sheathed himself inside of you. You both gasped at the feeling of your first time connecting after such a long time apart.

The feeling of the sudden fullness was nearly overwhelming. Your back arched, your head falling back when Azriel slid out to the tip and pushed back in. You moaned loudly, clawing at his shoulders, and squeezed your eyes shut.

“Say my name, baby!” Azriel kissed your neck, his scarred hand coming up to knead your right breast while his other hand held onto your hip. your night gown was a bundle of frabric around your middle.

The spymaster was rutting into you, pushing you further up on the mattress, a pillow shielding your head. “Azriel.” His name slipped through your lips as a lewd whisper. Purely male pride washed Azriel—you felt it through the bond. Your mate increased his pace, making the bed shake and you cry out in pleasure. Your heard the frame hit the wall, the whole bed groaning under your mate’s ministration. You did not want to say it, but you had to.

“Azriel, slower.”

Azriel slowed down just a bit and he kissed the side of your head. His breathingwas ragged when he searched your gaze. “Am I hurting you? Did I hurt hurt?" “No,” you said and kissed his lips. “No, not at all. But Everly. We will wake her. We are loud.”

The spymaster smiled against your skin before softly biting your earlobe. “She won’t wake up. She is deep asleep.”

Azriel slid back in to the hilt, his pace going back to being hard and relentless. His mouth was in every place his fingers didn't touch.

Azriel mercilessly rutted into you, his head falling into the crook of your neck. The shadowsinger savoured your skin, devoured how you clawed at him, nails digging into his flesh. Damp skin slapped against skin, the noises audible in room a sin themselves.

"Should I fill you up nicely? Want me to put another baby inside of you?" Azriel mumbled.

Your answer was a lewd cry when you felt your walls squeeze his proud length. "Gods, yes. Please!"

"Can’t wait to see you all round and pregnant again. So beautiful." The spymaster kissed your face, your lips, down your neck, down your cleavage before finally turning his full attention to your breasts.

Half disappearing under the blanket, Azriel licked over your right nipple, his other hand massaging your left breast. You moaned again, hand sliding into your mate’s hair, tugging on a few strands when he bit down on your breast. It was just on the edge of painful and so you screamed his name, your heels pressing into the mattress now.

“Azriel, Gods. I am close, please!”

“So fu—“

“Mummy?!”

You shrieked loudly, moving so quickly it was beyond you when you pulled the blanket up to your chin and trapped Azriel between your legs, he still under the blanket although the tips of his wings stood out. Your daughter wouldn’t see that, it was too dark in the room. Azriel eased out of you and fell flat to your body, stilling hidden under the blanket and his shadows covering the rest.

“Ev-everly,” you breathlessly expressed, opening your eyes and trying to adapt to the dim room and most importantly trying to find your daughter. You didn’t see too much of her, the only light source the full moon shining through the window. Everly stood on the threshold, a stuffed toy in her arms, sniffing loudly, crying.

“Everly, my sweet what are you doing here?” There was no way you could offer her to come her nor that you could get up right then. Gods, this was so bad. You felt so bad all of a sudden, your daughter stood their crying and you couldn’t get to her.

“I heard you scream daddy’s name. Is he gone again?” Everly bubbled, her lower lip trembling.

Great Gods!

Azriel inhaled deeply under the blanket and you knew that he probably could need some air soon.

Your mind ran wild when Everly took a step into the room and then you quickly lifted your hand.

“Mummy and daddy are playing hide and seek. That was why I was shouting his name. I was trying to find him.”

Everly’s brows furrowed and she scanned you. “You were playing hide and seek without me?”

Great, now she was disappointed.

“Yes, you were already sleeping, my love."

Everly pursed her lips and tipped her head to the side. "But what are you doing in bed? I thought you were looking for—"

"I was…I was checking under the bed and under the sheets." You lifted the blanket an inch and moved your hand under it to demonstrate it. For a split second you and Azriel locked gazes. He grinned and slowly traced one scarred finger down your lower belly. You gritted your teeth and tried to squeezed your thighs together. He would pay for that later…or now. You slammed the blanket down again—he could do without air for a bit longer.

"Daddy is not in here. Will you help me look for him? Can you maybe go look in the living room. I will join you immediately. I'll just check here one more time.”

Everly seemed to deliberate for a moment, brought her hand up to brush over her tear-streaked cheeks and nodded. Seeming alright with the explanation she stormed out of the room.

“Fuck that was close,” Azriel breathed when Everly was gone and you shoved the blanket back to give Azriel back his freedom.

“She caught us, Azriel!” you whined, internally face-palming yourself. Ugh, you hated this—the whole situation. “She does not understand what we were doing,” Azriel comforted you and slowly lifted himself of your body. He wrapped the blanket around his middle when he got up and set out for the bathroom.

You got up as well, smoothing your hair down and also straightening your nightgown.

“Now go to her and help her find me,” Azriel chuckled.

When you passed your mate he gave your ass a not so gentle smack. “And sweetheart, don’t think that we won't finish our game of hide and seek later on. And if we have to go up to the rooftop, I don’t care. I am going to fuck you at least four more times tonight.” You gasped at that which drew a happy grin to Azriel’s face. He turned and walked into the bathroom, leaving you all flustered and hot. And then—

Your daughter, she was waiting in the living for you.

You quickly set out, turning on a few lights and heading to the living room.

“I cannot find him,” Everly pouted and walked up to you. “You are sure he is not gone again? On a mission?” “No, Everly. No worries,” you said and picked up your daughter. You kissed her cheek. “We were just in the middle of the game he would not leave like that.”

“I looked in the kitchen already, maybe his study room?” “Yes, his study room,” you loudly said and hoped Azriel got the memo that this was where he should go and hide.

And it really was where he hid—what a surprise! Everly happily cheered when she found her father who clasped her in his arms and cheered with her.

“I still cannot believe you played hide and seek without me,” she then said when the two of you walked her back to her room.

“We love this game so much, Everly, we simply couldn’t hold back from playing it. Mummy especially loves it, she was so eager tonight to play it I couldn’t say no,” Azriel told your daughter when placing her down on the bed. He looked over his shoulder, his lips nothing but a cruel grin when he winked at you. You held back a grin and bit down on your lip.

“I love this game too,” Everly pouted but Azriel kissed the top of her head and told her that you could play every game she wanted to play the whole following day. She was happy about that, but just when you had told her goodnight, kissed her cheeks again and were about to leave Everly had to add on top of all.

“Next time don’t make it so hard for mummy, she was shouting please so often. She was begging so much!” Azriel next to you nearly choked on a breath, but quickly turned his head and nodded at your daughter. “I am sorry. Of course Everly, I won’t do that again. Sleep tight, my love.” Everly closed her eyes with a content smile on her lips and you turned of the light and closed the door.

“You really were begging me tonight to fuck you, huh? ‘She was shouting please so often’,” the spymaster drawled when interlacing his fingers with yours. Instead of walking back to your shared bedroom he set out for the other side of the corridor. “Did you already forget?” Azriel asked when you gave him a questioning look. The shadowsinger grinned from one ear to the other. “Rooftop. Where you can be as loud as you like to.”

Please let me know what you think. Feedback is highly appreciated and welcomed💙

tags: @juulle987 @marimorena06 @danikasthings @younxii @nightcourtwritings @mrofontaine @lunalilyf @whor-3-crux @tired-all-the-time @anni-was-here @ummmmmwat @azbracadabra @j-pendragonx @hollyismentallyillhelp @famousbasementpainter @bsenpai @lena-davina @red-highlady @thesugatoyourtae @cityofidek @moony-thoughts @wrensical003 @cherryjain17 @moonfawnx @crushedcloudsx @devilsfoodcake22 @azrielsbitxh @valeridarkness @azrielscertifiedslut @mulansaucey @cynicalpotato95 @hanasakr @high-bi-andreadytocry @eerievixen @feyretopia

#azriel #azriel x reader #acotar #acosf #acotar x reader

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saphirered · 2 years ago

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azriel x reader number 15, just fluff please!

First time writing for Azriel! Hope this turned out okay. Teasing and fluff with canon typical hints to spice. Ft. Cassian because we know why. Hope you don't mind! 😘

Two Illyrians stand within the ring. One, a grin on his face; challenging and defiant. The other, is all but emotionless, focussed and neutral but beneath all the calm seriousness there’s a hint of playfulness hidden when the shadows twirl around him. Both are dressed for the weather; warm and unrelenting. Skin shines in the sunlight from the thin layer of sweat covering them. Cassian is the first to throw a punch. Azriel simply blocks the hit with his arm, the movement fast and aimed with precision he lands a counter strike to the general’s abdomen. Despite the shadows swirling around and whispering to him the secrets around, what they pick up on, he remains focussed on the sparring match, especially when Cassian attempts to land a dirty blow right to his face. These fights, although they can get quite nasty at times, no true harm is done, and the only physical harm usually sorts itself out in a couple of hours. It’s tradition to leave training with at least a handful of bruises after all, much to your annoyance.

After particularly intense training and sparring sessions Azriel would come across you one way or another and you’d take every opportunity to chastise him. Your words would be in teasing and you would take it upon yourself to be his sarcastic nurse. Your bedside manners, quite frankly are horrible. He supposes that’s what he gets but he wouldn’t have it any other way. You attention is a blessing in its own right. He’s ashamed to admit he’s sometimes purposely let a hit land knowing he’d deal with the repercussions of minor injury only to have you fawning over him. He would be especially lucky if Cassian got him good the day prior where you would show up to training to give the general a piece of your mind and nothing he has faced in battle is fiercer than your fury. But your appearance is usually followed by a barrage of comments and remarks at Azriel’s behest. Not even the brave general dares come for you. He knows what’s good for him but sometimes even he slips up and it’s amusing to see which one wins, usually you. Still the game remains amusing. Azriel’s shadows whisper in his ear. These particular whispers draw his attention away from the fight, and allow them to seep elsewhere.

“The lovely one draws near. So lovely. Destination is set. Soon we may embrace once more.” Haunting they may be to some, to Azriel they are like old friends. He knows what they talk about. Or rather who. You’re on your way here, now. His heart leaps, or maybe that’s caused by the harsh kick he takes to his chest, enough to knock him off his feet and fall on the floor in a cloud of dust, groaning and coughing.

“What? Your shadows describing your dear lover bathing? Or something more interesting?” The general grins as Azriel tries to alleviate the ache from his ribs while he sits up. Cassian offers him a hand and helps the Shadowsinger to his feet.

“I’d rather not ask you to define ‘more interesting’ so I’ll simply imagine and tell you; get your damn mind out of the gutter, Cass.” Your voice sounds to Azriel’s left. His shadows surround him, darting out towards you even though he reins them in to give the semblance of restraint and control but in his mind, he’d rather follow his shadows along and greet you proper, instead of having to dodge a punch last minute.

“Oh, I can show you my definition of ‘more interesting’ later if you’re up for it but maybe you get your own mind out of the gutter too. How dirty must it be to come to such conclusions and imply anything but my virtue.” Cassian pats a hand over his heart in mock hurt, and has to respond quick when Azriel kicks high, and throws a punch to follow up, the latter of which he barely managed to deflect. “Is that jealousy, Az? Oooff!” A punch to the gut shuts him up for a second.

“Those are a lot of big words by your standards. Az, you didn’t give him a concussion, did you?” You ask as you make yourself comfortable on the stone ledge next to the stairs that lead down into the training pit.

“Not yet.” Azriel threatens as his brother straightens himself and gets back in position and the sparring continues. Through the entire match he’s aware of your presence. You’ve brought a book, one he recommended at your request, he notes and so you read as they spar. When he didn’t notice himself, his shadows would tell him whenever you would drift from your pages to him, study him, watch him move, and hum in approval when he hit good, or cringe when he got hit. You’d smile whenever a tendril would wrap around your ankle or wrist as if to soothe you whenever the latter happened.

“Lower left leg, inner calf.” You barely even look up from the tome in your hands and while Cassian is confused, Azriel is faster of mind. He sees what you mean. “In three, two, one.” You count casually, as Azriel kicks at the left leg, and hooks his ankle around Cass’ lower calf and pulls, knocking the general off his axis. Before he knows it he’s the one on the ground.

“That’s cheating.” Cassian complains as he remains on the floor. You roll your eyes and set your book aside crossing your arms and look at him as an older sibling would to a younger one.

“I don’t think it is.”

“Well then, why don’t you get in here and we’ll see how long it takes before you resort to your cheating.”

“Yes, because having a perceptive and calculating mind is cheating. You’re an experienced war strategist. You should know that.” You wink and he grins, ready to escalate and continue this little challenge of yours.

“Leave him be. He’s a sore loser and you know it.” Azriel tries to mediate. “Besides, don’t want to distract you further from your reading. Too much time here and you might become as thickheaded as Cass.” The Illyrian in question simply raises his middle finger. Azriel leaves him laying on the ground and stalks over to you until he stands right in front of you. The look he gives you begs for your compliance. You try to upkeep your annoyance but it fades fast when you’re in close proximity to the shadowsinger and so you sigh uncrossing your arms and instead placing them on his shoulders. You tilt your head and purse your lips, an open invite for a kiss, immediately accepted.

“Only because you asked so nicely.” You muse watching over Azriel’s shoulder to see Cassian get up and dust off his sweaty attire. It doesn’t help much as the dust clings to his clothes as much as it does to his skin. The general cringes, not because he minds the dirt, but more due to the sigh he sees when he finally gets up and decides it’s time to get out of here before he makes a comment that invokes either of your wraths or he vomits from the sheer disgust at the two of you acting like a couple would in front of him.

“I guess training is over. I still win, Az. As for your you, sweetheart, I’m taking a bath, so if you still need me to show you the definition of ‘more interesting’ you can come and join and Az’ shadows can spy all they want.” Cassian winks at you as he’s half way up the steps near where you’re still seated with Azriel in front of you.

You pretend to consider the offer, looking up at the general, giving him a once over, which he notices and goes as far as to strike a pose for you, allowing the sunlight to hit his features. You shrug and when he offers a hand to you, suddenly within a flash, Cassian groans in pain. He’s no longer stood where he was but instead is back in the dirt, as the air has been pushed from his lungs and he coughs for a breath he didn’t expect he’d lose. Azriel is over him one hand on his chest to keep him confined. This wasn’t a move of jealousy on Azriel’s side. This wasn’t some need for dominance or to make a statement. This was for your enjoyment because when he sees you muffle your laughter behind your hands, he knows whatever comes next is worth it. You hop down from your spot, and enter the pit, strolling over. You kneel down beside the two, and brush some stray strands of hair from Cassian’s face, then pat his cheek.

“Maybe next time, Cass.” You wink. The wolfish grin is enough to earn him another punch to the gut as Azriel lets go of him and sweeps you off your feet. You squeal in surprise at the sudden movement, catching yourself in the Illyrian’s grasp while you are suspended with his hand under your bent knees and the other against your back. You wrap your arms around his neck as you lean backwards, to look past his shoulder and see the general.

“Looks like you got other plans. We can reschedule or maybe a group thing is more your taste? I’m not opposed to sharing.” He calls after as he sits up and watches you go.

“Don’t you dare.” Azriel says when you open your mouth to reply to Cassian’s comment. Instead you readjust yourself in his grasp and connect your lips with the underside of his jaw. “Remind me to never put the two of you in the same space again. You’ll drive me mad.”

“Can’t handle a little teasing?” You jest but when you see the look in his eyes, when you feel his fingers dig into your skin just a little more to make you aware and responsive to his touch further until you gulp, fearing what you might have invoked.

“We’ll see how well you respond to teasing.” You definitely got more than you bargained for. But perhaps that’s exactly what you were hoping for. Your book remains discarded at the edge of the training ring and your initial reasons for coming there in the first place are equally lost. You haven’t the mind to care, not when his lips find yours in a loving kiss. You haven’t a worry in the world left.

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