#i hate elriel
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Had to share đ€Łđ€Łđ€Ł
Like, I hate fanon Elain so much that I need to go to canon text and calm myself bc it's not her fault that her delulu stans are deluluing
Elain literally used it as a simple knife, stick them with the pointy end as Jon Snow would say, as Azriel used it all those years to kill and torture. She didn't use it as a Made object that's Bryce.
No, Gwyn doesn't kick a beast. She does one better, and she leads and unleashes one on Illyrians to save Nesta and Emerie. Because she's thrown in a situation despite her will, as opposed to Elain, who put herself in that position by following a Greysen vision. TY next
"Cosplay as valkyrie and being a backpack" = Gwyn is the one that introduces Nesta to the valkyrie story and concept, teaches all of them mind stilling, CUTS THE RIBBON FIRST, is ready to die side by side with her sister Nesta as the last valkyries did at the War, when they died all together instead of leaving anyone behind, so Nesta has to neutralize her bc she knew Gwyn would NEVER ABANDON HER.
For the people who cry "misogyny!" anytime anyone says something about Elain that doesn't fit their ship and agenda, they sure act the most misogynistic towards a SA victim who sacrificed herlsef to save children, who would sacrifice herself to not abandon her found family.
#anti e/riel#anti elr*el#antielriel#anti elriel#i hate elriel#elriel fans are the cancer of the fandom#pro gwyneth berdara#fanon elain is not canon elain
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my tears ricochet
Azriel x Reader, Azriel x Elain
loml (part one)
Story Summary: Azriel meeting you, his mate, throws a wrench in all of his plans, nearly a decade in the making with Elain. He begins his mateship with you, still with Elain all the while telling you that you are the love of his life. But, not every good thing can last.
Warnings: Suicide (more graphic than first chapter imo), heavy angst, alcoholism, infidelity, sex
Words: ~6.2k
Author's Note: and here's the second part, now I have to warn you, the first one didn't make me cry at all. But this one? I was sobbing like Feyre and Az, typing through my tears. Thank you for all of the love you guys showed to loml, it means so much to me to see every comment and note. I hope you all enjoy the final part!
p.s. I almost named it Last Kiss. Taylor is just perfect for angst, I tell ya
18+ only pls
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The wind was rushing through his hair, cooling his body, slightly calming him. But his heart was still racing, his mind panicked.
His mate. He had finally met his mate.
But Elain⊠they had just started discussing the possibility of having children. And nearly ten years together, ten years of love and comfort.
Heâd known this was a possibility, he had just thought it would never happen. That the Mother had made a mistake in not mating him to Elain. But now, that wasnât true. It wasnât the love of his life, his sweet, perfect Elain, it was some random woman in the streets of Velaris. Beautiful, yes, but she didnât hold a flame to Elainâs beauty. Her scent however⊠a refreshing blend of apples and autumn rain, so overpowering he could hardly smell the air rushing past him, even this far away from her.
He needed to tell Elain. He had to tell her, before he did anything stupid, like turning around and finding the female he had just abandoned in the streets.
Theyâd discussed what might happen if he ever found his mate, and the possibility of it was why Elain has yet to fully reject the bond with Lucien, though as far as Azriel was aware, the two only saw each other at holiday parties and the occasional family dinner that Lucien attended. Theyâd decided that if he did find his mate, he would come immediately to Elain and they would talk it through.
So, he flew straight to the townhouse, landing next to Elain where she was kneeling on the grass, tending to her flower garden. ââLain,â he started, the tension in his voice causing her to stand up and look at him instantly. âI⊠I found my mate,â he said, regretting that he even had to say the words.
Tears filled her eyes, and he put his hands on her shoulders reassuringly. âAll I did was see her in the street, baby. I left right after and Iâm here now.â
Still, she shook her head. âI cannot believe this Azriel. Now?! Now that weâve decided to try for a family, thatâs when you find your mate? This is ridiculous!â Elain vented, and it was truly one of the first times Azriel had seen her angry.
âI know, and Iâm so sorry. I wish I would never have seen her, I only love you.â
âYou donât know that you wouldnât love her,â Elain scoffed. âBut you have a decision to make. Are you going to reject the bond.â
Azriel opened his mouth, not quite believing how bold Elain was being. âI donât know. Thatâs not exactly a decision to make lightly, Elain. You know that.â
âOh, really? This again? Just because I havenât rejected Lucien doesnât mean that you donât have to make a decision, Azriel.â
Azriel raised an eyebrow at her, shocked by her hypocrisy. âThen you have one to make as well, Elain. Lucien or I? Which will it be?â Elain opened her mouth for a moment, then closed it. âExactly. Itâs not as easy as you thought, is it?â
Elain sighed, her shoulders slumping forward. âFine. You can get to know her, if youâd like. But the moment you want it to turn to something more, come find me again. Until then⊠letâs just continue as normal,â she suggested, pushing up on her tip-toes to give Azriel a kiss on the lips before scrunching her nose. âUgh, I can smell her on you. Letâs go take a bath, hmm?â She led Azriel by the hand to her room, undressing him as she pushed him towards the bathroom.
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It was two weeks later, and Azriel had prepared himself enough mentally to seek out his mate. It didnât take long, seeing as two of his shadows had followed her back to her home, reporting to him that she had spent the past fortnight crying herself to sleep and barely leaving the house except for her work.
He flew over to her house, an adorable one bedroom that had a nice porch on the front, and a stained glass door depicting the season of autumn, leaves changing color as they fall from a tree and landing in a pile at the bottom. The pale orange paint on the exterior was faded slightly, chipping away in places, but besides that the home looked well cared for.
He steeled himself, then walked towards that beautiful door, knocking carefully on its surface. It was time to get to know his mate.
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3 Months Later
Elain stared at him, obviously not believing what Azriel just told her as they stood in their shared bedroom.
âYou want to be with her?â
Azriel sighed. Truly, he wanted both females to stay in his life, but that was impossibility. âYes, Elain. Iâve⊠Iâve fallen for her, over the past few months.â
Elain hissed, her outrage making itself known. âA few months?!â She screeched at him. âYouâre going to throw away a decade over a few months?!â
âIâm not⊠Iâm not throwing it away, Elain, this is something I have to do. Sheâs my mate,â he sighed. He didnât want to argue with her. âI donât want you to leave my life, either. But the connection between us⊠itâs always there. I can feel her all the time, Elain, and I donât want to do you a disservice by being unfaithful to you in my heart.â
Elain, who up until this point had been glaring at him, looked off into the distance, contemplating.
âSo, donât leave my life,â she stated plainly.
âI⊠what?â Azriel asked in disbelief.
âStay in my life, stay with me, and you can have your little mate. Just as long as you know that you come home to me after missions, after anything important. I take precedence over her. And she wonât be welcome at any family gatherings. If they ask about her, say that sheâs better suited as a friend.â
She said it all as if it was simple, as if it made sense. So Azriel believed her.
Because that way, he could have the female heâd loved for so long, and he could also have his mate.
It was truly the best of both worlds.
âAlright, Elain. Thatâs a fair enough deal. Are you sure youâll be able to handle it?â He asked, prowling towards her and grabbing her by the waist.
âOh, Azzie, I promise Iâll be fine with it. Do I love that you might fuck another female? No, but as long as I can send you to her covered in my scent, Iâll be fine,â Elain purred, running a hand up his chest.
âOh?â Azriel smirked down at her, taking her face in his hand. âAnd how will you do that?â He breathed in her ear, kissing her neck gently.
âI have a few ways. Come to the bed and Iâll show you, Azzie.â
Matching grins covered their faces as Azriel picked her up and tossed her gently on the bed.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would tell Y/N that he wanted to be serious.
Tonight, however⊠tonight he would spend worshipping Elainâs body like the goddess she is deserves.
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5 Years Later
Shit, Azriel thought to himself. Shit shit shit.
He was late. So, very late.
Elain had wanted him to spend the night together, but it was his and Y/Nâs fifth anniversary the next morning.
So, heâd left in the middle of the night after his mateâs breathing had evened out, flying off in the direction of the town house. He landed in front of a simpering Elain, obviously pleased with how the night was playing out.
They had spent the night wrapped in each other, falling asleep under the sheets together as the new day dawned upon them.
Azriel had, of course, planned ahead for the possibility of sleeping in a bit too long to return home before his mate awoken, a bouquet of roses, sapphire blue for him and a pale yellow for his sweet, sunshiney mate, and love note on the nightstand. Heâd also left out a coffee and book heâd spent an agonizing amount of time convincing his mateâs favorite author to give him in advance of the commercial release on the kitchen counter. He hadnât thought that heâd be so late though, the sun having risen nearly to the halfway point in the sky.
He only hoped his mate wouldnât scent Elainâs arousal, still mixed heavily with his scent. She had never said anything in the past, and he believed she wouldnât now.
With the speed he was flying towards her house, most of it should be whisked off of him by the time he reached her.
Once he landed, he made sure to take a moment to collect himself, taking a deep breath before pushing the door open, greeted by his mateâs lovely scent, coming from the window seat to the right of the door.
You ran to him, and he greeted you with his arms first, the weight of you so perfect in his arms, as though the two of you were carved out of the same flesh, finally put back together for the moment.
The day was perfect, ending with the two of you snuggled together in bed.
The dagger you had gifted him was perfect, ornate enough to be worn on his belt during ceremonies, and the curved blade had fascinated him at first. He realized that you had meant it more as a way to keep you with him on his missions, rather than to do much killing. Though, it would make some wicked stab wounds, possibly helpful in interrogations. However, he didnât think he could bear using something so precious as a gift from you during the⊠messier parts of his occupation.
Nonetheless, it was a perfect, thoughtful gift, and he loved it, loved you so deeply.
He sighed.
It was nights like these when his conscious kicked in, reminding him of the traitorous double life he was living. Sure, Elain was well aware of the situation, maybe not of the depth of his emotions towards you, but that wasnât something she needed to know.
You, however⊠you were completely in the dark, unaware that the best friend he went on about is really his life partner of a decade and a half.
He felt so guilty, but he didnât know how to stop, with either one of you. Elain, they had so much history and you, well, you are his mate, the person the Mother had made just for him.
He breathed in your scent, his mind relaxing as he did so. Azriel reminded himself that he still had six years left before he needed to make a true decision between the two perfect females.
Six years didnât feel like near enough time, it felt almost cruel that he had to limit himself to a decade until he made a decision about the mating bond. He supposed Elain didnât know that detail, either.
And now that you wanted to meet his family⊠well. That decision may end up coming sooner rather than later.
It all depended on how he swung it.
He knew that Elain would be difficult to convince, but he believed he would be able to. His plan was to inform the family to not make any comments about his and Elainâs relationship, and tell them that you knew about them but are still very sensitive to the subject, preferring to avoid it overall. They already knew that the you and Azriel are âfriends,â Azriel having been unable to keep you a complete secret from his nosy family.
Azriel had to make it happen, or you would know something is off.
He was lucky, all things considered, that you had waited five years to ask to meet his family.
The next morning after a nice lie-in with you, he took off for the townhouse, ready to rip the gauze off. He approached Elain, in the gardens as she normally was this time of day, working on the garden before the heat climbed up too high.
âElain, can we talk in our room?â He asked her, relieved when she followed him without question.
âWhat is it?â She questioned, knowing he was here with a purpose.
âY/N wants to meet the family.â
Elain immediately started to shake her head, infuriated by the idea. âNo. No, Azriel! We agreed that she would not enter our lives before you started this, that wonât change now.â
âBaby, it would just be one dinner, I will tell her not to show any affection towards me, and her curiosity will be satisfied, I promise.â
Elain thought about it for a moment, her face still pinched in anger, before it relaxed in resignation. âIf this dinner is to happen, you will fuck me in this very room while she sits in the living room. If not, my answer is no, Azriel.â
Azriel considered it, the nodded, knowing it was his only way forward. And, he couldnât deny that the thought of fucking Elain with you in the next room excited him, the riskiness of it so tempting.
âThen, inform the rest of the family. Tell them whatever you need to to keep your silly little relationship with your mate a secret. I will not be embarrassed by this, Azriel,â Elain warned, a danger in her eyes.
âThank you, Elain.â He moved in towards her, and whispered lowly in her ear, âThe sex we will have in here on that night will rival every other time weâve been together, baby.â A shiver ran down Elainâs spine, and she wrapped her arms around him.
âIt better, Azzie. Otherwise I just might crush her heart myself,â She said in a sweet tone, but Azriel took it as the threat it was.
Still, as long as everything went to plan, he will keep his two females as his, for years to come.
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The dinner went perfectly, Y/N feeling insecure, while it pained him, truly worked out for the better. The less comfortable that first meeting had felt, the less likely she was to insist on attending another family dinner.
Over the next few months, he could tell you were preparing something, most likely some kind of surprise for his birthday. Every year, you outdid yourself. When he was in town- or rather, not with Elain- you would wake him up with his favorite pastries from his favorite cafĂ©, or his favorite dish from Kaliaâs, a wonderful little breakfast restaurant located along the Sidra. And every year, you gave him a different custom made item, from the spider silk gloves that were fire and tear proof to the fortified, comfortable boots that he wore to this day.
During that time as well, Elain was becoming bolder with her requests of his time, drawing him away most nights after you fell asleep, only to return a few hours later, slipping back into your bed with jasmine and honey coating his senses.
That didnât matter though, not when he was more enamored with you than ever. You were so kind, so focused on his happiness, he hardly deserved the honor of being your mate. The guilt of the situation had been weighing on him heavily, especially when he had felt you measuring his ring finger while you believed him to be dead asleep.
He was nearly ready to cut things off with Elain, her attitude as of late was bitter and angry, and while he avoided bringing you up around her, every time he did she said something condescending about you. The only problem was their history with each other, so many years that they had been together, and realized that he would be throwing it away, there was no way that Elain would ever be fine only being his friend, and seeing you near her family. He honestly wouldnât be surprised if Elain attempted to take your life, her hatred of you ran that deeply.
Heâd realized things were getting to dangerous territory when you had come back to your house, gushing to Azriel about how you and Elain might be becoming friends, and how you could see why Azriel liked her so much, sheâs just so nice.
It was the day before his birthday now, and he had just returned to your home when you burst through the doors, bags filling your arms.
âAzriel!â You exclaimed, quickly walking over to the counter to deposit the bags, then made your way to your mate. You leaned up, capturing his lips in a tender kiss. âListen, I know this will sound a little weird, but Iâd like you to stay at your spare room in the townhouse tonight, if youâre willing. I want to set up a little surprise for you here,â you tell him, a smile gracing your face, and a matching expression lit up his face. âIâll come get you in the morning, around 9 if that sounds reasonable to you?â
âOf course, babydoll,â he replied, claiming your mouth again in kiss more heated than the last. âDo I have to leave at this very moment?â
You hummed, your body relaxing against him as he kissed down your neck. âNo, not yet, mate. You can stick around for a while.â
âHmm, so I can take my sweet, thoughtful mate into our bedroom and devour her like the goddess she is?â He asked, already lifting you by your ass, and you instinctively wrapped your legs around his hips.
âIâd love that, Az,â you say, peppering kisses along his jawline as he carried you to the bed.
He left a few hours later, walking back to the townhouse at a slow pace, reminiscing on the feeling of your skin and soft sighs, how much he was looking forward to whatever youâre planning for tomorrow.
He entered the townhouse a few minutes later, breezing into his room that he shares with Elain. She was inside, already naked on the bed and touching herself.
âOh, Azzie, Iâm so glad you could make it,â she said, pouncing towards him the moment the door snicked shut behind him. Once she reached him, though, she wrinkled her nose. âLetâs go get you in the bath, Azzie, I donât want to kiss you while you smell so gross.â Elain pushed him towards the bath, where they spent a good hour basking in each otherâs presence before making their way to the bed. They remained there until dinner, getting a quick meal from the kitchen before returning to the haven.
The night passed quickly, and Elain woke him by sucking his cock to life, the climbing on top of him. She rode him at a slow, torturous pace for a few minutes, before he tired her teasing and flipped her onto her back, continuing their activities, even as the door to their room opened wide, a gasp sounding from the doorway, and Elainâs arms wrapped tighter around his neck, legs wrapping around his hips, pressing his lower half tighter against her.
The scent hit him- autumnal rain and sweet apples- and his blood ran cold. He wanted to run, wanted to explain to you, but the grip of Elainâs heavenly cunt was too much, and he finished inside of her, pulling out as soon as he was able to.
His eyes were wide, he could barely process the situation, he tried to sit up and look at the doorway, but Elainâs grip around his neck was tighter than he expected. She was grinning from ear to ear, looking positively pleased with herself.
âElain, I need to go talk to her,â he stated frantically, still attempting to pull away from her gently. He could hear her yelling outside, Feyreâs soft voice following it.
âNo, you donât Azriel. She just saw you cheating on her, sheâll want nothing to do with you now,â Elain declared proudly.
Azriel furrowed his brow at her, a sinking feeling in his gut, and he looked at the clock- only 8 in the morning. âDid you know she was going to show up this early?â He questioned, hoping the answer was no. If it was yesâŠ
âOf course, it was my idea to have you stay here last night.â Her voice held no remorse, and Azriel pried her hands from his neck and sat up, moving to the edge of the bed.
He placed his head in his hands, panic overtaking his mind.
His mate⊠his sweet, kind, caring, attentive mate⊠had just seen him fucking Elain, her supposed friend. Fuck. This is bad.
He got up, throwing on a pair of leathers as quickly as he could, before Elainâs hand caught his.
âYouâre seriously going after her? What the fuck is wrong with you, Azriel?!â She yelled at him, before Feyreâs voice cut through.
âWhat in the hells is wrong with you, Azriel?! Youâre not only cheating on Elain, but Y/N didnât even know the two of you were together?! How could you do that to your mate?!â
Elainâs anger was one thing, more unsettling than anything else, but Feyreâs? Feyreâs rage was terrifying, and Azriel had the common sense to cower as night coalesced around her.
It was then that he noticed his shadows had left him, and he could still hear them screaming about Y/N from wherever they had ran to.
âFeyre, I know how bad it seems, but I never meant for her to get hurt. And Elain knew about my relationship with her, I wouldnât have gone ahead with it without her approval,â he said, trying to get the truth out before Feyre eviscerated him.
Elain scoffed, grabbing her nightgown from the floor next to their bed.
Azriel turned to cock a brow at her, daring her to voice whatever was rattling around in her head.
âYou should have cut her sorry ass off years ago, Azzie. Sheâs not worthy of you, she never has been, and she never will be,â Elain spat at him, just as his gut fell through the floor and to the core of the earth.
The bond- the precious, delicate string tying you to him- severed in a single moment.
He dropped to his knees, a wail leaving his body of its own accord, the grief striking him in every nerve ending of his body as your presence left him, as he was left with a gaping hole in his soul that you used to occupy.
âAzriel?â Feyre called frantically, shaking him by the shoulders, but he could do nothing more than to loose gut wrenching cries of pain at the loss of his mate.
Rhys appeared a moment later, diving into his mind with a gentleness he did not deserve.
âY/NâŠâ he sighed, a tear rolling down his face. âSheâs died.â
âDied?!â Feyre exclaimed. âShe was just in the garden fifteen minutes ago, how could she have-?â She cut herself off, realizing exactly what happened. âRhys, get her address from him.â
He did as she said, and she bolted away, leaving Rhys, Elain, and Azriel in the room.
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Feyre
She sprinted through the streets, making her way to the area that Rhys said your house was located in. It was orange, with a stained glass door according to Azrielâs memories.
Feyre still couldnât believe what he had done, how he had betrayed his mate.
You was awkward at times, yes, and a little shy, but you were so sweet and it was obvious to Feyre how much you cared for Azriel- obviously not the way you cared for him, but the amount was there, always shining through your actions.
Once Feyre arrived at your house, she stopped to stare at it for a moment. The light orange and pretty stained glass window suited you, calming in nature and gave off a similar presenceâs to the autumnal scent you gave off. She prepared herself as she approached the door, taking a few deep breaths before turning the knob.
Feyre still wasnât prepared for the sight before her.
You were laying in a pool of blood- your blood- and covered in Azrielâs shadows. She rushed forward, and the shadows moved away from your neck, revealing the large gash there. A dagger was in your hands, and Feyre sobbed, pawing at your neck in an attempt to make the bleeding stop somehow, even as she could hear no heartbeat, no breathing coming from your chest.
The wound was hardly seeping anything as it was, but Feyre couldnât believe it. You didnât deserve this, you didnât deserve to leave so alone, so in pain.
Her tears fell on your body, and after a few moments she pulled your head into her lap, and recited the prayer she had learned all that time ago, back in Spring.
âMother hold you. May you pass through the gates. May you smell that immortal land of milk and honey,â she finished. She whispered a final, added phrase. âMay your next life be kinder to you, Y/N.â
Feyre stood, reaching out to Rhys through her mind.
âHow is Az?â
Rhys sighed. âHeâs not doing well, we havenât been able to move him or get him to do anything cry cry,â he admitted, worrying in his tone. âHowâs⊠how is Y/N?â
âSheâs gone, Rhys. She took her own life,â Feyre cried through the bond. âCan you or Cassian come and help me move her to Madjaâs office? We should⊠we should have her prepared for a funeral as soon as we can.â
âOf course, darling, Iâll send Cassian to help you. Iâd like to be with Az in case he needs to be knocked out for his own good.â
Cassian arrived a few agonizing minutes later, and after stumbling into the house, stopped and gasped in horror. âY/N!â He cried, moving quickly towards where Feyre was stood next to your cooling body.
âI know, Cassian. Itâs awful, she didnât deserve any of this,â Feyre said sadly, wiping the tears from her eyes. âWe need to move her, though.â
Cassian nodded and stooped over, collecting your limp body in his arms. The shadows were still gathered around your body, hiding as much of you from view as possible. They shifted just right, though, and Feyre caught sight of the knife belt resting upon your hips, tightened so much that she knew the belt was meant as a gift, having seen the dropped bags outside of Azrielâs door when she went to confront him.
She carefully pulled the belt of off you, noticing that the dagger you had used⊠matched the ones still secured in the belt.
You had used the gift you most likely intended for Azriel, to end your life. That hurt Feyreâs heart even more.
The two of them walked somberly towards Madjaâs office, stares lingering on them and the body covered in shadows and held in Cassianâs arms.
They arrived in a few minutes, and Cassian gently set your body down on a stretcher Madjaâs had set up in the back, the shadows still clinging relentlessly to your body, refusing to leave you even in death. Madjaâs soft smile greets the both of them when they turn around.
âRhys told me what happened, he said to prepare the body as soon as possible, is that correct?â
Feyre nodded in agreement, âYes, just let us know when she is ready for the funeral, please, Madja.
âOf course Feyre. Iâll contact you once itâs done.â
With that, the two left the clinic, heading back toward your home to clean it up as much as they could.
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Azriel
His world was shattered. He watched as your coffin was lowered into the ground only two days after his birthday, the sky bright and sunny, just how you always loved it. But Azriel could barely stand in its rays, so overtaken with grief and rage at himself.
He had found the box among the remains of the presents you dropped at his door when you saw him fucking- he couldnât even bear to think her name anymore.
The two rings, so perfectly Azriel that it made him sob harder than before.
You had always known exactly how to design something to scream his name, always known what he would prefer to have as a gift.
Azriel had wanted to place the ring made for your fingers on you before you were buried, but he couldnât bear to sully your⊠your corpse with his hands.
He also didnât deserve to have a ring matching one that you wear in your grave, he had betrayed you so thoroughly. So he kept the both of them.
Time passed so slowly now.
It was like the world had stopped moving once you passed, the broken tether to your soul holding him in place, not allowing him to move past the moment of your death.
He left the rings in his nightstand, pulling the box out when the pain became too much to bear. He had purchased your home, finally moving all of his things in, like he should have while you were alive.
Even though your life had ended here, he felt closest to you inside the four walls where your relationship had blossomed, bringing you out of your shy, anxious, and adorable little shell.
Azriel barely left the house anymore, only leaving when his family forced him, or the hunger in his stomach became unbearable enough that he ventured out to your favorite restaurant and ordered your favorite dish, just one more way to get any semblance of closeness to you again.
The first six months since your passing were hell. Absolute hell.
The broken string within him chafed with every breath, only subsiding when he drowned himself in vodka enough that he couldnât see straight, passing out into an oblivion where you still existed, where his heart still beat your name happily, not in the overwhelming loss that had made it lose its rhythm.
His family had dragged him out tonight into their townhome, insisting that they hadnât seen him in so long and they needed to get together.
He was feeling an extra pain, today. It was the anniversary of the beginning of your mateship. It would have been the sixth, if you were still here.
So, he strung the two rings on a silver chain, looping it over his head and wearing it over the top of his jacket. With them on, he felt like your presence was with him. One of the few remaining things he owned of you.
Feyre had given him the knife belt a month after your funeral, and he had promptly shoved it into the lowest drawer of the dresser. He knew, he just knew that one of those knives had been the end of you-
But that wasnât true.
He was the end of you.
Azriel sighed. That train of thought wouldnât make getting through this night easier. One thing might, however.
He stood up from the couch he was seated on and made his way over to the drink cart, pouring a generous amount of vodka into a crystal glass.
You had commented on the glasses your second dinner here, admiring the way they caught the light.
Tears burned at his eyes, and he downed half of the glass in one gulp, the burn distracting him enough that he didnât jump when Cassian clapped a hand on Azrielâs shoulder.
âItâs good to see you, brother. Will you be coming to the training ring again soon?â He asked, his tone gentle.
âWeâll see, Cassian,â Azriel answered, the one that he had given Cassian the past four times he had dared to ask the Shadowsinger.
âOkay, hopefully sometime soon. Or we could go out for a meal, just the two of us, hm? Just like the old days when we were stuck here, it could be fun,â Cassian suggested, and Azriel nodded in agreement just to get him to stop asking.
Cassian walked away, and Azriel could see him making a pointed expression at Feyre, probably urging her to come talk to him. He downed the rest of his drink, and poured another of the same amount.
By the time he had sat back down on the couch, Feyre was joining him.
She didnât say anything, just sat with him as he sipped on his drink, relishing in the burn it carved through him.
They sat like that for a few minutes before Azrielâs left hand crept out, grasping Feyreâs right. The tears that had burned his eyes for six months, six long months of drinking himself to sleep as the tear in his soul grew, consuming him whole, had begun to fall, carving lines into his skin. Feyreâs hand squeezed his, and when he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, she thankfully had her eyes turned away from him, giving him the privacy he needed.
A minute or an hour could have passed before Azriel stood abruptly, making for the front door. He burst through it, tears still streaming down his face as he walked home as quickly as he could, the alcohol doing more to him now that he had lost weight from so many skipped meals. He could hear footsteps behind him, and if he dared enough it bet on anything anymore, he would say itâs Feyre.
She had told him at the funeral how guilty she felt for not realizing that Y/N was a danger to herself, but Azriel had brushed her off, telling her it was no oneâs fault but his own.
Azriel knew she still carried it, though.
âI donât need a minder, Feyre,â he drawled, slowing his pace so she could catch up from where she had been following him at a distance.
âFrom my eyes, you do Az.â
Her concerned tone made him sigh, the tears flowing even more freely now. He didnât want to worry anyone, he simply wanted to waste away into nothing.
âI will be fine, Feyre, I promise,â he reassured her once she was at his side, though he didnât fully believe it himself. âJust go home, go enjoy the dinner everyone has been slaving over for hours, Feyre.â
It was Feyreâs turn to sigh. âDo you promise youâll eat something tonight?â
Azriel nodded his head.
Another sigh. âI suppose Iâll head back, then. Be safe please, Azriel. We love you. I love you. Remember that, okay?â
Azriel nodding again, swallowing a sob until he couldnât hear her footsteps anymore. He finally reached your house, opening the beautiful door that you loved so much.
He loved that youâd had it custom made, wanting something to honor your Autumn heritage, so far from home. He closed it, running a hand along its surface.
You had loved everything fiercely, him included, even if he didnât deserve it in any way.
You had loved your mystery books, your coffee, trying out new blends of tea you had made from herbs youâd grown in your small garden.
Then there were the things about him that you loved. His eyes, his hair. You always loved both of those. His hands⊠you had never shied away from them, in fact you had pulled them towards you, nuzzling your face into them whenever he was feeling insecure about them. You kissed every inch of them so often, Azriel had begun to love the scars, love the way you were able to make them beautiful.
Now though⊠he couldnât think of them as anything but the hands that had sullied you, touching you after touching that other female.
Azriel made his way to the kitchen, pulling out a bottle of vodka and your favorite, sapphire blue mug. He poured the liquid until the mug was nearly overflowing, and knocked back as much of it as he could managed in one go, a few drops trailing down his chin.
He regretted so many things in his life, but the way he had hurt you was the one he wished he could take back, at least trade his life for yours. You deserved to live, with your soft heart and open mind. Not him, with his unfaithfulness and betrayal of the worst degree.
His mate.
His mate!!!
He could hardly believe that six months had passed already, six months since that dreadful day.
Six months since your last kiss.
He could almost picture you now, as he walked into your bedroom. It had been on your bed, you were still naked from the earlier activities the two of you had indulged in. Azriel had just gotten his shirt on, and you made an adorable kissy noise, puckering your lips dramatically to draw him back to you. He hadnât been able to resist, leaning back down and capturing your lips softly with his, tilting your chin up towards him gently with two fingers. It had been soft, sweet, all that he ever needed for the rest of his life.
But it was the last one. The last one, and he hadnât even known it at the time.
And it was all. His. Fault.
Azriel sank down onto the bed, taking another large gulp of his drink. It was really kicking in now, he felt almost like he could sleep. Draining the rest of the cup, he placed it on the nightstand and laid down on his side of the bed. If he closed his eyes, he could almost trick himself into thinking you were there, sleeping beside him, almost hear your breathing and heartâs rhythm next to him.
He drifted off while clutching the pair of rings still around his neck, his heart still beating that broken, dying music that still sang your name.
Taglist: @j-pendragonx
#dun dun#my tears ricochet#loml#azriel x reader angst#azriel x reader#azriel angst#acotar x reader#azriel x elain#elriel#evil!elain#I just hate her in this I'm not even sorry#she's a bitch tbh#azriel acotar#azriel#azriel shadowsinger#acotar#acotar fic#acotar fanfic#tato writes#tw suicide#feyre#cassian
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Amren was right. They hate Elain because they ainât Elain.
#elain archeron#elriel#Iâm convinced antis are just jealous of elain#I mean who wouldnât be#sheâs kind#got a rockin bod#can cook and bake and garden#the hottest men alive want her#sheâs smart and gifted with seer powers#mysterious and alluring#introverted but sociable#funny with the people who are close to her#determined and wants to be helpful/wants to have a purpose#everybody loves her bc sheâs just that type of person#if you hate elain I know youâre not a girlsâ girl
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i donât like to engage in ship wars or make anti-posts, so iâll probably delete this but lately i canât stop thinking about âi want to see her. just once. just â to know. ⊠if sheâs worth fighting forâ versus azriel being ready to square tf up the second the possibility of a duel was mentioned
#not that i think L*cien saying that was like. foreshadowing or anything#but i do find it all very âŠ.. inch resting#ok iâm done being a hater now#only tagging:#elriel#pro elriel#bc i am not tryin to be a menace#actually no iâm not done hating !!!#asking someone if their sister is worth the effort is mad weird#ok NOW iâm done
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Letâs say that the Az BC was actually a Lucien BC. Letâs say that Lucien had a similar inner monologue during the same interactions with ElainâŠ
âŠcalling her âthe thirdâ.
âŠdescribing touching her as âso wrongâ.
âŠemphasizing several times what HE needed from her body.
âŠclaiming he hadnât thought about a future with Elain beyond the âfantasies he pleasured himself toâ.
âŠbeing willing to kill any other male for showing an interest in her.
Imagine Lucienâs flames becoming embers in Elainâs presence and him pointing it out too.
Imagine Lucien leaving that interaction, after calling almost kissing Elain a mistake, then immediately interacting with another female who caused his chest to spark as he imagined her reaction to receiving the gift heâd originally bought for Elain.
Honestly, even thinking about Lucien doing this gives me the biggest ick, because Lucien would NEVER even think of doing any of this to any female, let alone his mate, butâŠletâs just consider it.
Can you imagine anyone in the fandom trying to claim that Elain and Lucien were endgame after a BC like this? It would be SO obvious that the author is showing that Elain and Lucien are not compatible beyond their physical attraction even with a bond. No one would be able to argue that the Elucien ship had sunk.
And the way people would rip Lucien to shreds kinda like everyone did to Tamlin for thinking about Elain this way and use it as clear evidence that the bond will be rejectedâŠEven I, a fierce Lucien supported and defender, would hate to even consider defending this kind of behavior from him.
Yes, the big difference between the two BCâs is the existence of a bond between Elain and Lucien. But that just proves my point even more because everyone would be screaming about the obvious rejected-bond foreshadowing because of his behavior.
So why is this behavior considered romantic because Azriel does it? Why does it seemingly confirm to some that Az and Elain are destined to be together? Why is this less obvious because itâs Azriel?
As a BC alone, this chapter makes it pretty clear that E/riel just doesnât work even when they tried. If they were that compatible, Az would never have been able to stay away from Elain. This was the same guy who told Rhys to chain him to a tree and he would still rip it up to defend his loved ones. He truly believes that the cauldron was wrong and that Elain is his mate? Well, Cassian couldnât stay away from his mate. Even while dying, he still crawled to Nesta.
#imagine believing someone is your mate and then just staying away because Rhys said so?#Iâd be gutted if my mate acted this way#I really donât hate Az#or do I?!#because he does seriously piss me off#but I just expect better from him if he is going to deserve Gwyn OR Elain#Azriel Critical#anti Azriel#pro elucien#lucien vanserra#elucien#pro lucien vanserra#elain archeron#elucien supremacy#anti elriel#anti e/riel
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The thing is, even though many of SJMâs couples are mates, none of them discovered the bond right away. They fell in love and THEN they discovered it. They didnât fall in love with each other because of it.
In addition to that, none of the mated characters act like they are bound to each other by the bond. They know they can leave the relationship at any time. Even, Rhysand who is married to his mate asks her if she is sure she wants a tattoo of his insignia because it canât be removed and he wants her to know in case she ever decides to leave him.
Considering their build up along the previous books, and their now confirmed feelings for each other, Elain ending up with the mate she doesnât want, or Azriel finding a mate and forgetting the girl he would beg on his knees forâŠis unlikely.
Based on previous character dynamics, SJM is a slow-burn trope kind of girl, before she is a fated mates kind of girl. And the only thing slowly burning between Elain and her mate is the fireplace in the background as they sit in silence lol.
#acotar#pro elriel#elriel#elain archeron#pro azriel#pro elain#azriel#azriel and elain#elriel supermacy#elriel love#i hate this damn fated mates argument itâs so ridiculous
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âWe want a rejected mates trope !!â who the hell is we đ€šâïž.I cannot think of something more depressing to read about than two mates rejecting their bond.Especially when one person still longs for the other and has already lost the person they thought was their mate in such a tragic and brutal way.Now their actual mate wants nothing to do with them to the point where they want to reject their mating bond? Fucking ouch.Just something about two people whose literal souls are tied to one another ending up with other people doesnât really read as romantic to me.
I understand that sjm might want to explore the rejected mates trope but why does lucien have to be the guinea pig?? I cannot think of one character less deserving to go through this trope than lucien.Not just because of his history with jesminda but because he genuinely hasnât had a moment of peace since the beginning of this series.He does not deserve to have his mate reject him on top of everything else he just doesnât.I want elain to be happy but if thatâs gonna cost my favorite character his happiness and possibly his sanity then iâm allowed to be a little annoyed.
If elain really does reject the bond with lucien I donât wanna be here to read that scene and I definitely donât want a lucien pov of that.Can you imagine the fucking anguish and heartbreak of a scene like that yeah no thank youuuu.
#fuck rejected mates#i hate that shit!!#acotar#a court of thorns and roses#lucien vanserra#pro lucien vanserra#pro elucien#mating bond#sjm critical#sjm give lucien a break pls#anti elriel
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Maybe leave Elain week to herself instead of commissioning just Elain + Azriel or Elain + Lucien art?
Maybe consider the woman not related to her love life?
Elain is her own person, if you want Elriel/Elucien content
WAIT FOR THE FUCKING COUPLE WEEK
Are Elriel mad that Elucien week was the closest?
For the Elain week commission art about Elain herself, this girl doesn't exist only to get fucked by Azriel/Lucien. She has her own worth, not related to Az/Lucien.
This girl doesn't exist to be someone love interest, she has her own identity, she exists outside the shipwar, let her be.
#tired of this#I'm neutral about her#but i hate that she is so abused#elain archeron#elriel#elucien#pro and antis#let this girl be#let her live her life#she isn't a fucking doll#tired of this shipway#elain week 2024
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Azriel doesnât care about Elain. Heâs just mad he didnât get what he wanted.
#Elriels donât care about Elain either. they just want az to get what he wants#its a petty take but Iâm not taking it back.#I hate that bat and Iâm not interested in changing my mind#anti azriel#anti elriel#anti e/riel#pro elucien#elucien
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The Midnight Kiss
Iâve been a sad bitch and the almost nothings that I managed to write were reflecting it terribly. I want to be a happy bitch again and finish a quirky romcom that does not evolve to sad-town-fest. Pray for me and my constancy, godspeed to us all. This is the farthest Iâve ever came writing solos-turned-multichapter. Amazing and wtf.
Warning: mentions of anxiety and self-harm and infuriating blonds.
Enjoy. Comments are welcomed and cherished :)
Part 8: 500 days of Azriel - part 1
Five hundred days.
The countdown of his life turning upside down took 500 days
And it was all because of her.
DAY 1
Truth be told Azriel Marino didn't mean to pay her any attention.
The thing is life can be unpredictable, even for a big planner like him, especially when this planner happens to be in constant contact with the most chaotic variant he had ever came across. Well, maybe it was a bit dramatic of him to define a person like that, but Elain Archeron was no regular person, so Azriel couldnât help but compare her to a surprise variable disrupting the balance of his perfect life equation.
âFuck!â The strangled curse resonated along with the emergency door hitting the wall. Agitated, Azriel shrugged his suit jacket, making his way to the building's stairwell.
The phone in his hand was ticking time bomb. He held it like a vice, like a nasty habit he couldn't seem to get rid of. Her photo on the screen shined like a beacon, a conductor to his own personal hell. Damn it. He should have erased her contact info by now, should have erase all possible traces of her.
Easier said than done.
Azriel stared at the photo she sent as if he was staring at Morrigan herself, stared at the empty bottle of wine by her side, her tear-stained cheeks and red stained lips doing nothing to distract him from the bunch of pills in her hand. Under the ominous picture laid four bubbles that made his stomach churn.
sometimes I want 2 sleep and never wake up Sorry 4 texting I love u bye Az
It had been an hour since he received the picture documenting Morrigan's latest threat of attempting suicide.
Then nothing.
No further picture, no more threatening messages, nothing. Complete silence from the woman who had been calling and texting nonstop all week after a photo like that was a bad sign. With a shaky hand, Azriel loosened his tie and scratched his throat, willing the air in and out.
I love u
The empty text float in his mind.
It's a lie, he reminded himself. It's always a lie.
There was no coming back from the break up this time. Not for him. Whatever she chose to do or not do was out of his hands now. He had played this part one too many times to know nothing good would come from bending to her.
Scrunching his eyes shut, Azriel pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to calm himself. He hated this feeling, the cruel fait of being responsible for Mor's life, the constant balance of her existent being put in the palm of his hands.
Itâs fake, he mentalized. Itâs fake like all the other ones.
But what if it wasnât?
Shaking, he dialed her number.
Azriel didn't know if it was worry or deep resented anger that gave his hand tremors. Deep down he knew what she was doing. This wasnât his first rodeo with Mor. Facetimes in the middle of the night, hysterical crying on his hallway, pictures of knifes and ropes over her bed, long goodbye emails that he shouldâve not read, but couldnât help doing so. So far, Mor had used a lot of cruel ways to razzle him into taking her back, and Azriel was so fucking done with this shit.
Still, having someone texting you the equivalent of a suicide note was frightening. Why hadn't she reached him again? What if she had gone through with it this time? What if she hurt herself? Azriel ran a hand through his hair.
The call didn't go through, panic slowly seeping through his bones.
Who was he kidding? Azriel would never be able to leave Morrigan. They have been together too long, been through too much. It was too late for him to try and leave her now, too late to break this sickening connection between them.
On the verge of crying, he dialed her number again.
He could be stronger this time, firmer, just a long time friend checking on another. He could do this. He would just check on her, make sure that she was safe and unharmed, and them heâ Â
âYou drop that phone. Right! Now!â
The loud command caught him by surprise, Azriel turning back to the exit door. No one had come through, he was still alone on his floor.
âI cannot believe youâre calling this asshole again!â The same feminine voice reprehended.
He recognized her immediately, his ears well used to the high pitch that loved to start a fight with him, only it was a first seeing her using this tone with anyone else. Quietly, he approached the railing to get a better view from the floor below, watching his two employees fight like toddlers
âHe called me all day! Itâs rude to ignore.â Nuala screeched, pushing Elainâs head away.
âHeâs buttering you up, your idiot,â Elain replied two second away from climbing her friend's back. âThatâs how that piece of shit manipulates you!â
Jumping, she made failed attempt to grab the phone.
âHe doesnât manipulate me.â Nuala said in a defensive tone.
âOh, please!â
â⊠Fine, maybe a little. But he loves me!â
âNo he doesnât. Give me the phone, Nu.â
âI will⊠I just need to call him real quick, it's the last time, I promise.â
Huffing, Elain placed both hands on her waist, glaring at her friend.
âYouâre the one who asked me to guard you phone, remember?â She made a run for her friend, Nuala dodging her with easy. âI wonât let you get back with that walking trash!â
âIâm not trying to get back together.â
âSave the lies for someone whoâll believe you.â
âIâm serious. I just have check on him.â
âNo, you donât.â
âHe was so sad Elain, he almost drunk himself to death!â
âThat man was cheating on you, he can jump of a cliff an I wonât care! Give me the phone.â
âNo.â
âGive it to me!â
âNo!â
Azriel rolled his eyes watching them struggle like two toddlers battling for the best toy. The âfightâ didnât last long, not when Elain was willing to stick a wet finger in her friendâs ear to gain advantage. He didn't know whether to be impressed or disgusted with how far she was willing to go, and he wasn't the only one.
âOh my God, youâre disgusting!â Nuala complained, rubbing her ear raw.
âAnd you are welcome.â Elain replied, turning the phone off and sticking it inside her shirt.
With a sigh, Nuala sat on the stair, hiding her head between her knees, the photographer soon following her steps, wrapping an arm around her friend. The scene seemed too personal for him to be watching, yet Azriel could not walk way without listening to all of it, not when he and Nuala seemed to have so much in commom.
Trying to give them a bit of privacy he turned his back to the railing and sat down. In normal circunstance he would never he sat in an unwkown dirty floor, but his day had been long, and Azriel was tired. The kinds of tiredness that reachs the soul. He did his best not to touch anything that wasn't necessarie.
ïżœïżœHe will change," he heard Nuala reasoning. âHe promised.â
âHe always does, and he never changes. No one change for others, you know that.â
âWhat if he meant it this time?â
âWhat if he doesnât?" A bit of silenced filled the staircase. "Will you spend the rest of your life catering for him? Being unhappy just to stay beside him?â At that, Nuala lifted her head. âHoney, that man doesnât love. If he really loved you, he would not be terrorizing you, he wouldnât hurt you, and he wouldnât pretend to be hurt just to get your attention. You donât do this to people you love Nuala.â
Nuala groaned, the weight of the words washing over her.
âIf he doesnât love me, why wonât he let me go?"
I know the feeling, Azriel thought on the upper floor.
"He has to love me at least a little bit, right?â
âYou know why he wonât leave you alone? Because now that you dumped his useless ass he realized how much you did for him, how much easier you turned his life. In his mind, he can treat you as badly as he wants and you will never leave, because you donât love yourself enough to leave, but you love him enough to stay even if it makes you unhappy.â
The women stayed silent for a while, Azriel absorbing the words that werenât meant for him but might as well had been. To love someone more than you love yourself was a dreadful curse to carry.
âI miss him.â
Azriel paused, pensive. Did he missed Mor? Inside him there was long, a long he couldn't quite comprehend or classify. He was so tired of being manipulated and dismissed, so tired of being taken for granted, tired of being alone, still, Azriel missed being in love, and Morrigan was the only woman he had ever loved. But did he miss Mor? Azriel wasn't so sure anymore.
âI know, darling." Elain soothing voice found him again. "You wonât miss him forever, I promise. Give it time Nuala, it sounds clichĂ© but time heals all things, it will heal you too, youâll see.â
Another moment of silence, then,
"I think to have to keep my phone for a little longer.â
âI know.â
âDonât let me call him.â
âI wonât.â
âChrist, I canât believe Iâm having a meltdown at work.â
âI know.â Elain laughed. âIâm so gonna make fun of you later. Come one, letâs get back. The busier you are, the less youâll think about that waste of oxygen, come." Her voice began to feel further. "By the way, Nu, you should try Crushland, is a wonderful problem-solver.â
âAnd stay hidden behind plants to thirst after Cass? No, thank you.â
âUgh, shut up. I told you I wasnât hiding, I was passing by.â
âSure you were.â
A door opened and closed and then the girls were gone, leaving Azriel behind. His phone rang, Morriganâs name in capital letters screaming at him to pick up. He starred at it until the screen shut down again.
Turning his device off completely, Azriel stood. He rearrenged his tie, using the linen handkerchief safely tucked in his brest pocket to clean the dirt from hist pants. His eyes followed the material, suddely remembering this particular piece had been a gift from Mor. Azriel took a deep breath, ehxaling slowly, Elain's words replaying on his ming. The busier you are, the less youâll think about that it. Usually, Azriel would be the first one to disagree with Elain. This time he hopped she was correct.
Reentering the halls of the building, Azriel discharged the handkerchief in the nearest bin, thinking back to the one piece of the conversation that he had not understood at all.
âWhat the fuck is crushlandâŠâ he muttered to himself.
DAY 185
There was a she he didn't want to think about.
And there was a she who would not leave his mind.
To Azriel Marino, Elain Archeronâs mind was a chaotic mess. Well, at least he supposed it was, since he was yet to see her having a linear line of thoughts or exhibit traits of an organized person. And he would know if she had, because Azriel had been paying a lot of attention to Elain since he accidently listen to her conversation.
Going against instinct was hard, but he tried his best to follow the stolen advices. Since that faitful day, Azriel reseted his phone without bothering to save any prior conversation, photo or information on it, switched numbers - both personal and professional - forced himself to develop a new distribution strategy to raise the number os sales, reached for a couple friends that he hadn't catch up with in years, and suspended Morrigan from the list of preaproved guests of his building.
The last action was proving to be a bit tricky since his brother lived on the same place in a different floor, Mor using the opportunit to pretend to visit Cassian and go bang straight on Azriel doors. To his credit he had been doind an excelent job of playing dead in these situation, but it was getting embarassing to pretend not being home when he was a grown asss adult. Should he move? Fuck.
The first days were rough, the suicide threat hunting his dreams. Azriel did his best not to fall, focusing in rebuilding his days without placing Mor at the center of his life, focusing his efforts in fully reviving the magazine instead. These days most of their revenue came from the digital market, but Azriel was determinate to ignite people's love for paper again. There was a certain finesse and class to the final result of a printed magazine that bright ipad screen couldn't compete with. The more he tried to revive this tradition, the less he found himself fixating about Mor.
From the confines of his office, he watched Elain's back as she worked editing some shots. Her advice was solid. Time was indeed a good healer, Azriel being the one that have never gave into it, not entirely. He wondered if she would be proud of how well he managed to follow her lead. Would she praise him? From his observations, Elain was the type to praise every trivial achievement her friends would share with her. Except for his. Not that he had ever shared anything with her. Elain and Azriel weren't friends.
He obsessed over the wrapper one last time, breathing in courage and marching to deliver it.
In his hands Azriel held a Remus 1.5x Full Frame Anamorphic 5 Lens Set all wrapped in pink. He had no inkling about professional lenses quality, but he had seen Elain daydreaming about this particular set once or twice, her computer screen stuck on the specs as she gushed to Nuala or Miguel about inumerous advantages only she seemed to follow. It is a working tool, he would say, to keep improving the magazine's quality.
Truth was the gift was a hidden thank you and a quiet peace offer.
Elain could be a mouthy thing with a questionable wardrobe and an inexplicable supply of energy for someone who disliked coffee, but over the last months Azriel learned that she was also insightful and very considerate, qualities he had failed to apreciate for they could never interact for long without fighting. During their weekly meeting Elain mostly kept to herself, scketing scenarios and playing with possible color gradientes as she dropped a terrible joke here and there, quickly associating which agencies would have the best catalog of models for the monthly issue, humming as she pinned the name to vision bord. When they were in the shooting set her other persona would come out, bossy and stern, not afraid to shout orders at anyone, not even him. Azriel was trying to learn not to interfere with her on set, still, he would razzle her sometimes, unable to stop himself from trying to be in control.
Once he stopped antagonizing her, Azriel realized their goal was the same: do a good job. That's why he suggested Cassian should hire Elain as their official photographer instead of keeping her as backcall freelancer. Elain was too good not to keep. And since she appeared to be a good friend to every one in this office, maybe, just maybe, he and Elain didn't have to be in each other's throat all the time. Maybe they could even be⊠well, not friends, he didn't know her personally enough for that, but they could be work colleagues. Good colleagues.
They had a couple traits in common, and Azriel was perfectly capable of using them to befriend her.
Or maybe he wasn't.
Azrielâs nose wrinkled on its on as he approached mess scatarred across the wood top that once upon a time, was a desk. Now old food wraps covered half of it, and so did empty cups (which were probably responsible for the stains on the wood); the other half was occupied by cut outs from magazines and multicolored folders, pictures of clothes, places and people that she would somehow turn into an idea.
A shiver ran down his spin, making him physicaly shake in place to get rid of it. His mind would never function properly in this kind of working space. Just thinking about putting his laptop on this desk made his skin crawl. Not surprisingly, her camera was the only item in a proper place, with no garbage nearby, safely secure in a bag and carefully placed on a lower shelf.
If there was one thing, Azriel knew about Elain was that she loved her camera.
And apparently, his brother.
Unaware of his presence, Elain hunched over her phone like a goblin, an old photograph of a shirtless Cassian posing by a waterfall occupying the entirety of her screen. If Elain was trying to be subtle about her crush, she was doing a terrible job of it. By now, he was sure everyone in this department knew she had a thing for his brother.
Well, she was a single woman and his brother was a single man... Still, Azriel didn't like the way her eyes would lite up around Cass, how easily they would slip into casualty and conversation, how she'd play with her hair and smile brightly at him, how her voice would be sweeter and higher than normal, or how they would share the same wave length for flirty jokes and heavily sexual innuendos. He hated those jokes. Hated that insufferable immodest bond that they seemed to share so effortlessly.
Why did they need to be laughing so much around each other? It was annoying and juvenile.
Sick of watching her ridiculous hobby, Azriel lowered himself till his lips were nearly touching the shell of her ear.
âOnline stalking can also be considered a form of working harassment.â
Elain nearly jumped from her chair.
âJesus Christ!â she squealed, holding her phone to her chest.
âNope, just your boss. About to file an HR complain with you name on it.â
She rolled her eyes at him.
âYou canât complain about me, I wasnât stalking you.â
âSo you admit you were stalking.â
âI wasnât stalking, it was a Facebook memory!â She defended herself, cheeks reds as a tomato.
Azriel watched her. Elain wasnât the shy blushy type.
In fact, in all those months working with her he hadnât saw her face red unless she was very angry (usually with him). Elain blushing was kind of⊠cute. Her heated cheeks matching the soft cherry blossom shade of her lips. Azriel was yet to see Elain with heavy make up on, her daily pattern cosisting in sunscreen, a bit of foundation and lots of gloss. He could tell her lips were the area she liked to play with the most, testing different shades of red and pink that seemed to match her mood. Sometimes they seemed the color of rose buds, sometimes they were closer to cherry red, most times they were glossy and sparkling, and sometimes he stared at them more than he should, so engrossed in the way they moved he forgot to pay attention to what she was saying. Like now.
"âand Cass befriend me," she continued. "Now facebook is reminding me that I accidently liked his old picture, and my phone died, and I couldnât undo it, and he saw! Which was sooo embarrassing I wanted to die. When I explained he just laughed on my face and liked a really ugly picture of me from high school in return, but Iâm not stalking your brother.â
Azriel simple staring at her.
Mistaking his silence for doubt, she repeated herself. âIâm not!â
For some unknown reason, knowing she was blushing because of his brother unsettled him. Azriel knew Cassian well. A girl like Elain: pretty, young, and full of fire, was like a flame ready to attract his moth of a brother. Cassian was fast to be interested in girls like her, and even faster to grew bored of them.
"Donât let my brother fool you, Archeron. Heâll break your heart.â
A slight frown took over her features.
"I can take care of myself, Marino."
"If you say so."
His mood soured.
Pulling a couple napkings from his pocket, Azriel pushed a few cups aside, cleaning a spot on the desk where he unceremoniously placed the gift upon, not bothering to explain what it was or what was it for, Elain's frown going from annoyed to confused as she watched him dissapair back into his office.
One minute latter her scream filled the entire floor, a scream followed by,
"Thank you, Marino! Thank you! I'll preserve it and use it wisely! Thank you!!!!"
Azriel bit a smile down, too perturbed by his own emotions to enjoy her reaction properly.
That day he realized something important about himself.
Something somewhat unsettling.
In his arduous quest to forget Morrigan, Azriel found himself thinking of a different woman entirely, a woman he had no business paying attention to, a woman infatuated with his brother. A woman who, unknown to himself, had began to drawn him to her crazy way of seeing the world, beguiling him to do something he had never done in his life.
Beguiling him act on a whim.
DAY 309
"When the clock strike midnight, I'll leave this old pinning Elain behind and make out with the first man that looks my way." Elain announced puffing her chest.
If someone asked him what possessed him to meddle in Elain's imaginary love life, he wouldnât be able to tell. And if someone had told him her love life would turn into his love life, he would have laugh himself hoarse. But there he was, kissing her instead.
His fingers twisted in her hair and Azriel felt Elain growing lax against him, the frailest of whimpers escaping her throat as his tongue slid inside her mouth, the passionate slow kiss they shared at the strike of fireworks announcing midnight making his heart pound and his head throb.
He pulled away first, slight embarrassed by how rusted his tempo was, his breath frenetic and out of place as he struggled to fill his lungs with air. Elain didin't seem to care, chasing him closer as his head moves away. Azriel kept her at bay, the fist tightly wound in her hair holding her back. To calm himself he kissed her jawline; once, twice, thrice, his breath still erratic, agitated. For fucks sakes, why was he feeling so frenetic from kissing while seated?! God, his was out of shape. A kiss to a pulsing vein on her throat and Azriel came back to earth. He had descendent more than he meant, more than it was appropriated for a couple in an open public space.
His mind was a whirlwind of chaos and something very unexpected; want. Want hited him out of nowhere. The reality of what heâs done sinking in. He kissed Elain. He had kissed Elain Archeron and he liked it. Slowly, he disentangles his fingers from her hair, putting distance between their bodies, the soft hand with manicured nails, that were twisting the front of his shirt, letting him go, dropping back to her lap.
"Feeling in love yet?" the words are barely out of his mouth before heâs making a constipated expression. Jesus, Cassianism was beginning to rub on him.
The insult doesnât land quite right with his voice coming out way breathier than before. Shit. The kiss was supposed to be a provocation. Azriel intended to give her a peck and prove her so called 'resolution' was bullshit.
Once again her crazy rambling appeared to be constructed on solid base, the young mouthy brat proving she was way more experienced in understanding relationships than him, even he was the only one between that had 10 years of experience to acount for.
When he approached Elain's lonely sullen self on the beanbag Azriel handn't meant to kiss her. Misery was the emotion bringing them close, not lust!
I'll just warn her off, he had told himself, simply console her that Cassian wasn't that big of a loss, that migling with him would amount to anything big in the end. Despite their constant disagreements, Elain was hardworking and passionate about her job, and Azriel would hate to lose an efficient employee because his brother couldnât keep his dick in his pants. A pretty lie his mind carved to give him an excuse to approach her. Seeing Morrigan on his brother's arms was a blown on his progress of forgeting her, and no one here but Elain would be able pro properly share that misery with him.
Azriel was already miserable with himself for waking up sharing a hotel bed with Mor on the night before. In his defense, he had no idea how that happened. Fucking hell, one minute he was visiting a new pub with a friend, the next she was there in his face. He ignored her the best he could, drinking more than he should, his low tolerance for alcohol soon making his wasted. He remember Caleb called calling a cab, hands helping him inside the car, flashes on the elevator and her. No matter how loudly he reprehended or pushed her she did not bulgde.
No matter how hard he tried, Azriel could not remember bedding her, but the evidence was there, their clothes scattered across the room, his coat hung over some chair, a used condom beside his shoe. Fucking idiot, that's what he was. So much effort. So much effort for fucking nothing. No, he would not go down this road again.
It's fine, he thought pulling his pants on, it was a slip, a mistake he would not do again. From now on if he happen to frequent the same space as her Azriel would leave. Being confrontational have never worked with her, Morrigan's habilites to bend him surprising even Azriel. And then she appeared dating his fucking brother not even 24 hours aftwards, the same smiling idiot brother who claimed to have been dating her for months now.
His life was joke.
And so was Elain's.
She didn't know it, but Azriel had watched her pathetic attempt to confess her feelings after the Christmas party, feelings way to pure to be wasted on his heartless brother.
When Elain said her drunken goodbyes and waddled to the elevator, Azriel sat his drink aside and followed on the next one. He doubt she would be able to catch a cab by herself. Turned out she didn't have too, because Cassian had reached her before him, his tall frame nearly hidding Elain from view, a mass of honey curls peeking from his left side.
"I like you," she grabed the front of his shirt for support. "Lainy, don't do this." "Like, really, reaally like you... I think about you all the time." âOh Lainy, this wouldnât work.â His brother's voice disperse from where he stood untangling her fingers from the hand-painted shirt Elain had gifted him as secret santa. âWe could try," she began shyly, nose red and eyes gliterry from champaign, her own gift - a knitted red scarf, wrapped around her neck. "You don't know it yet, but I'm a great girlfriend," she hiccuped slightly, "I can twerk on it." "You mean swear on it?" "That too." Cassian laughed. "I wouldn't work," he repeted. "Why not?" âYou seem like a flowers and chocolate kind of girl, and I don't do flowers and chocolate." Elain was silent for a moment, thinking. "What if I'm lactose intolerant? I won't need that." Cassian ruffed a laugh. "You eat dairy all the time." "Uuurgh, what's wrong with flowers and chocolate? Everybody likes them." "I don't. They bore me. We're better like this, it's not everyday a tight little thing like you has a sense of humor, let's not mess that up, huh. Enough talking now, you're a goner. Give me your phone, I'll uber you."
If his love history with Morrigan wasn't so chaotic, Azriel would have notice that normal Cassian would never have pass to chance to have easy sex with a girl infatuated with him. But his love life sucked and Azriel did not notice, too busy moping about his latest stupid choice as he watched Cassian parading around and introducing Morrigan as his girlfriend, making him feel shittier than ever. Not only he had crawled back into her arms willingly, he had also betrayed his brother.
Fuck his life.
His phone blipped, an incoming message from an unsaved number.
Meet me at mine in 40 minutes.
And now she had his number again.
Fuck his life twice.
When did she get his number? Damn it. He stared at the other texts ignores throgh the day.
why did u leave??? we need to talk call me back enough is enough az i think the condom broke, call me asap
Nothing had broken, and he sure as hell was not calling her. She had used that excuse to reach him before, more than once, which was why he make sure to check it before leaving the hotel. A small hive of bees stabed his spine. He need to leave her presence that instant. Sighing, Azriel took Elain's hand and darted inside de house, searching for an empty room, having to make do with a filthy bathroom when he found none, wandering into another demented conversation with Elain before he could get to the point he wanted.
Her countdown speech had been stupid, but he was out of good ideas to try, and hell would be damned if he would crawl back to Morrigan again.
"Listen, I have a proposition to you. You want to get over my brother, and I want to get over her. I hate to admit, but that crazy talk about a lover might be exactly what I need to move on. What we need. So, instead of doing weird things with strangers, let's help each other, let's date and move on." The words poured out of him fast, courage threatening to leave at any moment.
Elain just stood there, paralyzed, silent, eyes big as saucers. Azriel had no memory of ever seeing her so quiet, but a yappy Elain going mute probably wasn't a good sign.
"Date me, Elain. Date me and I'll date you."
"Why - why me?" She asked in a small voice. "You say you don't hate me, but you don't like me either. We are not friends."
Good, a question. He could work with questions. Azriel was great with quizzes.
"I'm not my brother, I don't like one-nights, it's impersonal and I detest strangers in my space. It's hard for me to connect with people I don't know. You, I know you - you get on my nerves, but thatâs just who you are as a person, I've learned to live with that. And kissing you... I enjoyed kissing you more than I anticipated.â
Her eyes cast down, cheeks growing warmer at the mention of their kiss. Azriel kissed her there, right on the bright pink cheek, starting close to her ear to make a line till the corner of her mouth where he nib the skin with intent, his nose desapearing in her soft flesh.
"You said to do different, right?"
She agreed wordlessly.
"Could you imagine me having a heart-to-heart, in a filthy bathroom, with you, of all people? This is me doing different."
Gently, he grabbed both sides of her face and kissed her again, pouring all his attention in Elain and Elain only.
Azriel wouldn't lie, their midnight kiss had been awkward at first, stiffy. Azriel wasn't used to kissing someone he had never managed to maintain a civilized conversation with. Truth be told, Azriel wasn't used to kiss anyone that was not Mor. Once the initial shock waved out, Azriel found himself enjoying the kiss, quickly learning the way Elain liked to be kissed, gently angling her head when their noses bumped, hissing at the sharp nib of teeth sinking in his bottom lip, goosebumps rising as her tongue moved over it to soothe the pain, moving slowly over his tongue next.
Kissing Elain was like nothing he had ever done; kissing her was impulsive, electric... disrupting. It made he feel⊠something, the sparkle of a feeling that had been dormant for so long he didn't know how to name it anymore. Passionate hands closed round his neck and hair, a sharp tug urging him to move where she wanted, guiding the kiss to her liking.
Elain kissed Azriel as if he was the last man to love in the world, kissed him as if she would never want to kiss anyone else. And Azriel found himself liking that very much.
#elriel#elriel fanfic#elriel fic#elain archeron#elain#azriel#azriel shadowsinger#elain x azriel#cass and mor#the midnight kiss#part 8#my writing#say amen with me#this one is for the patient and impatient besties who stayed hopeful for the best#and by best i mean me finally finalizing a multichapter fic#i'm trying girlies!#i hate adulting#teenage me would be baffled#let me know if anyone still on the trenches#yall can comment whenever i love to read it#byeee
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Hey so i just think its funny how every elriel i've talked to has said they'd read elain's story no matter what: we're pretty fking sure she'll end up with shadow man, but if sjm decides to give her fire man instead we'll indulge it and see if she can convince us.
The funny part is that in all my years I've literally almost never seen people on the other side reciprocate that sentiment. People feel very strongly against elriel, and theres nothing wrong with that! but it makes you think.
musings below the cut
For gwynriels primarly invested in Gwyn's story--makes sense. I get it. I personally wouldnt jump on a gwynriel book should it ever exist: in fact if the next book isn't elain's im abandoning the series.
not bc i dont care about Az, but bc: A) i wouldnt care about him if it turns out he is a flaky guy who thinks of elain as a sexual object he is entitled to, B) a gwynriel book being next completely disregards the narrative importance of elain's choice & story which makes it C) extremely poor writing in an already mediocre series. oh and D) gwynriel's "storyline" (where) is so boring to me.
For gwynriels primarly invested in Az's story...perso i dont see why they wouldn't give it a shot, but fine.
Eluciens? Most of them seem to believe that the only way we'd ever get lucien's story is through elain, that elriel implies an eternity of heartbreak for him, and that sjm loves him too much to not let him have his mate... again, perfectly fine.
(but then they call fellow lucien enjoyers like myself stupid for thinking he is too important not to have a PoV and would have his story told in his own book. sigh.) also sidenote but WHO knew yrene would have a book until it happened, huh? and now u have vassa given more narrative importance than any side character AND connected to every retelling sjm wants to write... but no we dont know her enough for her to have a PoV. the irony.
In this equation I'm just wondering... Where are all the folks primarily invested in Elain's story?
whereee?? i know you exist but theres so few of you.
where.
im aware im making generalizations. they're based in my years quietly observing the fandom on all sides and withstanding a shit ton of "elriel is a lesser love cause mates mean everything" and "baby lulu deserves his HEA that can only come with elain" and "eplain has to be evil she cant be with Az shes too weak & boring".
#i hate that i can never tag lucien because unless you think elucien is endgame you dont care about him#elain archeron#elriel#vassien#azriel#my rants#yrene towers#queen vassa#pro elain
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i need elucien and gwynriel for several reasons but one of them is that im sick of us pretending that rhysand was wrong in the bonus chapter lol like yes he wasn't the nicest about it but he knows his brother and he knows what it looks like when az is (and is not) in love and as the high lord he doesnt want to risk the delicate situation with tamlin and lucien getting worse over azriel's lust for elain. the next book will be such a struggle to read if the conflict continues to be "fuck you rhysand how dare you do your job"
#''how could prioritize politics over azriel's feelings'' well theres this neat thing called doing your goddamn job#and one thing rhys will always do is his goddamn job#the reason why rhys is such a good high lord is his ability to put the greater good above personal needs#and dont take this as azriel hate#thats my husband#nothing to do with him everything to do with the best high lord#pro rhysand#acotar#sarah j. maas#a court of thorns and roses#rhysand#elucien#gwynriel#pro azriel#pro elain#i hesitate to tag this as#anti elriel#cuz trust i do NOT hate non-toxic elriel shippers#but i dont think yall wanna see me dog on ur ship so im gonna tag it anyway
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Yep antis got it right. I ship my absolute favorite character with my least favorite batboy simply because I hate Elain. Nope, it has nothing to do with Gwyn feeling comfortable or Azriel feeling settled. It has nothing to do with their banter and chemistry. It's all because I hate the third archeron.
#smh my hatred knows no bounds#i didn't actually develop the hate until reading acosf#cuz yk shipped elriel and all that#and everyone knows shipping elriel is the truest sign of loving elain#others shippers are all haters of elain#acosf#acotar
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I'm sorry but the Reader/femArcheron x Azriel fic make me genuinely want to pull my hair out đ©
I'm sure they're great - no diss to anyone's writing ever -
But WDYM ??? Like thatEXISTS ... that's literally Elriel đ why do people dislike Elain so much đ
#elriel#acotar#elain x azriel#elain archeron#azriel#pro elain#elain#pro elriel#and pls believe I am not ACTUALLY hating on the fanfics bc to each their own full send - I know the lurkers will def screenshot this next#sayin Elriels don't let anyone live they're crashing out#smh stfu and learn to understand the point of a post if you're gonna stalk my blog
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no actually I don't want a book where two men have a blood duel over who gets the rights to a woman
#anti elriel#anti elucien#to clarify i DO NOT CARE about either of these ships#i just think it's pathetic that in a series that's supposed to be about strong women and feminism as per the author#ALL THE WOMEN ARE CONSTANTLY CENTERED AROUND THE MEN#i refuse to hate elain based off sjms horrible writing y'all#elain archeron deserves better#anti acosf#anti sjm#let her be gay and fuck off happily somewhere#let all the Archeron women be gay and escape these people actually
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"Rhysand is E/lucien / G/wynriel shipper!"
Um, babes... I don't think you've read that beloved bonus chapter of yours that carefully as you think.
Ordering Azriel to stay away from Elain was a political move.
It has nothing to do with him wanting Elain to end up with Lucien (or Az with Gwyn for that matter, Rhys basically said "Az, go to the brothel or go f*ck someone else idc", he did not mention Gwyn once, how's that shipping G/wynriel to you?).
The man is using the mating bond to keep Lucien on their side. Why do you think Lucien is so often invited to Velaris and Elain is basically made to sit there as well, as uncomfortable as she is?
The moods after the war are still uncertain. Situation with Tamlin? Situation with Autumn Court? Lucien has a connection to both, not to mention, human lands he's currently living on. It has been stated in ACOFAS that his loyalty seems to have shifted to Vassa, which begins to be worrying.
Do I hate that behaviour? A little bit. But it's understandable from his point of view. He is a High Lord first. He wants to protect his lands and alliances which could be endangered if the blood duel were to happen.
It's all politics. It's also all in the text. If you weren't so focused on "spark in Az's chest" maybe you'd pick it up yourselves.
#elriel#pro elriel#azriel x elain#anti g/wynriel#anti e/lucien#dont you hate Rhys by the way?#why would you name the capitain of your ship someone you're so anti about#i just cannot take this anymore#where is reading comprehension??? WHERE IS IT?????
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