#nesta and gwyn should have ended up together

[the-sky-is-heavy-so-i-write]

i love re-examining media i enjoyed as a child (some of which i should NOT have been reading) cause it’s always either still really good or the literal worst piece of shitty garbage i’ve ever read in my life and i wonder how i ever even enjoyed it.

recently however i was re-reading a book series i liked when i was younger and realized it’s a lot more fucked up than i remember. like im reading it and i think holy shit how can anyone like this man (referring to the main love interest) how did i even like this man. it’s truly wild.

i should probably talk to my therapist

[qwimblenorrisstan]

Blood Red | Azriel x Cassian’sister!Reader

Summary: After both you and Azriel are left, abandoned and replaced by those close to you, you find company with him in a night of drunken lust, only for old secrets to be unburied in the morning along with a mating bond.

Word Count: ~3k

Warnings: Smut, oral f!receiving, p in v, mentions of infertility, abuse, arguing, but it all ends up okay

Minors, do not interact!

A/N: Whoever requested this (you know who you are) this was sooo fun to write and I hope it was what you wanted, hope you enjoy it<3

Requests are open!

You and Cassian have always been thick as thieves, brother and sister, close and closer, dumb and dumber. You had gotten into countless shenanigans and ridiculous situations with your older brother, and he’d dragged you out of most of them, thankfully.

You were more than thankful to the Mother for providing you with someone like him; family of your own, closer than even your adoptive family that was Rhys and Azriel.

Things had been different lately, though.

“Hey, Cass? Are we still heading to that movie tonight?”

You asked, poking your head into his room. He was sharpening his blade, a habit of his. He glanced up at you, golden eyes gleaming with apology as he shook his head.

“Can’t. Have to train the Valkyrie’s tonight. It’s their friendship-anniversary thing or whatever.”

He said with a little shrug, you raised a brow, but then left his room. Did you feel a tug in your gut about the fact that he was prioritizing Nesta and her friends over you? Maybe. Maybe a little more than just a maybe.

It only got worse as the days went on.

The night she and Cassian had planned to spend at Rita’s together? He was busy with Nesta that night.

In the afternoon they were supposed to go on a hike together, one they go on every single year? Postponed. The reason why? He was ‘busy’, and that business was with Nesta based on the hickey’s on her neck the morning after.

You were slowly and surely being replaced, and there wasn’t a thing you could do about it. Every little activity you’d enjoyed with him, he was now enjoying with Nesta, and occasionally Gwyn and Emerie would join them.

Little did you know, you weren’t the only person who felt that way.

*********************************************************

Azriel didn’t know what he was doing wrong, or if what was happening was out of his control completely.

“If you need to fuck someone, go to a pleasure hall, but leave her alone.”

Rhys had said. They couldn’t risk making Lucien all pissy and causing a fight between the two for Elain. That would only complicate things between Court alliances, not to mention Elain was still delicate from her experiences with the Cauldron.

He had slowly but surely seen Elain drifting away from him, piece by piece.

The first occurrence had been when she tolerated Lucien at the Winter Solstice, and worse, had hugged him after his gift. What was that gift, you may ask? A set of small porcelain houses meant for storing spices, all of which she used for cooking her various recipes.

The gift had been genius, playing just into what she’d liked. And Azriel hated that.

Next, it had been when she was there to support him when he learned of his true heritage. She’d wiped his tears away and encouraged him to tell Helion. And just like that, the fiery fox bastard was the Heir of Day Court.

Azriel had certainly noticed the extra time the two had been spending together, the little walks through her garden they shared, how his hands would warm with magic and keep her toasty on cold winter nights.

It had only been a matter of time before the two of them had accepted the bond, and when they had announced it, Azriel felt as if his heart cracked in two. What only made it worse was the second announcement; Elain would be going to live in Day Court with Lucien.

He knew he should feel happy for them, he knew he should, but he couldn’t find it in himself to feel anything other than anger and regret he’d let himself get so attached with no promise of a future with her.

She’d moved before he’d even had a chance to say goodbye, and maybe that was for the best. He didn’t know what words might betray him and spill out when he didn’t want them to.

He found himself sticking to himself more often than not, and he noticed something else; you.

You seemed just as lonely and isolated as him. The night he really noticed it was when the entire Inner Circle was out at Rita’s for the night.

Cassian and Nesta were dancing and drinking happily, Rhys and Feyre sipping at their drinks while talking, Mor flirting with the waitress she’d been eying for the past century, and Amren had probably snuck off to a bar bathroom with her lover.

It only left you and Azriel, sitting tensely at a table together, a booth to be exact. You sipped at your drink, not seeming to want it too much. He watched quietly, offering the silent comfort he always did.

You seemed…distracted, worried almost. He’d seen that look enough before to know what it was, you were distressed, and most likely hiding something.

“What?”

You then asked, looking up at him questioningly. For the centuries he’d known you, his mind never felt as blank as before. He’d been staring.

“Nothing, but you…”

He hesitated, before sighing and finishing his sentence.

“You look…upset.”

He finished. You gave him a dry look.

“Yeah, well, so do you. Guess everyone else gets their happily ever after with a mate except us, huh?”

He nearly winced at that. You had hit the nail on the head with that statement. Everyone was happy and mated with their lover and in couples, living out their own happily ever after, while the two of you were here, mateless, loveless, and lonely. Replaced.

“I’m sorry about what happened with Elain, though. It sucks.”

He stiffened at the mention of her. He’d just been hoping to drink himself to death and get a cheap hookup tonight. He was already halfway to drinking himself to death point, already three or four cups in. He’d counted four from you.

“Nevermind her,”

He said, shaking his head. The alcohol flowed through his veins like liquid courage as he then caught your gaze, eyes lingering a second longer than they should’ve before he offered his hand, standing up.

“Care for a dance?”

*********************************************************

You were just how you’d wanted to be tonight, too drunk to care about anything, though you supposed it backfired when you ended up in a slow, oddly romantic waltz with the shadowsinger.

It felt wrong to look at him that way, but it also felt so, so right.

His hands found your waist as you slowly danced, your chest pressing up against his until he could feel your pert nipples through your thin shirt — that was when he realized you weren’t wearing a bra. And based on the heady scent of arousal coming from you, he assumed no undergarments in general.

You’d come for the same thing as him. A release.

And who was any other male to give it to you, other than himself?

*********************************************************

The night was filled with wild mistakes, heated touches, and whispers of affection that would soon probably be forgotten.

He’d whisked you away under the cover of shadows, into his dark room, cool whispered touches of shadows slipping your clothes off and dropping them to the floor as Azriel’s mouth found your own, his tongue slipping between your lips as he’d pinned you against the mattress.

And just like that, his head had slid down between your legs, tongue slipping between your folds to lap at them.

“I’ve wanted to taste this pussy for centuries,”

He growled, fingers going to slip in and pump inside of you, curling against that sweet spot while he lapped and sucked at your clit.

“Az,”

You moaned, hand tangling itself in his thick head of midnight curls, tugging him ever closer. He was eating you out like a starved man deprived of any food or water for decades.

Your back arched into him, and before your climax could wash over you, his mouth had dragged up and was against yours again, before moving to lick and suck on one of your nipples. His finger slipped out and silenced your whines by being slid into your mouth, with you obediently sucking on them and whimpering at the taste of your slick.

You felt his hard cock rub against your legs as his knees nudged your thighs apart, making you spread before he was filling you in moments, every glorious inch going deeper and deeper, tears pricked your eyes as you moaned around his fingers, before he finally removed them.

He was panting by then.

“So fucking tight, this cunt’s squeezing me so good.”

He groaned, already rutting into you like an animal in heat at that point. Your previously cut-short climax had your walls fluttering around him as it came back with a vengeance, completely overtaking you as you sobbed around his cock, body trembling and writhing beneath him.

He was utterly entranced.

He watched his half-lidded eyes as you had your orgasm, looking so beautifully wild and untamed, and it didn’t take long before he was spurting thick ropes of cum into you, painting your insides.

He collapsed onto you, panting and feeling boneless. The only thing he had the energy to do was wrap his arms around you and hold you close, wing draping over the both of you.

You shuddered, curling up against his chest, managing to pull the blankets over both of your bare bodies, too fucked out and intoxicated to notice that the glamour you had on your wings was gone.

*********************************************************

“Get up, Az, it’s time for traini-“

The both of you scrambled up, your head pounding with a headache, no doubt the alcohol for last night’s fault. Cassian stared at you wide-eyed. You assumed it was the fact that you’d just been caught naked in Azriel’s room, smothered with his scent and the scent of sex, but Azriel quickly tugged some clothes to cover his lower half on, stopping and staring at you.

Cassian’s face contorted in something of shock, betrayal, and overwhelming anger. Illyrian wing colors were usually always genetic, Cassian himself had the same dark wings as everyone else, but they were red when the light shone on the membranes, Az’s were a twilight color, and Rhys’ an amethyst color.

Your wings, however, had a shade of red through the veins, much more obvious than in any other wings. Now that the glamour wasn’t on them, they even had a tint of red to the usually black bat wings.

He recognized those wings, as did Azriel.

“You’re Devlon’s?”

Cassian’s now pissed voice boomed, and you pulled a robe on, useless tears now welling in your eyes. This was what you deserved for hiding it for so many years. You’d never been Cassian’s sister, not by blood like he believed. Your father had simply deemed you infertile and thrown you out to the streets, where his mother had claimed you as her own. You’d both been so young that neither of you remembered.

“I wanted to tell you-“

“When?”

His now booming voice demanded, eyes full of anger and pain, taking a step towards you at which Azriel snarled and intercepted him.

“Don’t.”

Azriel said, his voice low and deadly calm. It was then that you felt it, that tug towards him, the snapping. It must’ve formed for him last night, you realized. That was why he hadn’t sent you off to your room.

“She lied to me, to us for years, Az. She has his wings. She’s not even my sister.”

Cassian’s voice replied, the males both glaring at each other. His words stung more than anything, “She’s not even my sister.” Almost no one in their Inner Court was biologically related, but that felt more personal.

“Not another word.”

Azriel snapped white-hot anger in an intensity he’d never felt before welling up as he saw your eyes fill with tears.

“Why? What’s it to you? What else has she lied to us about?”

“If you say another goddamn word about my mate I will rip your throat out.”

Cassian’s eyes widened, staring in shock, before narrowing. His gaze caught with yours, watching you cry. His instinct to protect warred with knowing that you’d deceived him for years.

“Answer my question. When were you going to tell me?”

A sudden anger built up in you, your grief turning to anger.

“I was going to tell you that night at our hike, but you were too busy fucking Nesta to make time for me, like everything else.”

You snarled, and he growled at the mention of his mate. A realization sounded in his chest. He sighed.

“Fine. Fine. If you want to play like that. But don’t expect me to trust you again.”

He said, before storming out of the room judging by the sounds of commotion in the other room, you could assume that he’d gone to tell everyone else the secret you’d harbored for centuries.

Azriel looked at you, walking over to you, one hand wrapping around your waist and going to your back, pulling you into his chest. His gaze went from your red wings to your eyes, a somber look in his hazel eyes, mixed with the previous anger.

“I think it’s a wonderful color.”

He murmured, trying to be reassuring.

“You aren’t mad?”

You asked, silent tears rolling down your cheeks as you nuzzled into his bare chest.

“It was your secret to share. I’m only upset we didn’t make ourselves trustworthy enough for you to feel comfortable sharing it.”

He spoke, words gentle and lacking the harsh edge Cassian’s had.

“What about the bond?”

You asked. He hesitated but spoke.

“I think it’s the best thing that’s happened to me since meeting you.”

That got a small smile and a huff of laughter out of you, which he was more than thankful for.

“If that weren’t so cute, I might call it corny.”

He chuckled lightly, the sound deep and rich, soothing to your soul.

“Let’s just get through dinner tonight. We can do that, together. I’ll slaughter Cassian if he goes too far.”

*********************************************************

He might just have to slaughter Cassian five minutes into the dinner.

It had been tense from the beginning since you’d come, red-tinted wings not glamoured or covered by any sort of magic. The conversation was dry and scarce, and Cassian was stabbing the meat on his plate with concerning force.

Eventually, Amren rolled her eyes and sighed into her glass of wine, eyes landing on you.

“Address the elephant in the room or I will, and you won’t like the latter, girl.”

Her clipped tone spoke out. You swallowed, throat suddenly feeling dry. Your hand squeezed Azriel’s under the table. Everyone was now watching you closely, even Cassian, who seemed to be feeling a mixture of anger and guilt.

“I’m…sure you’ve figured out by now that I’m..his daughter.”

Your voice was shaky and unsteady, and already had every protective instinct in Azriel’s body flaring up angrily.

“I’m sorry I never told any of you, it’s a long story-“

“We have all night.”

Cassian’s voice spoke out, sharp as a knife. Rhys and Azriel both shot him a death glare. You swallowed, staring down at your plate, trying hard not to break down.

“I was labeled infertile, and he threw me out — Cassian’s mom took me in and..I never brought it up, because I thought you’d think differently of me.”

You spoke, though it slowly turned to quiet mumbles the longer you spoke. Cassian’s sharp gaze softened.

“I - we wouldn’t have thought that.”

He spoke, voice still upset, but not as harsh anymore. Azriel’s gaze moved over to him, still swimming with anger.

“Really? Because the first thing you did upon discovering it was tell her that you weren’t her sister and that you wouldn’t trust her again.”

Azriel’s voice snapped before he could stop it. Rhys and Feyre looked on between the two, clearly surprised by Azriel’s comment. He was always the patient one, never getting angry or worked up. Amren only raised a brow.

Cassian opened his mouth to reply, but another sharp glare from Rhys shut him up. Rhys, ever the peacemaker for tonight, then spoke.

“I think there has been quite a lot of…misunderstandings between you two. She was not obligated to tell you that, Cassian and it wasn’t anything personal. She was scared, that was all, and your reaction to the news is not helping.”

His unamused voice spoke, clearly in High Lord mode and trying to piece everyone back together and stop the conflict. He had enough on his plate with Nyx and his duties now, he didn’t need this.

Cassian sighed, meeting your eyes.

“I’m sorry, for…saying what I said. I didn’t mean it. I was just mad, you’ll always be my sister, related to that piece of shit or not. Also for letting you down to spend some time with Nesta.”

You seemed more than relieved at that, giving him a little smile. If Nesta weren't currently leading her training with the Valkyrie, she might've been offended by that.

“And I’m sorry for keeping it from you, all of you.”

You replied, but before anyone could get anything out in response to it, Mor walked in fashionably late and sat down next to Amren, pouring herself some wine.

“Can we talk about the chemistry between you and Azriel, though?”

She asked with a smirk, at which you nearly turned pink, and Azriel gave her a withering look. Rhys smirked and Cassian snickered, all the while Feyre watched the two of you with a knowing look.

“You could always borrow my cabin in Illyria, for when you both accept the bond, and based on last night, I’m assuming it’ll be soon.”

Rhys’ amused tone then rang out, at which you turned bright red, and even Azriel had a hint of a blush on his tanned cheeks, avoiding Rhys’ gaze.

“Sure. Thanks.”

He managed to choke out, everyone bursting into laughter at that. You squeezed Azriel’s hand beneath the table, and he squeezed it back. He met your gaze, a silent “I love you” in his eyes, and a whispered “I love you, too” from your own.

You might need that cabin earlier than you’d expected.

[acourtofthought]

You know what makes Elain and Lucien such an interesting story?

With Feyre and Rhys, Feyre did not know that she and Rhys were mates but many readers suspected it especially as she began to fall in love with him.

With Nesta and Cassian, we didn't initially know that Cassian realized Nesta was his mate (until he confirmed it in SF) but many readers suspected it especially because we could see how they were always drawn together even from the start.

With Az and Gwyn, it's seems neither is aware that there could be a mating bond but the readers suspect it and it seems like we're going to get a scene at a later point where he thinks, "I should have known when I was so blind with rage I didn't leave anyone alive for questioning" or "I should have known when I felt that spark in my chest for her."

With all of these couples, we could clearly see what they could not and we understood that the reason they were drawn to the other or feeling certain things for the other is because of the mating bond / possible mating bond.

But with Elain and Lucien they were aware of their bond from the start. Now it's not a question of "maybe they have a bond because they're falling in love!" (since it's clear that the unknown bond is what drew the other characters together and they were able to fall in love due to that proximity) but a question of "can they fall in love even with the knowledge of this bond that came about at the worst possible moment in their lives?"

It presents a very unique spin of how two characters can fall in love in this series. Sarah has done the "we're falling in love and lo and behold we were mates all along!" over and over again (we got the same thing with Rowan and Aelin in TOG and a weird version of that with Bryce and Hunt) but never "I'm purposely trying not to love you because I know we have this bond that I didn't ask for and I found out about it while I was engaged to and in love with someone else so I want to fight against possibly falling for you and I'll do that by completely ignoring our bond".

It's very much like an Arranged Marriage trope where both people put up walls because they didn't choose the marriage for themselves but eventually end up finding a love that exceeds everything they imagined and I'm 120% here for it.

[lovemyromance]

Tbh

This fandom is kinda whack if you think about it. TW for language/controversial takes below the cut. If you don't follow me or ship Elriel, I'm pretty sure this will trigger you so just scroll now

Like on one side we have the "Anti-Everything" Squad aka. the people that make ME think I'm not liberal enough by going around and saying shit like:

"Rhys SA-ed Feyre UTM!"

"Tamlin is an abuser but he should be forgiven, also Elain is true endgame"

"Nesta hates Cassian and told him to leave her alone and he didn't listen and harassed her"

"Nesta should've been made High Queen - she did nothing wrong ever and people need to beg for her forgiveness"

"Jurian had on a MASK - he did nothing wrong!"

"Just because Gwyn is an SA survivor doesn't mean she can't have sex! She is ready now to fuck Azriel and anyone who says 'idk give her time maybe' is ANTI WOMEN"

"Elain is boring, she should've died in the cauldron, useless, blah blah"

"Rhys has done nothing for the Illyrians and the CON he's a tyrant"

Then we have the people on the other side: the "So far right it's kinda concerning" Crowd aka. the misogynistic, setting the women's rights movement back 10 yrs people who say shit like/

"Feyre did nothing to earn the position of HL except fuck Rhys"

"Elain can't have Azriel's babies so they aren't going to end up together"

"Elain needs to stop being a bitch and just accept Lucien already. She needs to grovel"

"My precious baby boy Tamlin/Eris/poor baby lulu"

"Mor is a LIAR and she never got brutalized or left at the Autumn Court because Eris said something ambiguous once"

And the funniest/most disturbing part is ??? THEY ARE SOMEHOW USUALLY THE SAME PERSON 😭😭

both sides got me thinking damn did we even read the same book??

[oristian]

The only way in which Elain’s book would not include a POV from Lucien is if SJM had already resolved the bond prior to the book beginning. Lucien and Elain should have already attempted to work the bond out—possibly even getting together out of the convenience of it all—so that the reader can see that clear effort was attempted to make it work.

The reader should have seen both Elain and Lucien suffering while together, clearly seeing that SJM was indicating that they were a poor match. That is when SJM should have begun interjecting that the bond could be broken and that poor matches exist across their world, insinuating that such a narrative arc would take place between Elain and Lucien. She then should have slowly started filing in the blanks and creating angst and tension between Elain and Azriel and Lucien and another potential love interest.

ACOWAR should have wrapped up Elucien completely as not to raise any doubt that they would not be together in the spin-off. Elain and Lucien should have either rejected the bond amicably, or have begun the process to do so—we should have fully experienced their feelings on the matter. Coupling that with the ACOSF bonus chapter without the addition of Gwyn would have set up a foundation wonderfully for the next book being told from Elain and Azriel’s POV.

However, that was not the case.

No resolution for the bond between Elain and Lucien, contextual information that explains that males are affected more, the bond never going away, et cetera., all supports Lucien being the secondary POV in Elain’s book. Gwyn being included in the ACOSF bonus chapter and it ending with Azriel smiling at the thought of her, his chest sparking and other consistent mate language, all indicate that his endgame will be with Gwyn—not even including the scenes between them in the main book. Azriel should not have been included in the Valkyrie training arc in ACOSF if SJM planned on him being with another character. She would have used the background of ACOSF to fully tie him and Elain together, having both Nesta and Cassian notice and narrate interactions between them, creating moments that would indicate their endgame.

This has been reiterated so heavily, but this is a book series. There are industry standards across the world of literature, but also in the romantasy genre—rules and expectations to create tropes and to satisfy a true HEA between couples. As the mating bond is just as much his as it is Elain’s, his POV is vital to her story just as much as she is to his. If people wanted to read contemporary romance, I would suggest Colleen Hoover.

A fated mates trope will do it every single time.

[rizzoreads88]

Elriels are funny. We've been in Azriel's head. One time and know exactly what he's thinking. He is attracted to Elain... but that's all. Their story would never be about choosing love over a bond because Azriel's only motive to go after her is because he believes she should be his mate. His brothers are mated to her sisters, so, in his mind, it's only natural he should be mated to Elain. Even if they ended up together somehow, Azriel's fixation with the bond would not fade, because it's already there when he thinks of the middle Archeron sister. The moment Azriel found his mate would also be the moment he left Elain. And that mate will be Gwyn. He will leave Elain the moment the bond snaps for him and Gwyn.

Are you a romance reader? Like I’m genuinely asking anon if you read romance books a lot? Because in 90% of romance books the love interests don’t confess any sort of feelings for a while into their love story.Romantic pairings in romance books usually start out w lust. (Especially in sjms books)The author shows the reader that the MC’s are into each other by the way the characters act, by their actions toward each other and then once the story gets going we get the love confessions. We haven’t even had Azriel or Elains story yet.

We have been n Azriels pov for one singular bonus chapter. Of course we’re not going to get any sort of love confessions in a bonus chapter. Remember Cassian & Nestas bonus chapter from Acomaf? When we were in cassians pov was he thinking about how much he loved or deeply cared for Nesta? NO LOL he was thinking about how badly he wanted her. His physical attraction to her… they had a almost kiss that didn’t happen in that bonus chapter as well. HMM SOUND FAMILIAR?!?!

But I’ll play along….

So Azriel and Elain get to know each other slowly over two years and then start to like each other… he spends time alone with her in the garden and on Soltice in acofas past 3am never once makes a move on her just hangs and talks w her…. And you think this man doesnt have deeper feelings then lust?

Azriel was the first to notice she was taken in acowar and was full of rage and was willing to die to get her back, then when he gets her back he’s bleeding out and won’t even get looked at until he knows she’s ok…And you think this man doesnt have deeper feelings then lust?

In azriels bonus chapter we learn He can’t sleep because he’s thinking about Elain so much, he saved her Soltice gift put it on his nightstand and looks at it everyday for a year, his razor sharp thoughts go quiet around her, he has a physical reaction to eluciens mating bond, he can read her without his shadows, he questions the cauldron over Elain… not finding a mate… but over Elain…And you think this man doesnt have deeper feelings then lust?

You guys take the one sentence where he says he hasn’t planned farther then his fantasies to mean he only lusts for her!!! Which doesn’t even mean that. It means he hasn’t made any plans for elain bc she has a mate. She is off limits to him. Rhysand reinforces this in the bonus chapter. We know he thinks more about her. He’s losing sleep because that’s how much he’s thinking about her and upset because he can’t do anything about it…. And you think this man doesnt have deeper feelings then lust?

If Azriel did any one of these things for Gwyn yall would never stop saying he was in love w her. I mean you guys take him smiling at her when she cut the ribbon in training as him being into her so please be so for real right now. Yall know Azriel is into Elain much deeper than lust.

Azriel is not fixated on a mate bond. He is into Elain who already has a mate lol… if he was going after elain because he’s just fixated on the mate bond why would he be going after someone who already has a mate? That makes no sense whatsoever

“The moment he found his mate he would leave elain and that mate is gwyn” Ok I’m not sure if you realized you even said this but like wowza…. You know he met Gwyn first right? Hes been around Gwyn longer… yet he still is into Elain not Gwyn. Even after his acosf Soltice moment w Gwyn your sides fav moment “spark and glow!!!!!” 3 days later he is around Gwyn again THINKING ABOUT ELAIN 🤣

But you know who Azriel is not thinking about? Gwyn. He lived in the same court as her for over 2 years and never even checked up on her after Sangravah. Then when he starts training w her for months never even thinks about her to get her her own gift. He pawns off the necklace he got for elain which she gave back to Gwyn anon. Meaning if Elain didn’t return it Gwyn woulda got nothing. Then when Gwyn is taken to the blood rite Azriel cares more about Saving Eris then gwyns well being. And even after that when Gwyn goes to the river house after they complete the blood rite azriels in the same damn house and doesn’t even walk over a couple of rooms to make sure she’s ok🫣

Even if you want to convince yourself all Azriel feels for Elain now is lust that’s still not a good point for your ship LOL bc he’s known gwyn longer and been around her more and is not attracted to her like that.

Remember when SJM had rowan lusting after Aelin in her gold nightgown lonnnnggg before they were together or admitted they had feelings for one another? Remember when SJM had hunt drooling over Bryce in her pink dress lonnnng before he admitted his feelings to her or that he even had any? Remember when Casssian was insanely attracted to Nesta in acomaf lonnnnngg before admitted to having any sort of feelings for her? Or what about Dorian and Manon who literally started out just as purely physical attraction and hooking up? So even if you want to try and convince yourself it’s just lust…Azriel being insanely attracted to Elain is still on par w how SJM writes all her endgames.

[elrielffs]

okay question, with the whole az didnt think beyond anything with elain, what do you think it means truly? like why didnt he go beyond the sexual thoughts?

What is he suppose to plan for? He didn't know Elain was interested in him back and she has a mate. Also, it's Azriel's character. He doesn't think he's worthy so why would he plan anything? Did Cassian have a plan? Did Rhysand? Does Lucien? Why is Azriel the only one that has to have a plan? Why do you expect him to whip out his Wedding Planner binder and syllabus for how he's planned his and Elain's life together?

And you're viewing the BC in a vacuum and not a part of the Elriel journey. Azriel has repeatedly shown that he thinks of Elain other than sexually. He risked his life for her, he let her use Truthteller, something not even Mor got, he sat with her in the garden, he made everyone wait to eat until Elain was back and seated, he stayed up all night listening to Elain talk about garden plans, he got Elain a gift that is representative of her, Elain has made him laugh like no other, seeing Elain even in the same room with Lucien and smelling their bond PAINS him. At the point of the BC, Azriel has known Elain for 2 years.

Also, it's a BC. We are not going to get the entire Elriel book in 4 pages. Nothing definitive can happen in a BC because it was not widespread, not everyone knows about it, and if fans didn't take it upon themselves to upload it to the internet, no one would be able to read it unless they hunted down an OOP copy since it's not uploaded on SJM or BB's website.

We were never going to hear a declaration of feelings of love, an answer to Mor, any forward momentum or anything like that because all of that is reserved for the book. The BC was a tease for those who had picked up all the Elriel hints, we did not need it to confirm Azriel and Elain's interest in each other, at this point most people SHOULD know and also to remind us what is at stake for an Elriel romance. She has a mate she needs to accept or reject, rejecting the bond can cause political problems, and Lucien can call for a Blood Duel, the Mor situation and ofc, the Gwyn part is Lightsinger crumbs to me because it directly compares to a Nesta encounter with Gwyn in ACOSF.

Honestly, I would be worried if Azriel did confess in the BC, if Elain and Az did kiss and end on a good note but they didn't. Their tension and feelings and relation to each other remains unresolved to be tackled in their book.

In short, people expected way way too much from a short BC that not everybody has access to or knows about.

[aldbooks]

So, my friend @hlizr50 posted this lovely art during Gwynriel week and it inspired an idea that's been rolling around in my head until I finally spit it out in Word tonight. So, don't mind any typos or grammar, I did exactly zero editing 😅 Enjoy!

793 words

A distinctly masculine yelp called the entire training ring’s attention to the far end where Gwyn was…. Hanging from the Shadowsinger’s back… side? It was hard to tell from this angle. All Cassian knew for sure was Gwyn’s coppery head was much higher than it should be, and her feet were wrapped somewhere around Az’s middle, rather than on the ground. His brother stumbled at the sudden shift in weight, his wings flaring wide.

As Cassian watched, Az managed to pry one of Gwyn’s legs from around his torso but she quickly scrambled around his body, repositioning herself until she had somehow draped her body across the back of his neck, one of his arms grasped between hers, the other between her thighs.

“Son of a-” Az’s words cut off with a growl as he again attempted to free himself from her hold. He could hear Gwyn snarl at him to yield, which of course Azriel refused- as he should. He wasn’t defeated yet.

But cauldron, did they look ridiculous. 

Nesta and Emerie appeared at this side, wearing amused looks as they watched their friend make a proper fool out of the famed Spymaster. “What do you even call that hold?” Emerie asked with a snort as Azriel’s wings bent and stretched, trying to stabilize him while he worked to get free.

“I think it’s called a Nelson?” Cassion shrugged trying not to laugh as Gwyn “accidentally” kicked Az’s wing, drawing another strangled yelp from him. “But I’ve never seen it done like that…’ 

He finally loosed a grin as an idea came to him. Focusing his mind, he called out to Rhys, hoping his brother was paying attention wherever he was in the city. A moment later, a smooth voice spoke in his mind “Yes, Cassian?”

“You gotta see this.”

Rhys gave an intrigued hum. “Is that so?” There was a brush at his mind and Cassian opened a small window for his brother to see through his eyes. 

Just then. Az managed to find a ticklish spot behind Gwyn’s knee, loosening her hold with a squeal. Before he could pull her off of him completely, however, she scrambled around again, somehow hooking one leg around his back, one over his shoulder, ankles locked together, and both hands wrapped behind his neck.

This time the shift of weight unbalanced him entirely, sending him to his knees… Gwyn still hanging from his neck.

Cassian couldn’t help a chuckle then as a matching one sounded in his mind. He felt a pause on Rhys’ end before he felt another presence in his mind. “Oh my,” Feyre giggled. “How did she get up there?”

“I don’t know, I heard a shout and turned around to find her hanging off him. Everytime he manages to get an arm free, she moves and traps him again,” Cassian laughed. “We might want to consider ear plugs for the poor priestesses, Az’s been cursing up a storm the last couple minutes.”

Az wedged a hand beneath the thigh wrapped over his shoulder- dangerously high- and Nesta whistled. “You usually have to pay to get that handsy, Shadowsinger. Watch it!”

The hand quickly disappeared with a frustrated growl, and Gwyn, the cheek, laughed merrily at his predicament. From the corner of his eye, Cassian caught sight of Mor and Amren perched on lounge chairs, watching the show. How and when they had gotten here, he wasn’t sure. But they were turning his training ring into theater and he should probably say something, but he was too entertained by the spectacle.

After a few more moments of struggling - each attempt at tickling Gwyn now resulted in her thrashing about and shrieking, battering Az’s poor wings even further, even as she clung to him like a magnet- until finally, Az’s wings drooped with a sigh. 

“Do you yield?” Gwyn asked cautiously, still holding tight. There was a mumble and then- “What was that? I couldn’t hear you?”

“Yes, I yield. Gods damn it.”

Immediately, Gwyn dropped to the ground, rolling numbly from underneath him and springing to her feet with a triumphant crow. Nesta and Emerie burst out laughing while the other priestesses rushed over to congratulate Gwyn on besting the Symaster. Mor, who apparently wanted more of a show, booed loudly and tossed popcorn in Az’s direction, which Cassian had no idea how she’d gotten.

“Is he- blushing?” Feyre asked.

Sure enough, Az had slunk off to the side of the ring, his cheeks pink as he gingerly rubbed his shoulder. His shadows, which had been dancing around him and Gwyn throughout the entire bout, not interfering, now twirled in the air behind him. If he didn’t know better, Cass would think they were laughing. “Yes, Darling, I think he is.”

[elrielsgarden]

The 3 things I hate the most about GA & EL arguments:

Nesta didn't change Elain's anatomy to bear Illyrian babies, so she and Azriel can't be together. Also, Gwyn has pliable bones, so clearly she can bear Illyrian babies, which means she and Azriel are endgame.

I'm sorry, WHAT? There are so many things wrong with this. First, you just reduced not only Elain, but your favorite character as well, to nothing more than her childbearing abilities. What is this, the fifteen hundreds? Second, we don't actually know if Nesta changed Elain's anatomy or not; she said "so none of us have to go through this again," only mentioning herself. That does not exclude Elain. Third, Gwyn having pliable bones has absolutely nothing to do with her childbearing abilities; she doesn't have Illyrian anatomy, so she, too, should actually be unable to do that. Fourth, you don't have to be able to have biological kids to be in a relationship with someone; that invalidates the realties of so many real people in the real world. Let's not even go there.

Azriel's feelings toward Elain are only lustful, and he will actually be in love with Gwyn.

So, assuming that's actually who Azriel is, you want your favorite character to end up with a f***boy? That sounds like a great storyline. Actually, that is the exact opposite of Azriel's character, and one of the reasons we love him so much. He feels so much more than lust for Elain; all you have to do is look at the countless moments between the two of them since they met in ACOMAF.

Lucien has suffered enough; he should be happy, so he should be with his mate, Elain.

Actually, Elain said she wasn't interested in Lucien. She doesn't want him. That should immediately be enough to eliminate the possibility of a relationship between Elain and Lucien. Ignoring Elain's decision in favor of a male's supposed wants/needs shouldn't even be considered here. Additionally, Lucien seems to be developing a relationship with Vassa, so let's look at what's actually on the page before jumping to conclusions here. Azriel says to Rhys that Lucien will never be good enough for Elain, and, honestly, that's true. Lucien is not the perfect, ideal male so many make him out to be.

As an Elriel, I can say with confidence that I read the series and saw Elain. Not who people pretend she is, not who people want her to be. Just her. And what that told me was this: she is beautiful, strong, gentle, kind, and loving; she deserves to make her own choices, particularly when it comes to love, and in canon text, that choice is Azriel. She chooses him, and he chooses her. Nothing more needs to be said.

[elainsgirl]

For elains book, I want SJM to focus on elain - and her relationships. I don’t think it would take away/over shadow elain’s relationship with Azriel to explore her other relationships and her own character. Like it or not, Elain’s relationship with her sisters and even Azriel’s relationship with the ic is a big part of their own characters. It be weird if that wasn’t explored. I’m not saying that I want it to be a huge part of the book or the sole focus, but I also would like SJM to dive deeper into their dynamics outside of romance.

Im just afraid that elains book will end up like Nesta’s. Nesta had a lot of potential and her story could’ve been much better but to me it felt superficial- especially her relationships. Her romance to Cassian, for example, felt like it was more about lust than love. While I love the valkyeries, to be honest, her relationships with Gwyn and emerie wasn’t as flushed out as I wanted - considering that played massive role in Nesta’s healing (mostly it seemed they were there to agree with her and not challenge her). I know it’s an unpopular opinion but ACOSF was more smutty than it needed to be and I didn’t feel as attached to Nesta’s relationship with Cassian or even Nesta’s character in general - although I liked her healing arc. SJM focused more on smut than Nesta’s relationship with her family - which was sad because it left her healing arc kinda unfinished. We never got that closure for the sisters or the apology scene many people were hoping for - and I think that’s why a lot of people still don’t like Nesta despite her journey through self discovery and healing.

With elains book, I don’t want SJM to focus on just sex or make sex the biggest part of their story/most important aspect of their relationship. I don’t want to walk away feeling that their relationship is more about lust than love like I did with ACOSF. Azriel and Elain’s relationship isn’t based on just lust. I want them to grow individually and together - and to do that, they have to work on themselves and their relationship with the people around them. And I’m sorry but it’s just boring if SJM just focuses on romance. One of the biggest reasons people enjoy books like ACOTAR, fourth wing, and other novels is for the friendships and found family.

And frankly elain is interesting on her own, even without a partner. She’s a human turned seer, who much rather use her brains than her fists. SJM hasn’t written a main female character like elain in a long time. I love characters like aelin, Manon, and Nesta - but I miss soft characters like elain. Let’s not make Azriel or her romantic relationship the most important part of her character or her story. And the same goes with Azriel. He’s a spymaster of the night court, he doesn’t need a partner to be interesting either.

This also isn’t to say I don’t want Azriel to prioritize elain over everyone - or vice versa. Elain and Azriel will always love each other more than anyone else and put each other first - as they should. It’s just that their romantic relationship isn’t the only important relationship in their life - it’s just the most important one.

definitely agree! Elains book will further flesh out the relationships we’ve seen do far in acotar, giving us another perspective of the IC, vanserras, tamlin and the sisters relationships. Elains book would be empty if these connections aren’t explored especially the IC and sister relationships.

I definitely agree about Nesta. Her relationships with everyone aside from the valkryies felt very surface level, Sjm didnt deepen or truly explore any dynamics. For Nessian - they where all about lust, which isn’t a bad trope itself but usually in these sort of relationships an author will also write many significant soft domestic moments which Nessian imo lacked. If im being totally honest - aside from lust, I can’t remember any domestic nessian moments except from Cass complimenting Nesta’s hair but that too seems a little superficial. Nesta’s book could have explored the sisters past a little more as well as explain their dynamic, I can gather why Nesta favoured Elain but its an assumption sincr acosf doesn’t confirm exactly WHY Elain was favoured so much by her eldest sister. I dont even think Nesta’s animosity towards Feyre was every actually explained? I read acosf so long ago and haven’t touched the book since so my memorys a little fuzzy. It felt like Mass put all her energy towards the Valkryies and whilst they formed a genuine connection and lovely moments - it still felt kind of fake? Or again, very surface level and it was hard to truly enjoy their friendship and how Nesta was with them when at the same time, She was distant from her sisters and bitter towards them. I understand why she was that way - but it still sucked to read about. Definitely agree that the reason many people still can’t forgive Nesta is because Feyre hasn’t received an actual apology or even a decent explanation to why she was neglected and treated horribly.

Thing w elriel that gives me a little bit of hope is the fact that elriel formed a genuine connection. It wasn’t insta-lust/love. They got to know each other and through that began to fall in love. Im on the same boat of not wanting elriels book to have too much spice, less spice but make it meaningful fits elriel more. I want Mass to explore elains relationship w the twins, her take on her dynamic w feyre/nesta - a little about their childhood and parents, i want Az to deal w Mor, his tension filled relationship with Rhys, how he feels about the IC - his mother. There’s so many dynamics mass can explore, I truly hope she doesn’t skimp out and actually gives us a good book filled with romance BUT exploring complex, relatable relationships too.

I cant wait for Elains character to enter the romantasy market and hopefully in the future we get more elaim coded characters that we can relate too. I cannot agree more, Elain doesn’t need anyone- least of all a man - to be interesting. She’s a made seer that has made the cauldron purr for her. She kicked hounds off Az and kills a king only to go on baking and gardening like this duality - fawn & beast - is the most natural thing ever. Slight disagree w Az, im sure many find him interesting as a standalone character but I personally care to only read about him if he’s w elain. If not, I could care less about his character.

Exactly. No doubt Elriel will always be each other’s number 1 but that isn’t to say Mass still can’t explore other dyanmics and relationships so their book becomes richer and different then acosf.!

[valkyriestan]

The fact that e|riels seem to not even acknowledge that gwynriel could be a thing simply astounds me. They keep trying to ignore the BC which is the first time we even get into Az’d head. Okay let’s say Elriel is endgame so what is the point of gwyn even being given that sort of page time in Az’s bonus chapter? Even without gwyn if SJM wanted to explore elriel there is enough conflict and angst that is already set up. We have elain being mated to lucien, the fact that Rhys basically forbades it (their oh so forbidden love trope which would all be over minute Elain makes her choice and rejects her mate and of course lucien will never force her to be with him) but even then there is enough angst and conflict built up for elriel with having to deal with the rejection or what az might feel about Elain being mated to another and the political ramifications of it all and also the fact that az and mor thing is still unresolved, so with all of this why would gwyn get page time in his bc if she is just a red herring? Don’t we already have unresolved issues with lucien and mor? Okay let’s say it is all just friendly (which reading the text doesn’t give that vibe whatsoever) what do gwyn or Azriel contribute to each other’s story (as friends?). She started her healing journey with her valkyries, he calls her hardly a friend (which Elriels like to be loud about) and Azriel has so many other ppl he is close to and if Sarah went down the elriel route then they’ll heal together, so what do they even bring to each other’s story to warrant page time in az’s pov. They have a brief history sure but why would a friendship angle even be set for them? As elriels like to say gwyn is just a side character and that’s it. Okay let’s say she is an evil light singer - there are so many things wrong with this theory. First off the fact that nesta finds her healing through her friendship with the valkyries, gwyn is literally an SA survivor who has gone through shit, Sarah loves valkyries and she was inspired through her own friendship, the fact that she has literally said any character associated with music can’t be evil because she loves music and the biggest WHY WOULD WE EVEN NEED AN EVIL LIGHTSINGER when you literally have other strong villains? Why would elriel even need an evil light singer for plot when they literally have so much conflict and other villains to fight already? Why would Sarah highlight gwynriels reactions to each other in ACOSF? Why do his shadows behave differently around her? If she is just a side character why is there so much to know about her? Her heritage, her powers etc? What would she bring to az’s story if she is not a villain or an unnecessary red herring unless she is his love interest of course and currently he is still pining (if you could call it that) for Elain so unless she is his end game there is no point to link gwyn with Azriel (which Sarah has no matter how much you deny it). That page time could have been easily given to mor (with things that are still unresolved between them) or emerie - who might be connected to the Illyrian plot instead of gwyn. Sarah is literally setting gwyn up for her own story with az the same way she has set up lucien with all his plots and we will get his story with Elain. Like if rejection is what she wanted to explore why Lucien (when he already lost someone who thought was his mate?)? Why has she not even explored the mating bond yet? He is literally a good guy so why should a well written MMC be rejected when they haven’t even explored the bond, he literally has done no wrong to Elain, as much as there has been buildup for Elriel there has been buildup for elucien as well. Both Elain and lucien have their own story arcs and for Elain to reject without any actual explanation as to why or without exploring the bond would just be bad writing and super disappointing. (Not to mention the fact that there have been subtle moments where we have seen Elain and lucien care about the other).

[readychilledwine]

The Extra Mile

Summary - Rhysand has never failed to surprise you for your birthday, and he's not going to start now.

A/N - enjoy this drabble before the big bang tomorrow 💜 baby daddy and I are spending the day together and giving into ALL of my cravings today 🥹🥹🥹 ps peep the inspiration dress at the end of the drabble. I DROOLED.

You stretched, feeling over to your mate's side of the bed and pouting when you felt it was empty. You were used to him having to leave early in the mornings, but typically he woke you up for a quick kiss goodbye or a fast round of morning sex before slipping out from the covers and taking care of his duties.

But today was special, and he normally didn't do anything besides worship you on your birthday. You sighed, chalking it up to this being the first year you two could celebrate since he left for the mountain, since Feyre had been made, and the war with Hybern, maybe between all of that, he had forgotten.

You sat up, wrapping the satin sheets around your body and went to walk to the closet, only for a tendril of darkness to grab your wrist and pull you to the bathroom instead. "Did your master send you?" It seemed to nod, gently guiding you to a warm bubble bath. A bottle of wine sat near the edge, waiting for you to pop the cork along with a tray filled with grapes, cheeses, and a note in Rhysand's graceful scrollwork.

You smiled as the darkness swirled your naked body before disappearing with an almost kiss-like feeling on your cheek and temple. You leaned against the wall of the tub, opening the letter. You looked over to the side where the dress he mentioned in it was hanging. It was, of course, a beautiful piece made by his mother. It was, shockingly, a deep crimson red velvet gown with long sleeves, it had a rounded neckline and you could see what appeared to be chains and gems adorning what appeared to be an open back.

You heard the door open and another wine glass appeared. "Well, hello y/n darling." You smiled to Rhys, leaning your head against the tub and instantly moved so he could join you. "How was training?"

He sighed, stripping himself of his leather bottoms in an almost slow teasing manner. "Gwyn disarmed Azriel, Nesta beat Cassian in a hand on hand spar, Emerie let me teach her a new archery tip and trick to help her with drawback and aim. I'm very proud of them." You smiled at his sparkling eyes. "Emerie especially. You should be very proud of her."

"I am every day. Thank you for bringing her here." He nodded, getting in behind you and pulling you into his arms. "What's the plan for today?"

Rhysand poured you both a glass of wine, handing you yours and taking his. "Well, since this is the first year your birthday has been calm in years, I thought maybe we should enjoy a day shopping in Winter." He smirked behind his hand as you seemed to almost begin to glow in anticipation. "Then we will have dinner with Kal and Viv, because your sister asked if I would share you this year." The water began to splash lightly as your shoulders danced. "Then," he drawled out, "Kal has kindly volunteered to let us enjoy the weekend in your family's cabin, just us. No work. No worries. Perhaps, no clothing."

That was the final queue, you quickly turned yourself in his arms, hugging him tightly. "Does that sound good, darling? I know it isn't an extravagant party like Beron forces Lady Autumn to endure."

You nodded, eyes watering slightly, "It's perfect, Rhys. Just absolutely perfectly."

Isn't. This. Stunning?

[fawnandshadows]

I Love You, I'm Sorry

I Miss You, I’m Sorry

Word Count: 30k

Warnings: Language, Mental Health Issues

AO3

Two Augusts ago I told the truth, oh, but you didn't like it, you went home

You're in your Benz, I'm by the gate, Now you go alone

“So,” Azriel’s voice crackled over the phone. “You’re staying with Feyre and Rhysand?” 

Elain was surprised he’d answered her call. For the last two weeks she had tried to call him a handful of times and just sat there while it rang against her ear. It wasn’t until she was nestled on her new bed in Feyre’s house that he answered. She wondered if he knew. 

“Yeah, I just wanted to let you know,” Elain said, leaning against the fortress of pillows on her plush bed. Feyre must have had a ball decorating the entire house, the room she was staying in was a luxurious sea green with gold accents. “I’m trying to work on the whole communication thing. A bit.” She forcefully clenched her teeth to stifle her ramblings. 

“A bit?” Azriel asked, sounding slightly more in focus than before. 

“Yeah,” Elain said, her fingers toying with the tassels on her comforter. Even though June was just around the corner it was cold enough that Elain sought to huddle under the massive, fluffy blanket on her bed. It was only her second night there, but she and the bed got along nicely. She might only be in it for a short time, but it was a nice love affair. “Some things don’t need to be said.” 

Heavy, uncomfortable silence fell between them. Her foot firmly in her mouth. 

“Just that—”

“It’s fine, Elain,” He cut her off in a clipped voice. “Somethings are better left unsaid,” Was he talking about her? Spiders crawled under her skin at the thought, her one moment of honesty in the last five years had caused so much messy turmoil. “For the sake of communication,” Her breath caught in her throat. “You should know Feyre is planning a surprise party tomorrow.” 

Elain groaned, slinking down in her bead. Her hair tangling against the pillow as she sunk below the line of her comforter. 

“Define party?” Elain asked, the knowledge biting at the back of her head that Azriel had known she was moving before she had told him. She wondered how long — how many calls did he ignore knowing he couldn’t avoid her forever? Would he have answered any of them if she hadn’t moved back? 

“Pizza,” He said neutrally and Elain could hear him moving over the receiver. A fridge opening? “Nesta and Cassian. Rhysand and Feyre,” She heard glass shifting and the rustling of plastic. “And me.” Two weeks ago that sentence would have ended with And me and Gwyn, but two weeks ago they wouldn’t have been having this conversation at all. 

“That’s it?” Elain asked, scrunching her face as little flickers of hope fluttered in her chest. It shouldn’t be too awkward. If they could keep Nesta and Azriel away from each other…The break up between Azriel and Gwyn had not been pretty, Elain heard. She was sitting on the floor of her bedroom packing when Feyre called her, she answered, unknowing that Feyre was calling her to give her a play-by-play of the mess she had caused. Azriel had called it off a week after the long weekend in the cabin and Gwyn (understandably) had asked for a reason and Azriel couldn’t give one — he had tried to claim cold feet, but she offered to postpone. He tried to say he just ‘wasn’t the marrying kind’ but she insisted that after three years together how could marriage be any different? She asked if there was someone else and he firmly said no, but apparently she didn’t believe him. He didn’t so much as hesitate, but Gwyn swore there was no other reason for him to want to call off the wedding, unless he didn’t love her. Azriel’s silence had prompted her to throw a vase at his head, he dodge and it shattered across the wall. Gwyn had packed her bag and left that night to stay with Nesta. Nesta had called Feyre the next day, asking if Azriel had talked to her or Rhysand. Feyre had called Elain later that day. 

“That’s it,” Azriel said, shutting the door and Elain heard the pressure release of a popped bottle cap. Beer, probably. “I wasn’t going to go, but you know how Feyre is.” Impossible to say no to. 

Elain tossed the words over in her mouth before saying, “Was it me or Nesta you didn’t want to see?” 

His sighed rankled her spine. Like steam slowly being released from his body. 

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.” Elain said quickly, trying to save him from answering because in all honestly the answer was probably both of them. 

“You and I,” Azriel spoke like it pained him, his voice a tension laced coil. “We aren’t together, Elain. I need you to know that.” 

An elephant stepped on her chest. 

“I know.” she said in a meek voice. It was startlingly clear that they weren’t together, especially since that night her memories have been screaming at her from when they were together. Even more vividly than the ones that haunted her every waking moment and followed her around the city. 

He paused for a moment and Elain wondered if he could hear her heartbeat. 

“We should talk,” He said evenly and Elain could feel him pulling away from her, what little he had deemed to give her slipped out of her fingers. “In person. Once you get settled.” He wasn’t in a rush, she realized, to have a conversation with her. Not that it was surprising, but she had hoped…she wasn’t sure what she had hoped. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Elain rushed out. The fragility of their conversation wasn’t lost on her. It felt like she was balancing on a pin while juggling and doing an astoundingly horrific job at it. “When-um-whenever you’re free.” 

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Azriel said and clicked off the phone before Elain could say goodbye. Her phone almost slid from between her fingers, but she caught it before it knocked into her nose. She…didn’t know how she felt about the call. Despite her best efforts, a wiggling of joy (or something as equally unfamiliar) wormed inside of her. 

Delicate. Everything was delicate.  She sank further into the bed, replaying the conversation with Azriel on a loop. His voice was so real she swore he was beside her. It was friendly, almost, if she squinted. Friendlier than any other conversation they’d had in the last five years and maybe…maybe…maybe…something good was around the corner.

Read The Full Story On AO3

[acourtofthought]

Following the Elain Archeron tag is painful. I love Elain and her character yet somehow when I want to see Elain content I'm constantly bombarded with the most insane takes.

Currently the tag consists of a post that claims Az and Gwyn can't end up together because Feyre hasn't met Gwyn.

............................................take your time to soak that one in.

It doesn't matter that Nesta (and Az) who took lead in the crossover (with Feyre nowhere to be found) is best friends with Gwyn.

It doesn't matter that Azriel himself knows Gwyn to the point that she now receives his looks of amusement and admiration.

It doesn't matter that Rhysand knows Gwyn.

But if Feyre hasn't met her yet? NOPE! She can never, ever meet her therefore she cannot have a relationship with Az. It's not like he or Nesta could introduce her to Feyre, can you imagine the insanity that would ensue?!

Because every character in this series MUST have a love interest who also knows Feyre regardless of the original characters well developed connection to her. Which means we're pulling from a very small pool here, lending the series to having a very incestuous vibe. Clearly Vassa is pre-approved for Lucien because she and Feyre met maaaaaybe twice? And Helion can resume his romance with the LoA because she once thanked Feyre for sparing Lucien's life and Feyre later burned her arm with her magic?

If Feyre hasn't already given her match making advice about a particular pairing then there's no hope. She is forever connected to the happiness of all future characters simply because it is necessary that she have an opinion on who they should be with.

I mean it's not as if Feyre was busy being pregnant and told to give Nesta space during her time at the HOW which is why she didn't meet Gwyn. Clearly, she should have shown up despite Cassian's insistence that the sisters keep their distance just so Sarah could write a scene where she and Gwyn become acquainted so she could become a realistic future love interest for Az. Or stepped away after almost dying so she could welcome the house guests drinking tea in her sitting room.

I guess that means the only people Mor can end up with is Vassa, one of the wraith twins or Ressina since Feyre hasn't met Emerie either.

[lovemyromance]

No bc if ALL SJM was doing with Elriel was setting them up to be the charred ruined ashes from which the Elucien & Gwynriel ships set sail....

Why even include Elriel at ALL?

Sorry - correction - why ONLY include Elriel moments from ACOWAR - ACOSF? And no moments with Elucien? No mention even of Gwyn or Gwynriel?

Feysand had setup and chemistry with each other in ACOTAR. Nessian had setup and chemistry as early as ACOMAF, 3 whole books before we got their story.

But you're telling me, on the eve of an Elucien or Gwynriel book, we have had ZERO displays of their chemistry and setup together?

This is not a standalone series. It's a continuation - a spinoff from Feyre's story. There is no reason why there should be ZERO build up between these alleged couples in a spinoff. That's the exact OPPOSITE of what authors do for spinoffs and sequels.

Elriel is not "build up for Elucien". It can't be - if there's no Elucien in sight. Now, if SJM had written Elriel - but ALSO had Elain & Lucien interact and be in each others orbit over the past 3 books - then I would be more open to considering this argument.

But alas / every plot point Elucien should've had to set them up (rescue scene, power discovery scene, giving Elain an almighty weapon scene, potatoes scene, bonus chapter scene) -> all that has been given to Elain & Azriel.

If SJM planned on EL/GA - all Elain & Azriel would've hypothetically shared is an off page hookup. But that's not what we got. We got scenes where they start to understand and care about each other. We get scenes where they show their subtle attraction (and eventually - right in your face attraction) to each other.

If SJM wanted to make Elain & Azriel a bump in each others roads to HEA -> she would've written them the same way Nesta fucked some nameless fae in the first chapter of ACOSF.

Vaguely. Barely a paragraph. ONE mention.

You don't painstakingly set up quiet moments with them in the background of Feyre or Nesta's book. In fact - you don't even bother with setting up any interactions between them until this supposed Elucien/Gwynriel book.

There is simply no reason to waste words like that. SJM has already said the spinoff is dual POV, one couple.

This is not throne of glass where Aelin went through 2 men in 3 books just to end up with someone new. This is not CC, where Ruhn went through Hypaxia to end up with Lydia. Those were multi-POV, and relationships were developed across multiple books.

And all this is just based on the logic of how Elriel has so many interactions together - let alone the actual quality and significance of the actual scenes. Their stories have been woven together since ACOWAR.

SJM compared Elain's potato steam to Azriel's shadows for fucks sake. Think about how y'all would react if Elain baked a caramel tart that was described as "the same golden hue as Lucien's eyes". Think about how y'all would react if Gwyn gave Azriel a book on how to sing better idk - a gift that made him laugh so hard his eyes brightened / a gift that he stared at for a YEAR

Y'all would go nuts, don't even act otherwise.

The mating bond between Elain & Lucien is the obstacle here. Not Elain & Azriel's blooming relationship.

[sjmgirlie]

“I see so much potential for Lucien and Elain”

Where?

There has not been a single scene in 2 novels and 1 novella since we found out they were mates that alludes to any potential at all?

They haven’t even had one conversation where Feyre isn’t there carrying it? He lives on the other side of Prythian? Can't stand to be around her? She wants to leave the room each time he's there? Specifically sits away from him? Like where is the potential other than some sort of imagery (which I'll get to)? It ain't there.

“I can’t imagine a single conversation happening between Elain and Azriel”

Really?

They had one the first day they met. Talking about flying.

Not to mention on Solstice they stayed up to talk to each other when everyone else went to bed.

How do we know they didn’t talk when they were in the garden together?

“Azriel just stifles Elain. She’s just a damsel in distress”

You sure?

He literally gave her the knife he had literally never let anyone touch in 500 years to protect herself? Cassian didn’t want Nesta finding the troves either? Are we trying to say that a man who wants to protect a women is suddenly.. unattractive? Like idk about you, but I would love for a bat boy to save me lol. Or tell me not to do something for my safety. But okay.

“It’s just lust”

Let’s not even go there because a male willing to participate in a blood duel and renouncing his own religion is not just trying to have sex

“Lucien is the son of Helion and Elain needs sun!”

Ya?

Well Lucien has never had sun imagery. It’s fire from his Autumn Court heritage and in Hybern he released himself with SPELLS. Feyre was actually the person to cast out a bright light to break the wards, and we find out later that it’s a gift from the Dawn court. Lucien tells us this. Lucien has fire magic and is a spell cleaver, not the sun. ELAIN is the sun. Day court does not equal sun for Lucien. Sorry.

“Elain will never accept Azriel’s profession”

Oh?

Pretty sure she’s already accepted everyone in the Night Court. They all have jobs that are borderline sus. And considering the countless instances where we see Elain is actually very observant, I’m sure she knows what he does, yet she still leans into his touch. Not to mention Mr. fashion police Cassian also tells us that Elain is not a loyal dog. That she saw everything Nesta did and understood. Doesn't seem like she's not accepting to me.

"Azriel just wants a mate!!"

Seriously?

If the male wants a mate why would he bother spending time with a female he knows has one? Why wouldn't he be sailing around Prythian looking for her? Because she sure as shit isn't in the Night Court. And let's be honest, I don't think he will even be getting a mate if it's not Elain through some sort of different bond. Because there is no one in canon right now that could be his mate, and we only have 2 more novels and 1 novella left. And his book is next. Apparently we can all agree on that, but can't accept Elain is also getting the next book, aka their book together. And no, Gwyn is not his mate, because it would have already snapped into place. We had an 800 page book where they were in the vicinity of each other through all the training monologues (so maybe more 400 pages) and it didn't happen? Rhys knew before they left under the mountain. Literally happened at the end of the book. Cassian knew the first day he met Nesta. Lucien knew the second Elain took her first breath lol... it's not happening.

"Elain should be with Lucien and they would be High Lord and Lady of Day Court!!"

Ew?

You want to kill off Helion??? I want the novella to be about him and the Lady of Autumn tbh (even though it's likely Mor). Like? No, I need some sort of scene with Helion in each remaining book. I need more of him, biblically and spiritually. Also, have we forgotten “You can not resent my decision to lead a small quiet life..” ??? Elain said this in ACOSF to Nesta, like, do you think this girl wants to be High Lady all of a sudden? No. She doesn't.

"Elain needs to give Lucien a chance!!"

Why?

I swear everyone who says this has never been in that "Oh, well he's just such a nice guy!! Give him a chance" type of situation. Like why should I? WHY SHOULD SHE? He literally was an accomplice in her human life being stripped away from her. Should they end up being friends? Yes. Together romantically? No. If she doesn't want to give him a chance, which she clearly doesn't, then she doesn't need to. Stop diminishing choice in character arcs. Her whole arc, with Azriel and Lucien, is centred around choice in the first place.

"Azriel's shadows danced for Gwyn, so they are endgame"

Huh?

Don't get me wrong, the shadows are a part of Azriel, but I don't think they literally determine his life for him. Actually, I know this 100%. His shadows are under his command. Also, they danced for her breath, not Gwyn. Which is weird. Not to mention his shadows alert him in times of trouble and to gain information. Is it not weird they didn't alert him that she was there? Like that's not being wing-shadowy, that's screaming something sus is going on. (And no, I'm not anti-gwyn or even saying she's evil. Is she a lightsinger? Probably. The evidence is there. Does it mean she's bad? No.)

"Azriel's shadows hide from Elain, so they can't be together"

Lol?

Again, are Azriel's shadows the ones that command him? Or does he command them? And his shadows have disappeared for half of the IC. They disappear when there is no threat. They disappear when he doesn't want them there. Pretty sure Azriel's whole character doesn't just revolve around shadows. Sure, they are a huge part of his identity so far, but do we truly think that he wants to be reduced to them? Doubt it. He's probably had a very hard time coming to terms with the fact people have always looked at him differently because of it. I wouldn't be surprised if him becoming a Shadowsinger (since they came to him later in life in the dungeon) was a result of unfathomable trauma. Azriel does not only equal shadows only. We just don't know him yet.

"The BC sunk Eriel"

Truly?

You mean the bonus chapter where Azriel was about to get on his knees for a taste? The bonus chapter where Elain was giving him offer and permission? The bonus chapter where Rhys was the reason they DIDN'T actually kiss? The bonus chapter where Rhys became their obstacle and lifted the stakes not only on a personal level (with Elain thinking she was rejected, with Az and Rhys having a wedge between them) and politically (the potential downfall with god knows how many courts since Lucien is a drifter and the human lands)? Like we need the stakes!!!! This is what makes it worthwhile to read?? Forbidden romance? That should be enough intrigue. Plus anyone who genuinely thinks an author would write a male character willing to drop to his knees for a female (we've seen this with both Rhys and Cassian btw) only to have him move on in the next book is just idk. It's not possible. It would be so UNROMANTIC for them not to end up together. Like I would never forget Azriel wanted Elain's coochie so bad only to end up with someone else??? Ya, that's not romantic.

"Elain and Tamlin would be perfect mates"

Throws Up

So Elain is going to go to the only court where there is no gardening because the HL magic keeps everything in eternal bloom, only to shack up with her sister's ex who that same sister almost married and her mates ex best friend? Make it make sense. You're truly showing your hatred for stereotypical feminine qualities my friend. Tamlin needs some time to lick his wombs and maybe learn how to cook. He needs to stop isolating himself. And again, Elain is not his mate. Also, let's just add Elain is not ever leaving the Night Court. The series is about the Archeron sisters, and her sister is the literal High Lady of NC, not to mention her other sister is mated to the Illyrian General. Like be for real right now.

The End. 🌹🗡❤️🦇