#I just think faes are neat

[applestruda]

Boatem knights joel and lizzie

The hunter and the lady of the woods

[warriorsofficial]

You should vote for Fae because they look like they are up to no good™️, and you’re probably right.

FR Showdown: BABY FIGHTS! Round 1

[rising-blood-moon]

How many mirrors dragons can one have in their lair before it gets concerning? Asking for a friend (me)

[variousobsessions]

The past few days have really been Hyrule Loving Hours. He is often characterized as just the soft healer or Wild's partner in crime and yes he IS both of those but he's so much more. He survived a desolate wasteland as a child likely alone. He saw an old woman getting attacked and didn't hesitate to help her even thought he didn't have a weapon. He had no instructions, just a general idea of a quest from Impa and a sword from the old man. He was 10 years old when he defeated Ganon without the Master Sword. For six years he survived the Eyes of Ganon on the hunt for his blood. The hidden cult members in Saria Town definitely affected how much he trusts people. He proved himself worthy of the entire Triforce and awoke the sleeping princess. Even if you don't headcanon him having Fae blood (I do lol) he is still a powerful magic user. I may be incompetent but Adventure of Link was hard. And yet even after all of that (the highlights) he still struggles with self-esteem and self-worth. He is soft and he is a healer and he does love shenanigans but he is also so much more. Please, please don't think this is saying Hyrule is better than any other Link, because he isn't. I just see people leaving him behind or minimizing his struggles a lot and I want to tell everyone out there that Hyrule is just as great as all the other Links. This was not meant to be an entire essay but thank you for reading ❤️

[twin-chains]

Fairy Magic and Culture

(a tiny bit of worldbuilding, mostly for Fay's era)

Fairies are magical creatures that can easily grant health recovery and life. It’s wise for those who go into battle or often get injured to employ the services of a fairy by bottling them up whenever they find one for emergency use. Fairies, however, detested such a crude method. Thus, hyrulean people (especially hylians) would build fountains all over Hyrule to honor the fairies and give thanks for their blessings. It would give fairies safe havens to fly around freely while giving soldiers reliable places to heal serious wounds without bottles. Fairies that grow in strength and magic take on larger forms and can become great fairies, gaining domain over their own fountains and can grant magical blessings or items to those they deem worthy.

OOT: It became something of a tradition for small children to leave small gifts or trinkets in the fountains or leave bowls of sugar water by gardens or flowerbeds. Fairies became especially fond of Kokiri children and many would bond together with them.

LOZ1: In Fay’s time, Hyrule experienced a downfall since the Era of Decline: monsters roam freely, population has dwindled, and most of the fairy fountains dried up. There’s a bit of an ‘every man for himself’ mentality, many people learn to defend themselves and can make tentative alliances or even friendships in towns. However, ‘weaker’ creatures like fairies were sought after by hylians and monsters alike, threatening and taking advantage of their healing services without anything in return.

Thus, fairies of Fay's time have developed a crafty, distrusting lifestyle with special rules and defense mechanisms in place to protect themselves from those who may take advantage of them. Think fairytale fae rules like “never make a deal with the fae” but it’s not quite the same rules:

Fay's Fairy Culture

Water: Without fairy fountains, fairies usually take residence in small ponds or other protected bodies of water. It can refresh the fairies and provide a place to rest or relax. These bodies of water act as very small pockets of reality that fairies can enter (not a full parallel realm but only fragments of one). People can only enter if fairies grant them access and can be trapped there if a fairy doesn’t grant them leave. Great fairies can have dominion over a fairy pond but get too cramped in tiny bodies of water, either revoking their “great” status to return to their original size or taking on a human form to hopelessly find a large enough body of water. Fairies can grow weak when they cannot find a fairy pond to rest and even settle for really damp caves.

Deals: Fairies used to give their healing freely but have since become more protective of their magic. Fairies thus began binding people to magic contracts or deals. The fairies could heal someone and leave the person in debt to the fairy and this debt can be alleviated by compensating or rewarding the fairy. This compensation can come in the form of rupees, sugar water, small trinkets, protection from enemies, not being trapped in bottles, or whatever the fairy chooses. The compensation has to fit the healing, larger injuries require larger rewards in exchange. Fairies learned to infuse magic into their words to make these special deals; one cannot break a fairy deal without receiving double their injury back or in some cases death. This is especially helpful when monsters try to grab fairies and threaten them to heal their injuries. Some especially keen fairies go out of their way to find random injured people and heal them unprompted before manipulating their words of gratitude into an implied debt to receive supplies or simply to play tricks. Most fairies participate in this practice to protect themselves, treating healing as a forced business transaction, but few like Fay choose not to make deals (though Fay has gotten himself out of a nasty situation or two by forcing an injured monster or follower of Ganon into a fairy deal)

Conversation: Never speak disrespectfully to a fairy. As previously mentioned, fairies learned to infuse magic into their words to elicit debt from others. To trick uncooperative people into agreeing to these deals, they’d hide the terms of the agreement behind fancy, overly-polite words. This type of fanciful conversation became the norm between fairies. Fairies hide behind their words and wield them like a weapon, even demanding people to speak fancifully to them back when making these deals and asking for healing. Most fairies refuse to heal others or make deals if they feel the asker spoke disrespectfully or insulted the fairy. Fairies became very perceptive to how words are specifically spoken and developed an ability to discern whether or not someone is dishonest with them. (Fay’s sign language abides by fairy rules of conversation)

Names: Never give your true name to a fairy. Fairies became distrustful and tricky, and because of this they don’t normally give out their true names to strangers. Names are seen as too personal or revealing of one’s identity and implies a bond between both parties: only close friends use each others’ real names and only in closed quarters. Those that give out their true names to fairies are viewed as gullible or overly friendly (possibly hoping to lure the fairy into false security and offer their real name to pretend to be friends). Fairies don’t make friends often and healing is more of a business transaction to them, using random fake names when dealing with people.

Tricks: Fairies cannot directly kill hylians (excluding broken deals) but they can play tricks on them. Using their magic, fairies can make the terms of their deals anything so long as it fits the size of the injury at least. Sometimes if a fairy wishes, they can play tricks on people and make the reward something silly like making the recipient play a game or speak in tongues. Some especially strong and spiteful fairies will trick people into giving them larger rewards if the person agrees to it, even stealing things like the person’s name (if 'given' freely) or a small memory.

Firstborn: Fairies don’t steal or eat people’s firstborn children or anything crazy but they can passively sense if someone is a firstborn child and if someone has siblings. It’s not quite magical, there’s just something very subtle about the way they speak or carry themselves that clues fairies in about their firstborn status. For instance, Fay can sense Legend has an older half-sister or Neptune is the firstborn and has a younger sister.

Food: Don’t accept food from a fairy. This isn’t a dangerous thing, they just make their food wayyyyy too tooth-rottingly sweet (Fay included!)

[thecrazywriter]

Alright, I've done this before but I'm doing it again

Jude Duarte in this:

[evening-art]

Hmgngmgnmg silly lil doodles of a Fae au Sun!!! Thinkign about him rn..

[faedecay]

Random fact about me: on nights I have trouble sleeping bc my brain won’t shut the hell up, I listen to a playlist on Spotify that’s full of classical music that’s calm (and that others have designated as “classical sleep songs”)

[waves-against-a-cliff]

I’ve been obsessing over @ghouljams fae au for a hot second now and thought it’s time to pour out my fae!Oc for the fun of it all. This is completely self indulgent and literally includes none of the characters until the very end. Since most of it takes place probably centuries ago.

Kidnapping, fae magic, hints at family abuse, consuming children.

So, enjoy this unedited, written on my tablet, weird ass piece of fan fiction.

They watched the child carefully. As they had been for the last couple of days since having been accidentally summoned by the small, innocent creature. They watched from the tree line as they worked hard on the farm only to be treated horribly like siblings and parents alike. To say that Moss, Juniper, Agate or whatever they called themselves now, didn’t understand, would be an understatement. Humans, specifically older humans who hurt their young, made no sense to Moss.

The tiny tethers in the child were dazzling to see. Each tiny wish, something Moss could easily bring to reality, was granted. The mother suddenly gave the babe some extra bread, the brother tripped and fell into the dirty cow pen, the sister’s favorite dress was stained right before church. Anything the babe wished for. And the tethers shined in the sunlight. Whenever the child’s chores were done and no one was watching, it would run off close to forest line.

It stared at Moss, a twinkle in its eyes as Moss blew some pollen to the babe to make it sneeze. “Come here!” The father screamed when the babe wandered too close.

They licked their canines as they felt the desperation roll of the small child in waves. Calling Moss in closer to their prey but they were still stuck in the decision. The same one that caused hesitation each time; to keep the child or to consume it? Moss tilted their head at the small being as it took shelter underneath its bed. They would need to make their move soon or the innocence would be spoiled.

The moon was hidden, perhaps not wishing to witness the deal about to take place. Fair enough, Moss thought as they slinked into the small room. They lightly dragged their fingers down the babe’s fair skinned arm, the magic working immediately to wake them into a haze. Moss slowly led the small child out of the cottage, past the fence line and closer to the forest. “Follow me sweet one.” Moss cooed as the child sleepily obeyed. The babe yawned and rubbed their eyes as they followed this mystical creature into the forest. Moss bent down to the child’s level and their mouth practically watered at the smell of child like innocence.

“I can give you anything you want.” Moss whispered, brushing a stray brown curl behind the small child’s ear. “I just need your name sweet one.” The magic continued to trickle into the child’s sleepy head.

“I want-“ The child yawned, interrupting their sentence, “I want a nicer family.” They murmured and Moss nodded.

“I just need your name.” Moss repeated, trying to coax them into giving it up. The child bent in the closer and whispered it into the fae’s ears. A large grin appearing on their face as large tether hooked cleanly into the babe. Moss tugged on it lightly before they scooped the child up into their arms and ignored the horrified look on their face. Moss sighed in relief when they took their truer form, growing several feet in height, long fingers becoming akin to claws and teeth sharpening. Softly hushing them as they screamed and cried out before they stepped into the circle of mushrooms.

Moss blinked as the memories faded from their mind. No… they weren’t going by Moss anymore. Birdy was what they had others call them now. They couldn’t help the snort that escaped their lips at the stupid nickname. It helped distract them from the heart ache of loosing their favorite pet. Birdy had over done the tethers on it anyways. Sweet babe Elara, Birdy thought mournfully as they casted looks among the crowded streets. Nearly snapped their mortal disguise in half when they saw two of them. Three? That little chaotic one was tangled in tethers but that wasn’t what disturbed Birdy. It was the two fae that practically fawned over them. Soap and Ghost. Prices boys, Birdy didn’t see Price around and was a little relieved at that fact. Their pace quickened, Birdy had never been fond of these kinds of towns anyways.

[last-answer]

🍓 /nf :O

!! MY COOL ND FUNNY MUTUAL . . . everytime i see uu on dash im like "yo !! its fae 👍"

[creamecream]

The Hero of Ferelden, Gray Warden Fae Surana.

[faerociousbeast]

i KEEP PULLING SILVER and nobody else just him forever

[usagifuyusummer]

I had so many thoughts on this that I think I'll just write this as a repost lmao.

So yeah, this concept made me laugh lol. I agree with you. They can be a fairy godparent brother duo. I think it will be really funny and cute to see the current dynamic of Peri and Timmy (from loving human bro and nuclear bomb baby) becoming more of a Chaos vs Order relationship.

Timmy is always on the side of chaos and creativity (in a goodwill kind of way) and Peri can be on the order and inexperienced side.

Maybe both of them can be inexperienced. Like, this is their first time godparenting so, they've decided to just do their first one together since Peri really trusts and looks up to Timmy. Plus, Timmy really doesn't know much about being a fairy (since he's originally a human, and if you include how shit his magic control from the early seasons) then voila! You have an interesting fairy godparenting dynamic that can mirror Cosmo (chaos) and Wanda's (order) but on a more sibling relationship way rather than a loving couple way.

Maybe sometimes Timmy has better ideas than Peri but he has problems on granting them because he still doesn't understand how wish making works and this results in the usual FOP shenanigans lmao.

Maybe Peri sometimes can't control his magic because he's not a natural fairy and Timmy helps him with stabilising himself (Timmy kinda feels guilty that Peri is like this because Peri was a wish to overcome the rules and not a natural born fairy).

I think there's so much you can do with such a dynamic lmao. These are just some of my thoughts on the concept you've shared. Have fun!

This is what I mean by the "Rules lawyer" Peri vs "Loophole God" Timmy Turner

(I'm pretty sure there's a post about the "I wish my Dad loved me" but I can't remember where I saw it)

[cressidagrey]

It's a Love Story - Chapter 11 (The End)

Summary:

Azriel's shadows find their master a wife.

Azriel would just really like his heart not to get broken again.

And Sky...well, she's just really surprised that that far too handsome male is interested in her at all.

Warning:

Rhys Bashing (as usual), I classified this as Azriel x OC, even when it't technically Azriel x Sellyn Drake (but we kinda know nothing about Sellyn Drake other than that she writes books so Sky is kinda an OC), Cassian is kinda a good guy for once, Azriel has a horrible time, as usual... Stuttering, toxic families (For once I do not mean the IC), Self-Esteem Issues, Secret Identity, Body Image Issues, Fat Shaming, People being utterly horrible. Racism against Illyrians/Lesser Faes?

If any of this triggers you or makes you uncomfortable, please take care of your own mental health and don't read it.

I could write more, but quite frankly, I think I would kinda drag it out and the first major arc is tied up with a neat little bow! There are definitely be threads left dangling for me to pick up whenever I want to write more about Sky and Azriel, but I think around 50k is a good place to stop for now ❤️

Even the Spymaster of the Night Court paid taxes.

That was the only reason why Rhysand even found out where exactly Azriel‘s home even was.

Azriel’s home was in the outskirts of Velaris, near the mountains. A little lake cabin. Rhys hadn’t even known that Azriel owned it but apparently he did.

Rhys shouldn’t go there. He knew that.

Rhys should be giving his brother space. That was probably the least he owed him. But he couldn't stop himself. He needed to know Azriel was alright. That he was happy.

Rhys needed to apologise. He needed to make amends…

And Azriel was ignoring him. Mental shields as shored up as they ever had been, shoving back at Rhys at every opportunity…

He had never seen Azriel's mental shields like this before, and it concerned him. He knew Azriel was angry at him, had ever right to be angry,  but Rhys hadn't expected his brother to shut him out so completely.

Reports were still arriving on his desk punctually as always. But Azriel seemed utterly uninterested in actually talking to Rhys. 

It was a small comfort, knowing that Azriel was still working, but Rhysand couldn’t shake off the feeling of guilt that had settled deep in his gut. He knew that he had hurt Azriel deeply, and he couldn’t blame his brother for shutting him out.

Rhys wished he could turn back time and fix things, but he had messed up terribly. He knew he had to give Azriel space, but the silence between them was deafening . It was a constant reminder of just how much damage he had caused.

As the days went on, Rhysand found himself consumed by thoughts of what he could have done…should have done… He tried reaching out to Azriel mentally, only to be rebuffed each time. 

Cassian showed up alone for debriefings and if Rhys showed up at the House of Wind for Valkyrie Training, Azriel was nowhere to be seen. 

So finally…Rhys had enough. So he showed up at that house. 

It was a nice house too, a secluded cabin at a mountain lake. Rhys knew that he wasn’t welcome, not after everything that had passed between them, but he had to see Azriel. 

Rhys raised a hand, knocking gently on the door. He could hear the faint sound of movement inside. Rhysand sighed. He should leave. He knew he should leave. But he couldn't bring himself to do it.

And then suddenly, to his surprise…the door opened. 

“…C…Can I….can I h…help you?“

She was brown haired and short… with deep blue eyes and freckles smattering over her nose.

Rhysand looked at the woman in front of him, taken aback by her appearance. He didn't know what he had expected, but it certainly wasn't a small, curvy, freckled brunette.

"I, uh..." Rhysand stammered, his mind blanking. "I was looking for Azriel." he finally brought out. 

The small female studied him carefully, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Az…Azriel's n…not h…here," she stuttered.

Rhysand's heart sank, but he tried not to let it show. "Do you know where he is?" he asked, desperate for any information.

The female hesitated, biting her lip slightly. She seemed to be contemplating her answer, her brow furrowing in thought. After a moment, she finally looked back up at him, her expression unreadable. "He…He's...o…out f…for t…the d…day," she said finally, not giving him anymore than that.

Rhysand tried to keep the frustration out of his voice, but it was difficult. He was so close to his brother, and yet so far away. "Do you know when he'll be back?" he asked sharply.

She nearly flinched away from him at that tone of voice.

He opened his mouth to apologise, but he didn't even get to that. Because some thing with wickedly sharp claws, launched itself at his head with a hissing sound.

Rhysand yelped as the mysterious creature swiped at his face, growling all the while.

"HECTOR NO!" The female shrieked.

Rhysand stumbled backwards, trying to dodge the sharp claws.

Just at that moment, he felt more than he heard his brother's arrival.

Azriel materialized between them with a loud flapping of wings, his siphons blazing. He stood protectively in front of the small female, his expression murderous.

"Hector to me," he snapped. The thing, a cat ...an incredible ugly , murderous looking cat let off Rhys with another growl and slunk back to Azriel's side, heeling like a dog. The woman quickly scooped him up in her arms.

Cassian's laughter washed over him, at that moment, as Rhys was still laying on the ground, bested by a cat .

"Taking down by a cat now, Rhysie?" Cassian asked him with a snort, offering him his hand to gain his feet.

Rhys already knew that he was never going to live this down.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Azriel hissed, his voice filled with anger. His wings were spread wide, and Rhysand could see the barely contained ferocity beneath his brother's cold facade.

Rhysand winced at Azriel's harsh tone. He knew he had messed up, and he didn't blame his brother for being angry with him. "I just wanted to see you," he said, feeling small under Azriel's penetrating glare.

Azriel's expression didn't soften at his words. "You had no right," he said sharply. "You can't just show up here unannounced, Rhysand. This is my home, and you're not welcome here. You terrified Sky!"

Sky. Sky. That was the name of his brother's mate...of the pretty brunette that was standing behind him, fussing over her murderous cat.

Rhysand glanced over at Sky guiltily. "I...I'm sorry," he said to her. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Sky hesitated, before nodding stiffly. Her face remained guarded, her arms still wrapped protectively around the mangy cat. Rhysand couldn't help but notice how small she looked compared to Azriel's imposing form…and the absolute massive cat. 

"I am sorry," he turned to his brother, swallowing. The apology wasn't enough. he knew that. And it wasn't going to fix the fact that Azriel didn't trust him anymore or... *Az. Please.*

"How did you find this house?" Azriel demanded.

"I checked the tax reports," Rhys admitted with a grimace.

Azriel's expression darkened even further, and Rhys braced himself for a reprimand. Instead, his brother let out a harsh, bitter chuckle. "Of course you did," he said flatly. "Just can't stay out of my business, can you?"

Rhysand felt a pang in his chest at the hostility in Azriel's voice. He knew he deserved every ounce of resentment his brother felt, but it still hurt deep to hear it out loud. "I...I was worried about you," he said lamely.”I just needed to see you." he added. "To apologise."

"You don't even realise the lines you keep crossing, do you?" Cassian asked him flatly. "Ever thought about the fact that maybe you should have waited until Azriel was ready to hear you out?

Rhysand winced. Cassian's words struck a nerve, and he knew his friend was right. He had been rash and insensitive in coming here unannounced. "I...I wasn't thinking," he admitted softly.

Cassian shook his head, his expression still stern. "That's the problem, Rhys," he said bluntly. "You never seem to think these days. It's like you're so caught up in your own head that you don't consider how your actions affect those around you."

Rhysand's gaze dropped, shame washing over him. Cassian's words pierced straight through him, and he struggled to find a response. He knew he had been making mistakes, but hearing them laid out so bluntly still stung.

"What do you want?" Azriel asked him flatly. "Why did you come here?"

"I wanted to apologise," Rhys said weakly. "I...fucked up. I know that. I want to...fix things."

Azriel's face remained impassive, his eyes hard. "You can't just fix things with an apology, Rhys," He said curtly. "You crossed more than one line, and you shattered my trust. Do you really think saying sorry is enough?"

"Az," his mate said softly, her voice quiet. "H..He's blee..bleeding all over our front lawn after my cat at..attacked him. At least let him sit down and give him a healing salve…"

Azriel turned to look at his mate, his anger softening ever so slightly at the concern in her voice. He let out a heavy sigh, before nodding stiffly. "Fine," he said gruffly. "But no more than that."

Rhysand nodded gratefully, relieved that Azriel was willing to let him in, even if only slightly. "Thank you," he said quietly. "I...I really am sorry."

Azriel didn't respond, turning away from him and herded Sky and the murder cat into the house. Rhysand watched him go, feeling a pang of sadness. It was clear that his brother's anger was far from abated, and he knew it would take a lot more than just an apology to mend their fractured relationship.

"Come on," Cassian prodded him up.

The first thing that Rhys realised about the house Azriel shared with his mate was that it was absolutely stuffed full with books. The second was, that Azriel clearly doted on the Murder Cat that got a crystal dish with tuna on it put on the floor before Azriel even went in the direction of the healing salve, which he slapped down on the table in front of Rhysand. .

"I…I am so…sorry," Sky apologised to Rhys, bright blue eyes apologetic. "H…Hector has nev…never done anything like that before, I swear."

Yeah, somehow he doubted that. But he also doubted that it was going to help his relationship with Azriel if he was going to annoy his mate about her beastly cat. The thing had a worse personality than Amren . 

"Don't worry about it," he said, with what he hoped he was a gracious smile. "I think your cat and I just got off on the wrong foot." He looked over at the cat, who was now happily devouring the tuna as if it hadn't just tried to claw his face off.

"Good Boy, Hector," Azriel said warmly.

Rhysand could just stare.

Azriel, the feared Spymaster of the Night Court, was cooing at a mangy cat like a proud parent. He never would have believed it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes.

"Who knew the Spymaster had a soft spot for cats," Rhysand remarked with a faint smile. Azriel shot him a warning glare, but the sternness was lost at the tender way he was petting the cat. "I am really sorry," Rhys apologised again.

"You said so. Numerous times," Azriel shot back.

Rhysand sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. He knew Azriel was still angry with him, but it was hard not to feel the guilt weighing down on him. "I know," he said softly. "But I want you to know that I mean it. I am sorry, Azriel. For everything."

Azriel's expression remained impassive, but Rhysand could see the flicker of sadness in his eyes. He knew his brother was struggling to forgive him, but he hoped that with time, Azriel would be able to find it in his heart to do so.

"I just want to make things right," Rhysand said earnestly. "I miss you, Az. I miss my brother."

"You'll need to decide one of those days," Azriel said sharply. "Am I your soldier or am I your brother?"

Rhysand flinched at the words, feeling the weight of the accusation hit him hard. 

He had always tried to balance his role as High Lord with his relationship with his brothers, but he knew that…that he hadn’t been fair to Azriel for a long time. "You're right," he conceded quietly. "I have been treating you like my soldier instead of my brother, and that's not fair to you."

"You have been treating him absolutely deplorably," Cassian cut him off.

Rhysand hung his head, feeling the weight of his mistakes settling heavy on his shoulders. "I know," he said quietly. "I've been so caught up in my own problems and responsibilities as High Lord that I lost sight of what really matters. And I've hurt Azriel because of it."

"And you stuck your nose in things that are none of your business," Cassian continued. "I get it that you are tired of fighting, Rhys, we all are, but you can't keep conflict out of our family by ordering Azriel to behave in the way you would like him to."

Rhysand winced, knowing Cassian was right. He had been trying to control things, to make sure everyone was safe and happy, but in the process, he had driven a wedge between himself and his brothers. "I...I know," he admitted reluctantly. "I was…I was stupid. I am tired of war. Of fighting. And I was just trying to protect him, but I went about it all wrong."

" Protect me?" Azriel asked him, his voice dripping with disdain. " Protect me from what ?"

Rhysand looked away, feeling the shame rise within him. He knew he had overstepped, and he knew that Azriel was angry with him. "The consequences that would have arisen," he said delicately. He didn't know what Azriel had told his mate...didn't know how much she knew, but she was watching him with an expression on his face, he couldn't quite place.

"Well, I am an adult, Rhysand," Azriel snapped. "I am perfectly capable of protecting myself."

Rhys knew that. He knew Azriel was more than capable of taking care of himself. But he still felt the need to protect him, to shield him from harm.

"I...I know that," Rhysand said quietly. "I just didn't want to see you get hurt." He glanced over at Azriel's mate, who was still watching him warily. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being evaluated, judged for his mistakes.

Azriel let out a dry chuckle. "Well, it's a little late for that, don't you think?" he said bitterly. "You've seen to that already." Rhysand winced at the accusation, knowing that he deserved every ounce of Azriel's anger.

"I know," he said again, his voice barely above a whisper. "And I am sorry for that. I see now that it was the wrong way to go about it." He looked into his brother's dark eyes, pleading for understanding.

Azriel met his gaze, his expression softening ever so slightly. "Protecting me by making decisions for me is not protecting me, Rhysand," he said quietly. "It's...it's suffocating. It's demeaning."

Rhysand nodded, knowing that Azriel was right. He had been trying to control everything, trying to make sure that nothing went wrong, and he had lost sight of what was truly important. "I understand," he said quietly. "And I am sorry for making you feel that way. It was wrong of me."

Azriel studied him for a moment, before finally sighing. "Just...stop it," he said simply. "No more interfering in my personal life, no more giving me orders like I am one of your soldiers."

Rhysand let out a shaky breath, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. "I promise," he said earnestly. "I won't do it again, Az. I...I'll respect your boundaries, and I'll never overstep again."

Azriel snorted. “I’ll believe that when I see it,” he said gruffly. "And if you do...if you try to control me like that again, I swear Rhysand...it won't end well."

"You'll ha…have He…Hecctor to contend with," Sky said, her voice even.

Rhysand looked over at Hector, who had finished his tuna and was now licking his chops.  Rhys swallowed. "He does seem to be a force to be reckoned with," he said carefully.

Sky gave him a small, tight-lipped smile. "You could say t…that," she said, her tone neutral. Azriel snorted a laugh, shaking his head as he watched his mate. It was the first genuinely carefree sound Rhysand had heard from his brother…in a long time.

Despite the earlier tension, Rhysand found himself smiling too. There was something about the way Azriel looked at his mate, the way he looked...happy, that made Rhysand feel like maybe everything would be alright.

Hector chose that moment to let out a loud meow, his voice sounding like a rusty hinge in the otherwise quiet room. Azriel looked down at the cat, rolling his eyes. "Alright, alright, I'll get you your second helping, spoiled brat," he said, a hint of fondness in his voice.

Rhysand chuckled, feeling the tension that had been weighing him down lift just a little. Things between him and Azriel weren't repaired yet, they had a long way to go, but for the first time in a long while, he felt hopeful.

“They do say the pen is mi…mightier than a sword,” Sky said suddenly. “You treat Azriel like that again and you’ll see just how mighty my pen is.”

Rhysand's eyebrows shot up in surprise at Sky's unexpected threat. It was clear that she wasn't messing around, and Rhys couldn't help but admire her boldness. He glanced over at Azriel, who was trying to suppress a smile.

"I'll keep that in mind," Rhysand said, trying to hide his amusement. "Though I have to say, I can’t imagine a pen being as terrifying as Hector."

Cassian snorted. “Oh you have no idea,” he muttered

Rhysand's eyes widened in curiosity at Cassian's comment. What on earth did that mean? But before he could inquire further, Azriel's voice broke through.

"Don't worry about it," he said, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "Let's just say that you don't want to get on Sky's bad side, especially when she has her writing instruments within reach."

"Duly noted," Rhysand said, nodding seriously. He had a feeling that Azriel's mate was not someone to be trifled with, regardless of how harmless she looked, and he had no intention of finding out first-hand just how mighty her pen truly was.

Hector, having finished his second helping of tuna, let out a satisfied meow before padding over to Sky and rubbing against her leg. She reached down and scratched him behind the ears, smiling as he purred contentedly.

Rhysand watched the scene. He had never seen Azriel so relaxed, so happy, and it made him realize just how badly he had missed his brother. It was a reminder that family was more important than anything, and that he needed to cherish the people he cared about.

“Seems like you aren’t Sky’s favourite,” Cassian drawled.

Azriel snorted. “Nah, I come a distant third behind Hector and the shadows.”

Rhys watched with a swallow as these shadows that he had seen torturing people came over to Sky and twined around her hands. Azriel's words were said in jest, but Rhysand could hear the fondness in his voice. It was clear that Azriel adored his mate, and that the shadows had taken a liking to her as well. Rhysand tried not to let the slight sting of jealousy show on his face.

As he watched, the shadows danced around Sky's fingers, like they were alive and had a mind of their own. Rhys had seen the shadows in action, had seen how Azriel used them to fight and spy, but he had never seen them act this way before. There was a tenderness in the way they twined around Sky that was almost...beautiful.

Rhys turned to Azriel, who was watching his mate with a soft expression on his face. "They seem to like her," he commented, keeping his voice neutral.

"That's an understatement," Azriel said drily. "They're obsessed with her. They won't leave her alone."

Rhysand could see that clearly, but what surprised him more was how comfortable Sky seemed with them. She wasn't scared or even bothered by their presence...

It did make sense he supposed. The shadows were Azriel's weapon, his most trusted companions...that they would like his mate.

Rhysand watched as Sky looked up from where the shadows were wrapping around her fingers, a faint smile on her face. She seemed completely at ease with the strange entities, as if they were just another part of Azriel that she had accepted and embraced.

And it was also a sharp reminder of how much trust Rhys had destroyed through his actions. It was very clear who Azriel preferred, who he trusted more. Who he gravitated towards. Who even his shadows doted on, these strange, creatures that Rhys was quite sure would stop at nothing to keep their master safe.

The realization stung, but Rhys knew he had no one to blame but himself. He had caused this rift between them, he had pushed Azriel away, and now he was paying the price for it. But he was determined to make it right, no matter how long it took.

As he watched Azriel gently brush away a stray strand of hair from Sky's face, Rhys made a silent vow. He would do whatever it took to repair their broken bond, to regain Azriel's trust and respect. No matter how hard it was, no matter how long it took, he would make things right.

***

"You want to talk about it?" Sky asked him quietly, after Cassian ad Rhys had gone. 

She was fine now. Content. No more pulling at the mating bond so harshly and pushing all her fear at him. It had shaved at least a century of his life, to feel that from her when Casisan and him had been sparring and he knew that she was supposed to be safe at home.

He had expected near everything…but he hadn’t expected to arrive to the view of Hector scratching Rhys’s face with all his might. 

Azriel took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the day's events bearing down on him. He wasn't sure if he was ready to put his tangled emotions into words yet, but he also knew that he couldn't keep it all bottled up inside.

"Rhys gave me some orders that I didn't agree with," he said drily. "Stuck his nose in things that he had no business to interfere with. He treated me...treated me like my feelings didn't matter. That I didn't matter....It took a really bad fight on Solstice for this apology to occur," he said with a grimace.

"You don't think he means it?" Sky asked him curiously, turning to look at him.

"No, he does mean it," Azriel said with a sigh. He did believe that. “He wants to fix things. to rebuild trust...And I do want that too. Regardless of how much of an asshole he can be on occasion he is still my brother ."

Sky was quiet for a long moment, watching him intently. Azriel felt the weight of her gaze, knowing that she was analyzing the situation, trying to understand what he was feeling. Finally, she spoke.

"You're worried that he'll disappoint you again," she said softly. "That he'll make promises that he can't keep. That he'll go back on his word and hurt you worse than before."

Azriel's throat felt tight. The words hit him hard, because Sky had put a voice to his deepest fears. "Yes," he admitted. "That'sexactly what I'm afraid of. I want to believe him, I do."

But it was hard to trust Rhys right ow. Especially with Sky. Trusting Rhys with the most important, the most precious part of his life...

"I can loan you Hector whenever he pisses you off again," Sky offered him seriously, and Azriel couldn't help but laugh.

"Thanks," he said with a small smile. "I might just take you up on that." He pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair. The scent of caramel and hazelnuts enveloped him, calming his racing thoughts and easing the tension in his shoulders.

"I love you, he whispered into her skin and she hummed. "Regardless of what happens, you  have me," Sky promised him. "I'll be behind you, every step of the way. regardless of whatever you decide."

Those words were like a balm to Azriel's soul. The fear and doubt that had been plaguing him since Rhysand's unexpected visit receded, replaced by a sense of safety and certainty. He held onto Sky tightly.

"I love you too," she murmured, the words barely audible even in the still apartment.

They stayed like that for a long moment, simply holding onto each other.

*I don't think I ever thanked you.* he told the shadows softly as he held his mate in his arms.

The shadows fluttered around him, wrapping around his arms and shoulders like a comforting embrace. They didn't say anything, but Azriel could feel their response. They had been with him through thick and thin, protecting him, guiding him, and never once asking for a word of thanks. And yet, he knew that they understood his gratitude, that they could feel it…

*Thank you for finding her.*

[starcrossedmoth]

Not gonna reveal my plans yet but if anyone's got some fun suggestions for rodent or royalty related dragon names I'd be happy to hear them!

[solbaby7]

I love the blurb bar idea and I loved the pina colada one, how about a neat gin n tonic with a salt rim?

[ forced proximity: “you can’t seriously be insinuating that i should sit on your lap.” + smut + az ]

guys i got carried away 🫣🤭 but at least it’s finished and has minimal spelling errors 🤍🩷

-> BLURB BAR <-

To put it quite frankly, you and Azriel didn’t really get along.

It seemed almost easy for everyone else in the Inner Circle to latch onto him; to gravitate towards him and all his shadowy mysteriousness—but not you. Between his victim complex, lack of self-control and the inability to properly communicate his feelings like a normal person, you’d lost your patience for him long ago.

Maybe that’s why you laugh right in Rhysand’s face after he lays down the guidelines for your temporary deployment to the Steppes. Everything sounds perfectly normal up until the end when Rhysand’s lips form the words, “—and you’ll be going with Azriel; he’s already been briefed.”

“Very funny,” Shoulders shake through your laughter, tickled from the joke. “But, you don’t have to go to such lengths just to make me laugh Rhys.”

Your grin fades comically fast and the deep frown that takes it place doesn’t falter long after you’ve left the High Lord’s office and scrounged back to your own chambers to pack. Every move is mechanical, clothes being folded and stuffed away a little rougher than necessary as you try not to think about having to spend seven whole days holed up in a creaky cabin with some brooding bat.

To be fair, Azriel seems no happier than you about the situation, his signature brood securely in place when you meet on the balcony at the witching hour with bag in hand. “Come—let’s get this over with.”

You refrain from commenting on his attitude; hold yourself back from snapping when he snatches your duffle from your grasp just to watch it disappear in a puff of sentient shadow. They’d almost be cute—Azriel’s shadows—if they weren’t so fucking useless. Capable of procuring intel and acting as camouflage but can’t manage to hold two fae long enough to get them to the Illyrian mountains.

No, instead you were subjected to this. Close contact and his fucking hands holding onto your body as he flies on a route you’re unfamiliar with. You eye his wings cautiously, trying to be subtle when you peek over the strong line of his shoulder but being this close? He can feel every beat of your heart against your sternum. Every squirm and twitch of a limb as you try to find a more comfortable place to put your arm. “Will you stop moving?”

“I can’t help it,” Hips shift once more, one leg hitching just a little higher on his hip. “Your fucking daggers keep poking me.”

Azriel tenses up, muscles locking and suddenly you’re being moved how he pleases—both legs wrapped around his waist and a firm forearm clasped around the base of your spine. “Stay.” His voice is rougher than your used to, his blunt nails biting into the sliver of skin exposed to the elements. “Don’t move, we’re almost there.”

That was a lie—it would take hours to make it to the Steppes but the gruff command is surprisingly easy to follow. And while you’ll never verbally admit it, the secure bracketing of his arms around your body was more of a comfort than a nuisance. It’s all too easy to ease into his grasp, allowing sleep to take over until the journeys over and you swear you can feel him cradle you in closer, his nose ghosting over the crown of your head.

He makes absolutely no comment on it when you finally arrive with your hair ruffled, clothes crinkled and the imprint of Azriel’s syphon on your cheek other than a chuffed out, “You snore.”

Instinct screams at you to make some snappy comment back but reason doesn’t allow it to be voiced—not here. Here, you and Azriel would have to appear as a united front, for the males raised in this terrain were bred to sniff out any and all weaknesses to exploit. Only here do you allow the hand that permanently glues itself to the dip of your back, pushing you past rabid animals swollen with pride and snarling with hatred.

Slurs are spat from their lips but Azriel doesn’t pay them any mind, so you don’t either.

He walks through the camps as if he owns them, spine straight and shoulders square. Strong wings stand proudly behind him, shadows guarding your flank until the unforgiving chill is replaced by the stuffy warmth of a mess hall. It’s cramped—a little dirty and smells like a mixture of male and tobacco but either way you’re given a warm meal and fresh water to drink.

The vulgar comments grow more frequent, mutterings of their unwanted appreciation towards your body so sickening that your appetite threatens to scurry away. “They’re disgusting.” You scoff, setting down your tray of food, one hand curled around the chair.

It doesn’t give. Azriel’s boot curled around the leg holds it in place. Arched brows furrow at him, nose scrunching under the effort it takes not to kick him in his shin but there’s something about his body language that make you stop. “They’ll keep doing that shit if they think you’re free game.” Every syllable is clipped; laced with a wildness you’re unfamiliar with—almost as if he’s insinuating that it’s your fault that such brutish males were salivating at the sight of you. Darkness cloaks the hazel tones of his eyes when he meets your own and you nearly miss the gesture he makes.

One hand patting twice at his lap.

“Absolutely not.” Azriel’s boot shoves the seat away completely when you make a move to sit down on it once more. He settles deeper in his own, thick thighs manspreading as deft hands adjust the positioning of his holsters, guiding sharpened weapons away from the area of space he frees up for you. “You can’t seriously be insinuating that I should sit on your lap?”

“I’m not insinuating anything, this is me telling you—sit down.”

You pray he doesn’t see the blush that burns against your cheeks when you take a seat in his lap, his hands resting along the sides of your hips. He keeps eating as if nothing is new. As if he doesn’t realize the way his touch has you squirming against solid muscle through thick leathers, legs subconsciously parting to make more room for the wandering fingers that slide down your thighs, digging into sensitive inner thighs. “What are you doing?” You ask, barely able to grab at the food before you with the way your hands shake.

“I’m sending a message.”

Breath catches when you feel Azriel’s thigh flex between your legs, pressing against your sex in such a way that you’re certain it’s impossible that he hadn’t felt the way you clench in response. “What kind of message?”

“The kind that says someone already owns you.” People are looking, that much you know—can feel their eyes tracking every move. Azriel’s hand splayed over your stomach, his head tucked in the curve of your shoulder as his free hand spies its way through your breeches. There’s a pause, one where you’re time to push him away, to declare that this was entirely too far and smack him clear across his face.

That doesn’t happen. Your legs only part further, making more room for needy fingers to shove past your panties.

It’s a foolish decision, you can feel it the second you make it. As if you’d just unconsciously confirmed the ridiculous notion that you were one of Azriel’s possessions. To do as he pleased. To sit there splayed out across his lap like some puppet and allow him to take the reins and show off all your tricks until you’re boneless and drooling.

He’s too good with his hands. Too slick with the sly filth he mutters into your ear as he fondles at your clit under the table, pressing firm circles into the bundle of nerves until you’re panting like a bitch in heat.

You barely remember how much you hate him when he touches you like this. Until the orgasm fades and your consciousness clears and even though the way you lean into the dip of his neck appears like some typical lovers embrace—bystanders fail to hear the sharp way you sneer, “Tell anyone about this ever and I’ll fucking kill you.”