theseeingfawn

[theseeingfawn]

An @acotargiftexchange gift for @elainarcheronslawyer! Happy, happy holidays! ❄️

Pairing: Elain Archeron/Azriel Word Count: ~2k Rating: T Tags: Book 4: A Court of Silver Flames, Winter Solstice, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Dresses and Fashion, Soft Azriel Summary: She didn't think she wanted to dance tonight; Rhys and Feyre had made it very clear that Elain wasn't to do anything that made her uncomfortable, and she wasn't certain she was ready to mingle with the wicked courtiers in the Hewn City. From what Rhys had told her of them, she already knew that she'd dealt with quite enough of their sort of scheming and backstabbing at balls in the mortal lands, and she wasn't interested in diving headlong into centuries-old grudges and ancient, faerie snobbery just yet. But if she were to dance, and if Azriel were to be able to spare a moment from guarding her sister and brother-in-law, she would have wanted to dance with him.

Read on AO3 or under the cut!

The dress was the color of a starless night.

Draped over a hanger, the slinky black gown that Nuala and Cerridwen had brought to Elain's room looked exactly like the vast, endless void hanging over Velaris just outside of the wide bay window beside her wardrobe—darkness stretching infinitely on into the heavens, far beyond what the naked eye could see.

Black didn't do justice to the delicate silk velvet nap that gobbled up every bit of light that touched it. Onyx, ebony, pitch, jet—no, there was not one singular word that suited this gown.

Elain ran her fingers over the gown and let out a breath.

It was… different. There was no doubt about that.

The cut was purely Night Court, slinky and revealing in spite of the high neckline and wrist-length sleeves, and the twins had instructed her gently that she wasn't meant to wear anything beneath the velvet. Not her chemise, not her corset, not her stockings—all they'd given her was one of the little scraps of silk and lace that were meant to serve as undergarments in this strange, faerie land.

The thought of leaving her bedroom in nothing but a thin layer of velvet made Elain's stomach squirm. Quickly, she tamped down on that feeling.

She'd clung stubbornly to her human fashions after… after moving to Velaris. Almost too stubbornly, she might have thought, if the look in Feyre's eye when Elain requested dresses over leggings was anything to go by.

But in the end, as terrifying as it had been at first, it was a lucky stroke that there were so many different sorts of faerie living in the city—some who wore the leggings and leathers and midriff baring tops that Feyre so adored, others who wore almost human ensembles that had gone out of style centuries ago, still others who wore nothing at all on their scaled and furred and feathered bodies. No one on the street so much as blinked at Elain's day dresses in printed cottons and sturdy wools, and although it seemed that the body-hugging corsets she preferred wearing below the wall hadn't yet replaced straight, old-fashioned stays still worn in the more modest faerie fashions, she had still been able to find a seamstress in the Palace of Thread and Jewels who was happy to make a few for her.

But, tonight, her mortal fashions would be dreadfully out of place.

Tonight, she was leaving the city.

Tonight, she was accompanying the High Lord and Lady of the Night Court to the Hewn City.

And tonight, she was wearing…

Elain chewed on her bottom lip as she surveyed the dress hanging on her wardrobe.

That.

But they needed her. Observing holiday formalities with Feyre's court was about presenting a united front, a royal family that moved and acted as one. It was hardly difficult work, and Elain wasn't even meant to be the center of attention in tonight's scheme. Her dress, as a result, was far more forgiving than the plunging things that she'd seen Nuala preparing for her sisters—pretty, tempting wrapping meant to capture Eris Vanserra's eye long enough to entrap him.

So she didn't let herself sink any deeper into self-consciousness—and she certainly didn't let the niggling pressure at the edges of her mind sweep her away into events that had yet to come.

So, sink or swim, Elain would live tonight as it happened, thank you very much.

"No time like the present," she murmured to herself, a mantra she had embraced in the past year, and stripped down to her skin.

Though the fire crackling in the little hearth in her room kept the air balmy, she shivered atop her little mountain of discarded skirts and petticoats for only a moment. In the next, she had already slipped into Nuala and Cerridwen's absurd undergarment—not quite as revealing as it looked, thank the Mother—before sliding the dress off of the hanger and over her head.

No time like the present.

Clothed once more, Elain let out a breath. The velvet was luxurious, she admitted to herself, skimming a hand over the skirt. The dress clung to her from the wide, high neckline to her waist, before flowing in inky waterfalls over her hips and to the floor. She held it to her chest, peeking in the tall mirror on one of the wardrobe's doors, and

A pretty dress was a pretty dress, after all, strange as it may have seemed.

She took a step toward the mirror, and the sensation of heavy, silky velvet against her bare legs made her shiver with delight. Watching the way the skirt kicked out with every little movement, she couldn't resist the temptation to spin, and she giggled to herself as the material wove through the air, fluid and sensuous so very like…

She bit her lip. In the mirror, her cheeks turned a shade of pink that had nothing to do with the cosmetics Cerridwen had helped her apply before leaving to tend to Feyre.

He would be there tonight, too. Albeit in a far more serious, official capacity—the High Lord's Shadowsinger.

She didn't think she wanted to dance tonight; Rhys and Feyre had made it very clear that Elain wasn't to do anything that made her uncomfortable, and she wasn't certain she was ready to mingle with the wicked courtiers in the Hewn City. From what Rhys had told her of them, she already knew that she'd dealt with quite enough of their sort of scheming and backstabbing at balls in the mortal lands, and she wasn't interested in diving headlong into centuries-old grudges and ancient, faerie snobbery just yet.

But if she were to dance, and if Azriel were to be able to spare a moment from guarding her sister and brother-in-law, she would have wanted to dance with him.

She had always been quite good at reading men, and she didn't think males were much different. The long, sunny afternoons in the garden, the gentle brushes of his knuckles down her arm when he passed behind her in the kitchen, the way his eyes sometimes seemed to burn when they met hers… it meant something, didn't it?

Oh, gods.

Suddenly, she felt breathless.

Was she as good at reading fae males as she was with human men? Did it mean something that Azriel's wings rustled whenever she entered a room? That his shadows slipped away whenever her fingers grazed his, leaving his handsome, guarded face bare and open to her for just a moment?

Butterflies took flight in her stomach, and in the mirror, her face went even pinker. She pressed a cool hand to her cheeks, and—

And squeaked when her dress slid down her shoulders.

She caught it quickly, readjusting it and twisting to find the long line of little, satin-covered buttons at the back that were supposed to fasten the bodice. It took every bit of flexibility she had, but she managed to slip most of them through the little loops sewn onto the other side of the bodice, but—

She let out a soft, defeated whine as her fingers just brushed the top three—four? No, oh, damn, it was five—buttons that ran from her shoulder blades to the base of her neck.

That was fine. It was fine. Feyre was at the opposite end of the river house, dressing with the twins, and Elain was hardly indecent. The dress was secure, she assured herself as she slipped out of her room, looking this way and that in the hall.

In her bare feet, she hurried across the house, picking up to what she hoped was a genteel run on her tiptoes as she passed through the wide-open entryway—where anyone could see her.

"Elain?"

Oh, oh, oh.

Elain all but slid to a stop at the sound of that dark, cool voice, and she felt flames erupt, scorching her neck and her cheeks.

"Azriel." She tried to smile politely, tried not to sound as breathless as she still felt. At her back, cool air tickled the skin left exposed by those damned buttons, and she fought back a shiver.

She bit her lip as his eyes scanned her, doing her best not to shift awkwardly in the unfamiliar gown under his scrutiny. Secretly, hungrily, though, she scanned him back, drinking in the long line of his legs in dark, well-tended leathers and the gleam of his Siphons on his broad chest. His wings rustled, the shadows wreathing the gleaming talons at their points stretching like a lazy cat, and she suppressed a grin.

"Hello."

Slowly, his eyes lifted away from the place where void-black velvet flowed freely over her hips and met hers. "Are you alright?"

At that, Elain did adjust her weight on her feet, her hand rising again to the neckline of her dress. "Yes?"

Something flashed in the shadowsinger's eyes. His lashes—so thick and so dark and so, so tempting—shadowed the beautiful hazel as he took a step closer, a mottled hand drifting toward the dagger at his side.

"What's wrong?"

Slowly, breathing deeply to try and dispell some of the warmth gathering in her chest, Elain shook her head. "Nothing."

"Elain…"

Azriel took another step forward. His stare was unblinking, all-consuming, and, suddenly, Elain wondered if he conducted all of his interrogations like this.

"My dress," she said, the words tumbling out quickly.

"Your… dress."

"I, ah… I was going to find Feyre or one of the twins. I can't…" Elain couldn't take it anymore; she broke eye contact, glancing down toward a cobalt Siphon as it started to glimmer. "I can't reach the last few buttons."

Azriel turned to stone.

"So I'll just…" Elain nodded toward Feyre and Rhys's door. Her feet slid over the marble tile, and she took a slow step back, reluctant to break the hushed spell that seemed to be falling over the hall.

"I can help you."

It was Elain's turn to go still.

"What?" It was little more than a squeak.

"Nuala and Cerridwen have already left for the Hewn City," Azriel told her. All of the hard, sharp edges seemed to have been sanded away, and his full lips turned up into a ghost of a smile. ""And Rhys just went to see if Feyre needed his... help. I don't think you want to interrupt…"

"No!" Elain cast a horrified glance down the hall, and Azriel's chuckle sent a pleasant chill down her limbs.

"Turn around," he said, softly.

Kindly.

So, watching the shadows pooling along the floorboards and heartbeat hammering, she did.

Every cell in her body was hyperaware of him as he closed the distance between them, his footsteps blessedly audible for once. The air seemed to turn thick, hard to breathe, and Elain loosed a shaking breath when she felt the first tug on her bodice. There was no brush of his skin against hers, no warm breath skimming the column of her neck—not like in the romance novels she'd stolen from Nesta, once upon a time.

But, somehow, Elain was even more struck by how much she enjoyed this proof that Azriel, stoic and stern as he could be, was an utter gentleman.

Gentle… male?

Elain didn't care, because, one by one, he carefully, quickly fitted the remaining buttons through their loops. He didn't linger when he finished, but…

There was a gentle tug on her hair at the nape of her neck. So soft that he couldn't have done more than run a single fingertip through a curl.

"Lovely."

Elain gasped, the pressure at the corner of her mind pulling, and—

And the door at the end of the hall opened, spilling golden light through the shadows.

Elain turned, catching sight of the soft, heartrending warmth on Azriel's face for just a moment before he stepped away, his expression wiped clean.

And she wanted it. She knew it was reckless, but she wanted more and more and more, just like the passing glances and sly brushes, as much as they could steal.

There's no time like the present.

Happy holidays! I am so happy to have gotten a chance to dabble in some fluffy Elriel again for my giftee. I really had a wonderful time diving into Elain's head, and I was giggling and kicking my feet when I saw you posting a few weeks ago about how Elain would cling to mortal fashions inspired by the Tudors and Victorians - I can't agree more!

I hope you have the warmest, loveliest holiday this season!

[theseeingfawn]

Azriel: I feel like I can be myself around you.

Nesta: You're weird and quiet around me.

Azriel: Yes.

[theseeingfawn]

Happy Solstice ✨

I found Elain studying it, beautiful in her amethyst-colored gown. I made to move toward her, but someone beat me to it. The shadowsinger was clad in a black jacket and pants similar to Rhysand’s—the fabric immaculately tailored and built to fit his wings. He still wore his Siphons atop either hand, and shadows trailed his footsteps, curling like swirled embers, but there was little sign of the warrior otherwise. Especially as he gently said to my sister, “Happy Solstice.” Elain turned from the snow falling in the darkness beyond and smiled slightly. “I’ve never participated in one of these.”

⟢ Art by @bloomsbury

⟢ Commissioned by me

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[theseeingfawn]

🥀

[theseeingfawn]

I'll Be Home For Christmas ~ Part One

Word Count: 8.8k

Warnings: Smut, language

AO3

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“I’ve never been on a train before.” Elain admitted, her eyes trained on the snow-covered pine trees through the moving window. 

The strong body beside her shifted, careful to maintain a small amount of space between them. 

“Really?” Azriel asked curiously, turning the page in his worn book, A Christmas Carol, that he snagged from her bookshelf. 

“Usually someone drives me to and from school,” Elain turned to him with a smile. “Someone being you.”

Hazel eyes met hers over the brim of a fraying book. 

“Sorry my car broke down.” Azriel said, almost playfully. Well, Elain could recognize the playfulness in his voice. Anyone else would have heard a droll deliverance. 

“‘Broke down’ seems excessive,” Elain turned towards him, her hands pressed between her cheek and the cloth seat in a praying gesture. “You need a new battery and the shop is closed.”

“The perils of traveling on Christmas Eve.” Azriel said, and though the book was covering half of his face, Elain knew he was smiling. 

She looked around the carriage of the train, over the empty seats, and silently wondered if they always ran the train with next to no one on it. A few passengers rose in other carts, but Elain was grateful for the privacy. Somehow they had managed to hop on the train all of three minutes before it left — the bus that they tried left five minutes early, and the car rental place was completely sold out. 

“I think you did it on purpose,” Elain yawned, her eyelids suddenly feeling heavy. It must have been the excitement and anxiety of this morning getting to her — all the last minute changes, and it wasn’t until her butt sat firmly in her train seat that she felt exhausted. It all crashed into her at once. “So you could see more of my ugly face.” 

An ugly sound caught in Azriel’s throat, and she saw the corner of his eyes crease as he smiled. 

“Of all the words I would use to describe you, sweetheart, ugly isn’t one of them.” 

She smiled softly at that, and then they weren’t talking. She became startlingly aware of the fact that they were just looking into each other’s eyes and the weight of his gaze became the center of her universe.  

With flushing cheeks she blurted out, “Read to me?” 

“Marley was dead to begin with…”

Elain shut her eyes and hunkered down in her seat, listening to his deep, dark, relaxing voice. She focused more on the luxurious sound of his voice than the actual content of what he was saying, but she had read the tale multiple times and saw enough movies to be able to follow along, a picture forming in her mind as she felt lighter and drifted off. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Elain awoke when she felt as if she was no longer in motion. Her neck was bent at an awkward angle, and somehow her cheek no longer pressed against her hands, but had migrated to Azriel’s chest. One arm smooshed between her side and the seat while her other arm came up and clutched Azriel’s shoulder. Her sleeping form clinging to his strength and warmth.

The book was laid open on his chest, and Elain gazed up at him to find that he had fallen asleep as well — one hand resting on his stomach to keep the book in place, and the other stretched over her seat, allowing her to snuggle and burrow into his side. 

He looked devastatingly handsome. 

His black hair curled out from under his navy knit cap on his thick locks, and she could see a few freckles on his brown skin — Elain wanted to touch each and everyone of them, to map them out as if they were her own constellations. Soft snores passed through his parted lips, and it somehow endeared him more towards her. Which she didn’t think was possible. 

With more strength than she had, Elain turned her head away from him and looked out the window. The entirety of the glass was frosted over and Elain nearly had to shield her eyes from the blinding snow swirling around outside. She quickly looked away, but after growing up in New England she only needed two seconds to register what the whiteout meant. 

A blizzard. 

Begrudgingly, Elain pushed herself away from Azriel, leaving her hand on his shoulder to gently shake him awake. 

She watched as his eyes blinked awake, slowly gaining consciousness. 

“Are we there?” Azriel asked, his voice heavy with sleep. 

Elain shook her head in response. 

“I don’t think so,” Elain started, ignoring the way his arm fell so that it no longer rested on her seat but rather on her back. “There’s a blizzard.”

His eyes fluttered behind her to look at the window and then drifted back to her face, understanding dawning in his expression. 

“I fell asleep.” Azriel stated, slight disbelief coloring his voice. Elain bit her lip and nodded her head — Azriel was notorious for his insomnia. Whenever she couldn’t sleep Elain would find herself scrolling through tumblr or Instagram, and Azriel was always on. She’d wake and find messages from him timestamped 3:00, 4:00, or 5:00 am…and whenever she and her sisters would spend the night at the place Az shared with his brothers, she would always wake to hear him quietly playing videos. Sometimes she would go and join him, either having him show her how to play, or if she was too tired she would just sit by him to keep him company. 

“Well, it’s a good thing cause you didn’t sleep much last night.” 

She woke up at seven and saw a text dated three hours before. 

Azriel was in grad school at the same university where Elain was pursuing her bachelors — about seven hours southwest from where their family lived. It was only Elain’s second year, but she loved traveling with Azriel to and from campus. She always had a small, school-girl crush on her sister’s boyfriend's brother, but somehow she had fallen hopelessly in love with him from the passenger side of his car. He was kind…funny…attentive…and there was nothing she could have done to stop the casual affection she felt for Azriel from blossoming into something beautiful. 

And Azriel…Elain thought he felt something similar. When she first started college, he went out of his way to make her comfortable, and he was her only friend until she met Nuala and Cerridwen. But he went on dates and had casual hook ups — on more than one occasion she went to his apartment early enough to see half-dressed girls try to sneak out. Elain would simply paint on a fake smile and avert her eyes, not saying anything to Azriel when she saw him…but his dates and hook ups became few and far between. He spent most of his days texting her, and in all of their free time they would go to the library or their favorite diner — studying together, sharing their favorite meals, or even having Netflix marathons at his apartment. 

Azriel sought her company just as much as she sought his. 

“What are the chances we actually made it to Velaris?” Azriel asked in a gravelly voice, sitting up slightly from his slouched position — his discarded coat halfway off his seat. 

Elain pulled her phone out of her backpack on the ground and checked the time. Somehow only two hours had passed since they left. 

“It’s only 3:00.” Elain showed him her phone. 

“Well, fuck,” Azriel said, rubbing his clean shaven chin. “You should text Feyre, let her know what happened. You know your dad will worry.” 

Elain nodded, sending a quick text to her sister, downplaying what happened to make it seem as if her and Azriel weren’t somehow stranded in the middle of a blizzard — even if they were stranded in the middle of a blizzard. 

“My dad likes you,” Elain said softly, her eyes not looking up from her screen. “I have no service. You?”

Azriel jostled in his seat to pull his phone out of his back pocket, tapped the screen, and shook his head. 

His eyes met hers and a sarcastic look took over his expression as he said, “Your dad hates me.” 

There was one time last winter break where Azriel came over to her house and they watched all the Christmas episodes of The Office in her room — the rest of their family went bar-hopping and Azriel stayed home with her — and they both fell asleep on her bed. Fully clothed. On top of the covers. Somehow in the middle of the night she had ended up in Azriel’s arms. And when her father knocked on her door the next evening he wasn’t thrilled to see her and Azriel sleeping next to each other. Ever since then her father would make off handed remarks about their relationship and would give Azriel the stink eye whenever he saw him — Even if they were huddled over her phone or sitting too close together her dad would yell, “Save room for the Holy Spirit!” which would cause Elain to turn bright red and roll her eyes. 

“That’s not true.” Elain said, tucking her phone back into her backpack. 

“He certainly doesn’t want me dating you.” Azriel raised a dark eyebrow at her and adjusted his beanie. 

A flushed ran through her cheeks as she mumbled, “He doesn’t want me dating anyone. It’s nothing against you in particular. He just knows that we spend so much time together.”

“And you told him you spent the night in my bed.” Azriel groaned and rubbed the heel of his hand into his eye. 

Elain cringed at the memory. For some reason she thought it would placate her father to know that it was a common occurrence — she would go over to his place and accidentally fall asleep while watching tv. Nothing ever happened, but her fathers face turned red with anger before pointing to her doorway and saying “Out.” between clenched teeth. Azriel tried to apologize, but her father wouldn’t let him, so Azriel left and sent her a sad look over his shoulder. 

“I thought it would make it better. Give him a better understanding of our friendship.” Elain explained, crossing her arms across her chest as she leaned back into her seat. 

His eyes fell to her chest, not in a sexual way, but to take note of the sweatshirt she was wearing. His sweatshirt that she had stolen months ago. 

“No one understands our friendship.” Azriel stated, mimicking her posture and crossing his arms, but he did it with arrogance. As if he has somehow checkmated her in this conversation. 

He was correct. 

There were whispers around campus that they were friends with benefits — Even though Elain liked to stick to herself, she had the twins and Azriel and it was enough. Too many bad friends burned her in high school that she learned the value of just having a few good friends. Most people weren’t even interested in her, they just wanted to know the girl who got Azriel to stop sleeping around. For the most part, they just ignored the whispers. 

There was, however, one person that really didn’t love or understand their relationship. Rhysand. Azriel’s closest friend. 

Rhys shrugged off the entire incident of Azriel spending the night in her room. At that point, Elain was still basically his little sister and Azriel was his brother, and as far as Rhys knew Azriel was still fucking around on campus and wouldn’t look twice at her. However, two days later he held a party at his house, where Elain could drink with her entire family and not have to worry about anything, and somehow she ended up on Azriel’s lap. They were both drunk. One of Azriel’s hands on her bare thigh, her skirt was bunched and hiked up higher than she would have liked if she was sober, and his other hand was on her knee — holding her close to his chest so she wouldn’t slip off. Elain was playfully adjusting the Santa Cap on his head, her fingers touching his hair a little more than was necessary, but Azriel let her. He just smiled up at her. And there was a teeny, tiny part of Elain that was hoping he would kiss her. 

He didn’t. 

Feyre came over and kindly pulled Elain off of his lap, offering to dance with her and Elain eagerly agreed. 

Elain had no idea anything was even wrong. It wasn’t until later when she heard Rhys and Azriel arguing upstairs on her way to the bathroom that she realized there was an issue. 

“She’s 18!” Rhys whispered angrily. “You’re 23!”

“You didn’t have a problem with that a few months ago, when you kept pushing me to hang out with her.” Azriel replied in an icy voice. One that Elain almost never heard. 

“To be her friend! To make her feel comfortable and help her settle in! Not to drool over her tits while she’s giving you a lap dance,” Elain looked down at her chest from the opposite side of the door.  “Not to make her fall in love with you.” 

“We are friends.” Azriel responded glibly. 

“A friend you don’t want to fuck?”

Silence. 

“Don’t you fucking hurt her,” Rhys started, and for some reason Elain thought he was probably poking Azriel in the chest. “I know how you are, Az, you’ve never been with someone longer than a week. You get bored and you leave them. Fucking A — that girl looks at you with fucking stars in her eyes. She obviously likes you. Just be her friend. And keep your dick to yourself.” 

Elain quickly scampered to the bathroom. She sat on the toilet and ran her hands under cold water, wanting to cool herself off as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. And when she went back downstairs Azriel was standing next to Cassian — who was playing against Nesta at beer pong — and Az intentionally didn’t meet her gaze as she reached the bottom of the steps. So, she walked over to the makeshift dance floor with Feyre and Mor. Thankful they never noticed the confusion hidden behind her smile. 

Neither of them spoke for a few moments and then the blurry, distorted voice of the conductor came from the overheard speaker. 

Elain and Azriel looked at each other, silently imploring whether or not they could hear what the conductor was saying. 

They couldn’t. 

It wasn’t until one of the workers walked into their car a few moments later that they realized they had managed to dock at a small station, but the tracks were completely snowed over ahead of them and there was no way for them to be going anywhere. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The small diner located just down the street from the train station was cozy, to say the least. 

Small with a few locals sitting in the booths, and as soon the bell jangled to alert the patrons of their arrival, Elain felt all eyes land on her and Azriel. 

It was the type of place where people recognized a new face. 

Elain smiled politely and quickly sat in the booth toward the end of the restaurant, where there was enough room for Azriel to lay down their bags without being in the way. 

She expected him to sit on the opposite side of the table, but he surprised her by scooting into the booth next to her — his thigh pressed against hers as he leaned his head close to hers. 

“What are the chances we get out of this town tonight?” Azriel asked, his voice low and close to her ear. 

Elain forced herself to turn her head and look out the window, taking great effort to appear unaffected by his closeness, and saw the white flurries falling down and obscuring the entire view. Nothing but a veil of white. 

“I’m thinking it’s pretty low,” Elain said, turning back to him. “The roads aren’t even plowed yet.” 

Azriel nodded his head. 

“Looks like you’ll be spending Christmas Eve with me,” Azriel said, nudging his shoulder into hers. “Hope you aren’t disappointed.”

“Never,” Elain smiled, suddenly feeling shy. “You don’t have anyone back home waiting for you? Heartbroken that you aren’t showing up?”

Elain meant the words as a joke, but as soon as the words left her mouth it felt as if the entire world was resting on a pin. Ready to topple with what he said next. 

“No,” Azriel said, his eyes darkening. He brought one hand up to rest behind her shoulders, on the back of the booth. Just like how he sat in the train. “I don’t have anyone pining over me.” 

“Are you sure about that?” Elain asked, leaning into his side. 

Azriel tucked one of her curls behind her ear. He opened his mouth to respond, but the waitress sidled up to their table and handed them the menus. 

“Can I get you lovebirds anything to drink?” She asked, smiling at them. Elain could see the fine lines in her face made from smiling over the years. Her dark curls were piled on top of her head and her name tag read ‘Alis’. 

“Two hot coffees with cream, no sugar.” Azriel said, giving Alis a polite smile. 

“Do you know what you want? Or do you want to look at the menu?” Alis asked. 

Azriel turned to Elain, not even opening the menu before saying, “Waffles and bacon?” 

Elain nodded her head upon hearing her favorite breakfast. Not the healthiest. Or one she had very often. But her favorite. 

Elain tapped her finger on her nose three times, thinking. And as she spoke her finger slowly turned and pointed at his amused expression. 

“Denver omelet,” Elain said thoughtfully. “Rye toast, hash browns, aaaaaaand,” She drew out the last word, thinking about what Az would like to complete his meal. “A side of fruit.” 

“Perfect.” Azriel said with a grin that showed off his dimples and handed the unopened menus back to Alis. 

“You two are sweet,” Alis said, tucking the menus under her arm. “How long have you been together?” 

Elain felt her cheeks blush at the words, but Azriel didn’t miss a beat. 

“About a year now.” 

His arm dropped down from the seat and settled around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. For the second time today. 

His hand curled around her shoulder. 

“But we’ve known each other for years.” Elain added, and Azriel looked at her in surprise as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Underneath his coat. 

“Awww, childhood sweethearts,” Alis said with affection. “I’ll put your order in.” 

She walked away, but neither Azriel or Elain moved. They didn’t shift or pull away. 

They leaned closer together. 

“This isn’t a horrible place to be.” Elain admitted, slightly nuzzling closer to him. 

“Even on Christmas Eve?”

“Especially on Christmas Eve.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

After their meal Elain and Azriel finally decided to check their phones and see if their service finally returned — they both hid their disappointment as they saw the full signal bars on their screens. 

“I’ll call hotels and you call Feyre?” Azriel suggested and Elain nodded along, looking at all the unread messages on her phone. Sighing, she called her sister. 

“Elain?” Feyre answered, worried. “Are you ok?”

“We're fine,” Elain reassured her sister, watching Az dial from the corner of her eye. “We just finished lunch, but I don’t think we can make it home tonight — Our train stopped at the first station it could. We only rode for about two hours.”

“Where are you?”

“My phone said Winter Court — wherever that is,” Elain replied, noting how Azriel hung up the phone to call someone else. “Are you guys still doing cookies tonight?” 

“Yes,” Feyre said, and Elain could hear the shuffling cookware over the phone and multiple people speaking at once. “Though, I’m sure they’ll be burned without you.” 

Azriel sighed, hung up, and called someone new. 

“They’ll be delicious,” Elain said with a soft smile. She was about to remind her sister to set the oven five degrees less than what the recipe recommends, but she heard her fathers voice on the other end. 

“Is that Lainy?”

“Yeah, papa.”

“Let me talk to her,” Static shuffled through the phone, and like clockwork Azriel called someone new. “Are you being safe, sweetheart?” Her fathers voice became crystal clear and for the first time she felt a pang of homesickness. 

“Of course, papa,” Elain said. “But we’re not gonna make it home tonight. Az is calling hotels to book a room for us. I miss you guys.” 

A beat of silence. 

Azriel hung up his phone, but didn’t call anyone else.  

“A room?”

Her eyes met Azriels, and he must have heard her father because he nodded in confirmation. 

“Is was all they had?” Elain meant to say with confidence, but her voice lilted into a question. 

Azriel nodded in confirmation even though his lips curled into a smile as he mouthed, 

“Honeymoon Suite.”

She blushed. 

“Hopefully it has a couch for the boy.” Her father grumbled. 

Before Elain could stop herself she said, “I’m not going to make Azriel sleep on the couch, dad.” 

Azriel raised a dark brow at her. 

“Let me speak to him.” Her father said with a sigh. 

Elain held the phone out to Az, their fingers touching as he took it from her. 

The bastard turned the volume down so she couldn’t hear what her father was saying. 

“Mmmhm,” Azriel’s eyes never left hers. “Don’t worry sir, I’ll protect her,” His hazel eyes darkened. “Mmhhmm. Goodbye.” 

Azriel handed her phone back to her and said, “He hung up.” 

“Honeymoon Suite?” Elain asked, pocketing the phone. 

“This town has a surprising amount of hotels and motels and somehow they’re all booked. Apparently, this is a really popular Christmas destination for tourism, and hotels get booked years in advance. Somehow I found this small B&B and the only room they had was the honeymoon suite on a special reserve. If anyone asks, we eloped at the courthouse on a whim and haven’t had time to buy rings yet,” At her silence he continued. “I’m thinking we take a cue from Alis. Childhood sweethearts?”

“Az?”

“Yes?” 

“We’ve been good friends for over a year now, yes? And we’ve known each other for a while — but I’ve never heard you talk for so long.”

A face-splitting grin stretched across his lips. 

“Maybe I talk when I get nervous.” Azriel said, his cheeks pinkening. 

“You’re nervous?” Elain asked softly, her heart speeding. 

“It’s not every day that I propose.”

Her stomach felt hollow. 

“Well, if it’s any consolation, this is the best proposal I’ve ever received.”

Their bodies were still pressed together, so Elain could feel him tense just a bit. 

“I’m not your first?”

“Lucien Vanserra in the fourth grade and then again in eighth.” Elain explained and watched as 

Azriel’s expression became carefully guarded. 

“The prick in your American Lit class?”

“He’s not that bad, and he was very gracious considering the fact I shot down his proposal twice.”

His jaw worked. 

“And what about mine?” 

Elain leaned forward and adjusted his knit cap, tucking a piece of hair behind his ear. 

“How would you like to be my first husband, Az?” 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Their B&B was a fifteen minute walk from the diner, but it took them almost 40 minutes since they couldn’t see more than a foot in front of them. 

Azriel held Elain’s hand tightly as they wadded through the snow — neither of them in the proper footwear. At one point Azriel’s beanie almost blew off and Elain practically had to jump on top of him to keep it from flying away. 

Their coats were wet and heavy by the time they arrived, and as soon as they stepped through the door they dropped their duffle bags on the ground and Azriel immediately wrapped his arms around Elain. Her wet hair in his face. His hands aggressively rubbing her arms over her wool coat. 

“You must be the newly weds!” A friendly voice called over to them and Elain heard the clicking of heels over the wooden floor. 

Elain poked her head out from Azriel's chest and saw a stunningly beautiful blonde — eyes a bright blue and hair almost white as snow and creamy, bright skin. 

“That’s us.” Azriel said in an even voice, one that made it seem like they just took a stroll on a lovely fall day and not through a blizzard mars. 

“I’m Viviane,” She introduced herself and held out her hand. Elain stayed wrapped around Azriel for warmth, but he managed to find enough manners in her to shake her hand. “My husband and I own this place. I’ll get you checked in and have someone show you to your room.”  

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“You can shower first.” Azriel said as soon as they stepped into their room.  

Elain toed off her boots and walked across the hardwood floor to place her duffel bag at the base of the bed. 

“Are you sure?” Elain asked, ignoring how her teeth harshly chattered together. 

“Lainy,” Azriel said, his feet silently padding across the floor as he came up behind her. “You’re a human popsicle. I’m pretty sure you’re so cold that my tongue would stick to you if I licked you,” He placed his hands on her shoulders and spun her so that she would face him. Her white socks twisting beneath her feet. “Go take a hot shower.”

Her wide eyes met his. 

“Do you plan on licking me?” Elain asked, slightly breathless and a flash of heat swept through his hazel eyes. He didn’t say anything. “There’s a rumor I’ve heard about you on campus.” Her tongue came out to wet her lips. 

“And what’s that?” Azriel challenged. His voice was rough and Elain could vaguely feel his fingers tightening on her shoulders. 

“That you like…”

“That I like…?”

“That you like using your tongue.” Elain rushed out and her face was so hot she thought that her skin would start to peel off. Her cheeks were at odds with the rest of her body. 

“Yes, I like using my tongue,” Azriel said as he narrowed his eyes. One of his hands fell away from her shoulder and he brought it up to rub at his lips. “I need it for speaking. For eating. I find my life would be quite difficult without it.”

It was Elain’s turn to narrow her eyes. 

“That’s not what I meant.” 

Azriel tilted his face down to hers. 

“Say what you mean, Elain.”

“I heard around campus, from a few girls,” Elain started and she fought the urge to turn and climb under the covers to find her flushing face, but she wanted to finish what she started. “That you like to go down on them. With your tongue. In their vaginas.” 

Elain puffed out her chest a bit like she won some sort of battle. 

“I do.” 

Her chest faltered. 

“Oh.”

 Elain scrambled for something to say — for some reason she never thought he would actually admit it. And she couldn’t stop the onslaught of images that cascaded through her brain, of all the girls that taunted her about it. She could picture them with Azriel's dark head between their thighs. 

“I like giving blow jobs,” Elain admitted, her voice deceptively innocent. His face didn’t change. He didn’t so much as blink at her words. “If you were curious.” 

“I wasn’t,” Azriel said blandly, his voice carefully even toned. “Take your damn shower Elain.” 

She scampered to the bathroom without looking back. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Azriel wanted to hit someone. 

Mainly himself. 

“I like giving blow jobs,”

And whoever the fuck Elain was giving blowjobs to. 

He shucked off his soaked coat and sunk into a froofy chair by the window as the shower turned on. 

His scarred hands came up to grip his hair as he tired hard not to picture Elain’s naked body glistening with water as she showered, and he tried fucking hard not picture her blowing her exboyfriends. None of them fucking deserve it. They didn’t deserve her. 

Maybe he wanted to hit Rhys. 

For getting in the way last year. 

If Azriel thought hard enough, then he could still feel her plush thigh beneath his palm. Her fingers gently tugging at his hair. He could remember the feel of her on his lap, and how his eyes kept drifting from her lips to her flushed cheeks to the ample cleavage on display — and he kept fighting the little urge to kiss her. It wasn’t even an urge. It was a beck and call. 

Elain was the type of girl he could kiss forever and never get bored. She was soft. Luscious. He could hold her in his arms and kiss her until he was blue in the face — his hands lazily exploring her body as their lips moved together. Slowly. Gently. Playfully. 

There were a few times before she plunked herself down on his lap last year that he thought about kissing her. Her lips pursed whenever she was concentrating really hard ( her nose scrunched as well, but that’s besides the point) and he recalled one night they were studying late in the library when he thought that kissing would be a much better use of their time. 

And when she would bake for him. Sometimes a little frosting would linger on her mouth, and Azriel wondered if it would be sweeter on her lips than out of the bowl. 

Elain had the perfect fucking lips for kissing. 

And blowing. 

Apparently. 

“I like giving blow jobs,”

Azriel wasn’t stupid. Or blind. 

He’s always known Elain was incredibly beautiful — it was a fact. Saying Elain is beautiful was like saying Cassian is incredibly fit. Or that Rhysand is smart. It just is. 

He knew that Rhysand didn’t push Elain at him just to help her settle in on campus, but the more time Elain spent with Azriel, then the less time horny frat boys and jocks would be sniffing around her. Azriel was aware of his reputation, and he didn’t care that Rhys wanted to use it to protect Elain. Hell, Azriel even agreed with it. And he liked Elain. So he went along with it. 

But he didn’t realize just how much he fucking liked Elain. 

He found himself seeking her out. Calling her. Texting her. He would send her all the tiktoks that he thought she would like, or even just a random one with his thoughts like, “This is fucking weird.” He didn’t realize how much he craved her until he was in bed with some blonde, and after they were finished fucking Azriel immediately checked his phone and smiled when he saw the notifications from Elain. The blonde girl he was with wanted to talk. Or cuddle or something. And he cared more about replying to Elain’s  tiktok messages than he did about going for round two. Eventually, he started thinking about Elain as he was fucking some random girl and he couldn’t wash away the oily feeling that lingered for days afterward. 

Azriel sighed deeply as he sank further into the chair, the heels of his palms rubbing his eyes as he tried to ignore the images of a wet, showering Elain that were pilfering through his mind – her pale skin glistening and beads of water dripped down her curves, lathered soap slipping down her back—

His cock hardened at the image, and Azriel shifted himself in his jeans. 

The squeaking sound of Elain turning the knob of the shower off rankled his nerves. 

“Az?” Elain called out, and Azriel lifted his eyes to peek at the bathroom door that was cracked open ever so slightly, steam floated out like shadows from behind her. 

“Yes?”

A beat of silence. 

“I forgot my clothes.” Elain said hesitantly. 

Azriel felt his skin flush and overheat, but he pushed himself up and walked over to where he plunked their luggage down. 

“Do you want your entire bag?” He asked in an even voice, his eyes dropped to her lips as she took her bottom one between her teeth. 

“Just my toiletry bag and pajamas, please.” Elain said in a high voice. And Azriel nodded, slowly unzipping her bag and carefully moved her clothes out of the way to fund her pjs. 

“You didn’t pack any.” Azriel called out, forcing a teasing tone to his voice as he ignored the scraps of lace panties that kept jumping out at him. 

“Yes I did,” Elain responded, huffing in slight annoyance. “Those plaid shorts,” Azriel had thought they were underwear, but grabbed them at her words. “And your old AC/DC shirt.” Azriel’s fought from grinding his teeth together — he knew Elain stole his clothes, knew that she slept and lounged in them, but knowing that he packed his old tshirt and was going to sleep beside him in it made his skin flame. 

Azriel carefully grabbed the first underwear he could find and placed it between her pajamas so that they weren’t on display. He placed her clothes underneath her toiletry bag, and tried not to stare down at her damp cleavage as he handed them to her. 

A tiny white towel was wrapped around her body, and Azriel knew that with one tug the knot would be undone and the towel would be on the floor. 

“Thanks.” Elain breathed, opening the door to accept the pile Azriel stuck out for her. 

“Need anything else?” Azriel asked, his voice unnecessarily husky. 

Her cheeks turned pink, but she shook her head and said, “No, thank you,” and closed the door. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Her damp feet pattered over the wood floors, her body still damp and humid from her shower, and sunk onto the bed, her eyes trained on Azriel who looked at her from the overly stuffed chair by the window. She still couldn’t see past the snow coming down outside. 

“What now?” Elain asked, tucking her feet underneath herself. 

“Well,” Azriel teased. “By the looks of it, you’re ready for bed.” 

Elain rolled her eyes. 

“I think that after your shower,” She smiled at him. “You should start reading to me again since this place doesn’t have a television, and then we order down for room service for dinner.” 

“Hungry already?” Azriel asked, his eyebrow tilting upwards. 

“No,” She said firmly “But I will be. Eventually. And I bet they have amazing desserts here.” Elain smiled at her, knowing his weakness for sweets. 

Azriel didn’t bother to hide the smile playing on his mouth and pushed himself to his feet. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Somehow they ended up under the covers. Elain’s soft body pressed into his warm one as they were both sitting propped up against the headboard, pillows cushioning their backs, and the soft glow of the lamp illuminating the room, along with the moonlight reflecting off of the white snow outside their window. 

Azriel’s dark, silky voice carried through the quiet of the night. 

He didn’t even startle when her cold feet tucked into his for warmth. Azriel just shifted so that they were more comfortable. 

“...During the whole of this time Scrooge had acted like a man out of his wits. His heart and soul were in the scene, and with his former self…” Azriel wet his lips and shut the book, causing Elain to furrow her brow and raise her eyes at him.

“What is it?” Elain asked. 

“Silly as it may be,” Azriel started. “After a few hours of reading I need some water.” 

Elain felt her eyes widen at his words and said, “Hours?” in disbelief. She pulled herself away from his warmth and checked her phone, ignoring the messages from her family and focusing on the fact that it was closing in on eight. Well past dinner time. 

“You must be starving,” Elain said, crawling closer to him with her phone still tucked into her hand. “Should we call down for dinner?” 

Azriel nodded in agreement, and leaned over to grab the antique phone from the nightstand next to him. 

“Think this works?” Azriel asked, eyeing the delicate brass machine. 

“For sure,” Elain nodded. “It was probably just made to fit the aesthetic of the place,” She snuggled into his side. “Order me something good.” 

Azriel dialed one, and Elain could hear a feminine voice answering his call. 

Her mouth watered as Azriel ordered two pot roast dinners, a bottle of wine, bread, chocolate cake, and, most importantly, water. 

“I think you’re officially the best orderer,” Elain said, slinking into his side as he took up his initial position, his arm coming out to wrap around her as he picked up the book. “Let me,” She took it from between his fingers. “Until the water comes.” 

It only took 30 minutes until a knock interrupted them. 

“Already?” Elain asked, setting the book down. Azriel smirked at her before getting up and walking towards the door. Elain found herself sinking into the warmth he left behind on the sheets. 

The door was out of her line of sight, but Elain heard Azriel open the door and the brief conversation he had with the woman who brought their food for them — the oddly long conversation that didn’t seem to have an end in sight. 

Elain pushed herself out of the bed, the chilled air nipping at her toasty skin, and walked over to the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest. 

 Azriel was standing at the door, incredibly still in a way that told Elain he was hiding his annoyance, and out in the hallway was a redhead holding their service cart in a deathgrip. 

“Is this everything?” Elain asked, sliding up next to Azriel and threading her fingers through his. Azriel relaxed at her touch. 

The girl’s teal eyes flashed towards Elain and said, “Hello,” with a strained smile. 

“My husband and I are … eager … to continue our night,” Elain said in a too kind voice. “So, I was wondering if this was everything?” 

Azriel’s body vibrated with suppressed humor. 

“This is everything,” The girl said, pushing the cart to them. They’d have to take her word for it, considering everything was covered in silver domes, but Elain wasn’t going to reach out if anything was forgotten - she didn’t want any more interruptions. She just wanted time with Azriel completely uninterrupted. Luckily, she could see the bottle of wine and water on the bottom shelf of the cart. “Please don’t hesitate to call if you need anything else.” 

“Thank you.” Elain said as Azriel pushed the cart further into the room, and shut the door after bidding the girl farewell. 

The savory smell of the potroast was mouthwatering, but Elain couldn’t shake the irked feeling of the redhead so obviously lusting after Azriel — and they were in the honeymoon suite. 

Elain grumbled as she lifted the silver covers and took in the food. Everything appeared to be in place, and Azriel looked down at her in amusement as she inspected their dinner. 

“Everything to your satisfaction?” He asked and Elain felt her cheeks flush at the way he looked at her, knowingly. 

“Yes, husband.” Elain grumbled and Azriel threw his head back in laughter, her body prickling at the sound. 

His large hands clamped onto her hips and Azriel drew her back into his chest. 

“Jealous?” He asked, his lips absurdly close to her ear. 

“I don’t see why I should be,” Elain said, shifting on her feet. “I know who’ll you’ll be sleeping with tonight.” 

Azriel groaned and buried his head into the crook of her neck. 

“You can’t say things like that, Elain.” He spoke into her neck, and Elain could feel his lips moving against her skin.

“And why’s that?” She asked breathlessly. 

“We’re trapped in the honeymoon suite with spotty cell phone service and a bottle of wine.” Azriel replied. 

“Planning to take advantage of me?” 

His fingers tightened on her hips. 

“I think it’s the other way around,” Azriel muttered, tearing himself away from her body. “Now, do you want to eat in bed, or should we try to be civilized and eat at the table?” His chin nodding in different directions as he spoke.  

“Bed?” Elain asked and watched as Azriel’s eyes darken just a hair.  

It was something that that had done time and time again — having dinner in bed together. Usually while watching television, but the honeymoon suite didn’t have one, and from the second they stepped foot into the room they had an unspoken rule about not touching their phones, so as soon as they crawled back into bed (Azriel wheeled the the cart next to his side of the mattress, so he could serve them as he pleased) their conversation ebbed and flowed so that no tension lingered between them. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Most people would have been surprised at how easily and freely Azriel spoke around Elain. And at that the wicked sense of humor Elain let loose around Azriel, and Azriel only. Every once in a while it would slip out around her sisters or his friends, but most of the time it was just reserved for Azriel. 

A Christmas Carol was tossed onto the nightstand, far away from any damage it could incur from their food and drink, and Elain and Azriel hunkered back into their original positions. Volleying back hypothetical questions and would you rathers. 

“Bullshit!” Elain exclaimed, jerking up right, and narrowing her eyes at Azriel’s amused expression - his eyes gleaming as they crinkled with his hidden laughter. “In no world is Jason Todd a better Robin than Dick Grayson! You’re just saying that to annoy me.” 

“Am I?” Azriel laughed, using his fork to steal a potato from her plate, and he stared at her as he chewed smugly. 

“Yes,” Elain said, shoving at her shoulder. “You know I have a crush on Nightwing.” 

“You don’t have to be so obvious about it.” Azriel said, his dimple indenting his cheek. 

“Not everyone tucks away their feelings like you do.” Elain mumbled, settling back into her position by his side. 

“Is that what I do?” Azriel asked, his eyes bright with a challenge as he looked at her. 

Elain glumly stabbed a carrot and brought it up to her mouth, chewing slowly. 

“You tell me.” 

After a short pause Azriel asked, “Wine?” 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“I really don’t see how that’s any of your business.” Elain said, taking a sip from her second glass of wine. 

“You don’t?” Azriel asked, his eyes intently peering at her face and she carefully avoided his eyes. 

“No, I don’t.” Elain shook her head, careful not to slosh her drink over the edge of the glass. 

“You don’t think it’s any of my business how many of my shirts you steal? Do you have any idea how expensive it is to be your friend? You’re lucky I’m not naked right now.” 

Elain’s eyes flashed to his at his words, her eyes falling to his torso and made the mental note to start taking even more of his clothes. 

“It’s not my fault,” Elain defended herself. “Your clothes are just comfier than mine.” 

“Are they?” Azriel asked, his fingers sliding underneath his shirt that hung off of her frame and over the soft skin of her belly. 

Elain silently nodded her head, her breath caught in her throat. 

“Do you want to know a secret?” Azriel asked, and Elain gave him another slow nod. “I think my shirts look better on you.” He whispered conspiratorially and Elain couldn’t stop the smile taking over her face. 

“Do you want to know a secret?” Elain asked, pushing her face closer to his, and Azriel jerked in head in confirmation. “I get sad when your shirts lose their scent. That’s why I always have to steal more.” 

“You like how I smell?” Azriel asked darkly, pushing their bodies closer together. 

“Mmmmhmm.” Elain confirmed, holding her wineglass close to her chest. 

“I love it when you sleep over,” Azriel admitted, his eyes smoldering. “You make my bed smell like jasmine.” 

Elain took one more sip of her wine before handing him the glass, silently asked him to put it back on the cart, and Azriel took his cue and placed his glass down next to hers. 

“There’s something I’ve been curious about.” Elain admitted quietly as soon as Azriel faced her again. 

“What’s that?” He asked curiously. 

“Ever since I heard those rumors,” Elain wet her dry lips as she forced the words out. “About you being good with your tongue…I’ve been curious.” 

Azriel’s body stilled next to hers. 

“Curious about what, Elain?” 

“About what it’s like - with you. Guys have gone down on me in the past,” Elain shared, her cheeks burning. “But it was always awkward. It felt like a fish was down there.” 

A choking sound ripped through his throat at her words. 

“A fish?” Azriel exclaimed, and Elain shoved at his chest. 

“You can’t make fun of me!” Elain shrieked before hiding underneath the covers. “Just forget I said anything. I want to go to bed.” Her voice was muffled from the layers of blankets and sheets. 

Azriel slowly moved the covers off of her and she looked up at him with wide brown eyes, her face red and flushed, and her golden hair messily tousled over her face and pillow. 

“You want me to go down on you, sweetheart?” Azriel asked softly, and Elain nodded her head. He shifted so that he was caging her in with his arms. “Are you wet for me?” She nodded again slowly. 

Heat gathered in Azriel’s groin at her admission. 

Azriel lifted one hand to slowly tug down her bottoms, so that she was only left in his shirt and her white lace panties. Elain kicked her shorts to the bottom of the bed, silently hoping she didn’t appear too eager. 

His large, warm hands cupped her over the lace and Elain shivered at the groan Azriel let out. His eyes shut as if he was savoring this moment and the feel of her. Elain hips moved against his finger, which was rubbing her through the lace, the tip of his finger almost touching her swollen clit. 

Needy mewling sounds started escaping from Elain’s lips. 

“I can feel how hot and wet your pussy is,” Azriel said, looking at her through half-open, heavy lids. “I bet it tastes fucking delicious.” 

“I-I never get this wet.” Elain said, her cheeks burning. 

Azriel couldn’t stop the male pride that threatened to tear him apart. 

“You only get this wet for me?” Azriel asked, his voice laced with possessiveness and  his fingers working overtime. 

“Yes.” Elain said, feeling her orgasm mounting, and didn’t even try to hide her disappointment as Azriel stopped his movements. 

“Would you rather have my fingers or my mouth?” Azriel asked, his eyes dark. 

“Mouth.” Elain mutters, flushing harder as Azriel pulled away her panties, at the wetness that was coming out of her and clung to the lace.

Azriel tossed the scrap of fabric over his shoulders and moved under the covers, and Elain could feel his humid breath dance across her wet center - could feel the shadow of his mouth against her lips. 

“Wait!” Elain called out, and Azriel immediately popped up, the blankets over his head as he looked at her with a blank, slightly worried expression. 

“Did you change your mind?” He asked evenly, and Elain knew that if she asked, then he would move on and act as if this never happened. 

“No,” Elain shook her head. “I just want to see you. Us. This.” 

Something shuttered over Azriel’s face, but he nodded and the two of them tossed aside the bedding so that Elain had an unobstructed view. 

She leaned back onto her elbow, her chin forward as she looked down. 

Azriel spread her legs wide, his large hands on both of her thighs, as his eyes feasted on her dripping core. 

His eyes met hers from his position between her legs - his eyes gleaming from lust - and he deliberately ran his tongue up her slit. His eyelids nearly shut in pleasure. 

“Ohh.” Elain moaned, her hips arching off the bed, but Azriel kept her in place with his hands. 

His tongue repeated the motion and Elain felt herself panting. 

Her hands snaked into Azriel’s dark curls, pulling slightly, needing something to grab onto. 

Azriel’s eyes darkened at the movement, and coaxed a moan out of Elain and he slowly slid his tongue into her channel. 

“Yes.” Elain sighed, her heart pounding as his tongue thrust in and out of her. “Yes.” 

He groaned against her, sending vibrations through her core and causing Elain’s hips to jerk. 

Azriel pulled back, his lips wet and plump, and brought one hand up to work her with his long fingers. 

“You taste so fucking good.” Azriel said breathlessly before diving back to between her legs. Using both his tongue and fingers to tease her into a frenzy - and eventually Azriel stopped trying to control her hips and let Elain ride his face. Her fingers pushing his face deeper into her pussy. 

“Fuck,” Elain cursed, as Azriel fingers hit the sensitive spot deep within her. “Right there - yes!” She screamed and his fingers fucked her faster. 

Her eyes were clenched as pleasure seeped through her, only to go wide as Azriel took her clit between his lips and sucked hard. 

Her toes curled as she came undone. 

Her body went limp as her breathing turned harsh as the last of her orgasm rushed through her. 

“I - that - thank you, Azriel.” Elain panted, forcing her heavy lids to open as she looked at him. 

Azriel licked his lips and he made his way up the bed. His breathing was heavy and there was a noticeably large tent in his pajama pants.  

“Don’t thank me,” Azriel said as he laid next to her. His hair stuck in every which way thanks to Elain’s fingers, and he wrapped one hand around her body to press them close together. “I enjoyed that way too fucking much.” 

Elain bit down on her lip, her eyes dropping to his pants. 

“May I?” She asked in a soft voice. 

“Only if you want to.” Azriel said, and Elain met his eyes briefly before cupping him through the flannel of his pants. 

He groaned deeply and pressed himself into her hands. 

Elain moved her hand to slide beneath the waistband of his pants and exposed his erection - and nearly came again at the sight of it. Its purple head had a bead of pre-cum seeping out of it and she could see veins extending along the shaft before disappearing underneath the fabric. 

She licked her lips and ran her hand slowly up and down his length. She knew her fingers couldn’t wrap around it even if she tried, so she slowly stroked him. 

Her eyes met his as she worked his erection, and he stared at her so intently, as if he couldn’t believe that Elain’s hands were on him. His breath warmed her face and she could feel his chest moving up and down, but Elain kept her pace steady - squeezing gently every once in a while - but not wanting this moment to end. 

“Do you like this?” Elain asked. 

“Too fucking much,” Azriel said in a heavy voice. “You’re going to ruin me, sweetheart.” 

Elain gasped at his words, her thumb smearing the liquid at the tip of his cock - and that one tiny movement pushed him over the edge. He came, coating her hand as she worked him. 

Spent, Azriel tugged her closer to his side, pulling the discarded blankets over their bodies. 

Elain held her hand out, his orgasm sliding down her skin, and Azriel was about to apologize but stopped as she brought her hand to her mouth and licked. Her pink tongue collecting his seed, and it took everything in Azriel not to take her right there. 

She licked at her hand again, and met his eyes. 

“Next time you’ll come in my mouth.” 

“If you’re not careful,” Azriel said, leaning to grab a napkin from the cart next to the bed and then took her hand to clean it off. “That’s going to be sooner than you think.” 

Elain squirmed next to him. 

He tossed the napkin away and turned back to Elain. 

“That was magical.” She said quietly, almost sheepishly. 

“Better than…fish?” Azriel couldn’t stop himself from asking, and Elain rolled her eyes. 

“Much better,” She said, her face bright red. “I’ve never come like that before.” 

An arrogant smirk appeared on his face and Elain hid her face in his chest. 

“Goodnight.” She murmured, bringing a leg up to wrap around his hips. 

Azriel stretched to turn the lamp off, the glow of moonlight on a bed of snow snuck through the curtains, but he soon found himself back to Elain - his hand resting on her soft thigh. 

“Good night, sweetheart.” He whispered into her hair.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Hehe, I couldn't not post something for the holiday season! You guys know I love Christmas and winter too much not to write something seasonal :) . It's been so long since I've posted that I'm not going to be tagging anyone! Please share if you enjoyed this and let me know your thoughts! I'm wishing all of you a Merry Christmas <3

[theseeingfawn]

you know when people start saying “just because rhys forbade elain and azriel from seeing each other doesn’t make it forbidden!” we’ve completely lost the plot

[theseeingfawn]

azriel rescue elain ✨🦇🥀

By : GiS

[theseeingfawn]

this is so ELAIN with her spooky ass "it will take more than that to kill me" "no, it will not" visions 😭😭😭

[theseeingfawn]

Elain frowned, brushing her damp hair from her face with the back of her hand. She hated how it clung to her skin, making it harder to focus. Her breath came faster as she backed up, sliding the dagger into the sheath on her thigh. Her fingers trembled from the effort of their session as she reached up to tie her hair back.

Her arms lifted as her fingers gathered her hair, the cool air brushing her skin as she revealed the graceful curve of her neck. She pulled the ribbon tight, letting her fingers linger for a moment longer than necessary, caressing softly her skin.

There. She felt it, his gaze. Heavy. Burning. His eyes focused on her neck, as if he were carving the image into his memory. And she, though she wouldn’t admit it aloud, secretly enjoyed baring her neck in front of him, knowing exactly how much it unraveled him.

Azriel stood frozen a few feet away, his dagger held loosely in one hand, his knuckles white from the force of his grip. He looked like a male at war with himself, his chest rising and falling too evenly, as if he were trying to control his breathing.

“You’re staring again,” she said softly, her brown eyes meeting his.

Azriel didn’t flinch, didn’t look away. “Am I?”

She stepped closer to him, her fingers brushing the slit of her skirt where it swayed lightly with her movements.

“You always do that,” she murmured, a soft blush creeping up her cheeks ,her voice barely above a breath. “When I style my hair up.”

This time, he didn’t even try to hide it. His gaze dropped to her neck, tracing the line of her throat, lingering just below her ear where her pulse pounded, then down to the swell of her breasts. Heat spread through her, as his eyes lifted back to hers, dark and filled with hunger. She loved the way he looked at her, like she was the only thing he desired in the world.

Elain swallowed, her throat dry. For just a moment, she let herself wonder what would happen if he stepped closer. If his hands reached for her. If his lips followed the path his eyes had taken.

As if he read her mind, Azriel moved, sliding his dagger into its sheath. His steps were silent as he closed the distance between them.

Elain moved back until her back hit the wall. She gasped softly when his hands captured hers, pinning them gently but firmly against the stone behind her.

Her heart raced as he leaned in, his body close enough for her to feel the heat of him, his cedar scent enveloping her. His wings flaring slightly.

“You know what you’re doing,” he murmured.

She did. She knew exactly what she was doing.

“Tell me to stop,” he said, his breath warm as the tip of his nose grazed her cheek.

She didn’t. Instead, she tilted her head, exposing her neck in silent invitation.

His head dipped, and she felt him inhale, the warmth of his breath brushing her skin before his lips followed. They were soft, brushing over her throat with a featherlight touch that made her shudder. He stayed there for a moment his breath uneven.

Then he started kissing her along her jaw moving slowly down until he found the soft curve of her collarbone. She bit her lip as his tongue flicked over the spot, then dragged up from her collarbone in a slow, torturous glide that sent a shiver down her spine. He licked her like he was savoring every moment. He stopped for a second, pulling back just enough to look at her, his eyes smoldering with desire "Honey, you taste like honey."

Her head fell back against the wall, knees barely holding her up . She gasped, the sound turning into a quiet moan as his teeth scraped along a sensitive spot on her neck. She arched into him, pressing closer as his low growl made heat pool deep inside her. His hands released hers only to grip her bare thigh, pulling her more against him.She could feel the hardness of him against her stomach, and her body betrayed her completely, trembling against him. Her fingers gripped his biceps, desperate for more. She could feel him holding back, the way his muscles were tense ,the sharpness of his breaths against her skin.

Her nails digged into his leathers as he continued, his lips and tongue working their way down to her breasts, the neckline of her dress slipping off her shoulder...

And then, a shadow curled around Azriel’s ear, whispering something Elain couldn’t hear.

He froze.

She felt the change instantly,the way his hands fell from her, the sudden stillness in his body. When he pulled back, his face was unreadable, but his eyes... his eyes were dark and wild, filled with everything he hadn’t allowed himself to take.

“We’re needed,” he said, his gaze fixed on the red marks he’d left on her skin.

“By who?” she asked, adjusting her dress.

“Rhys,” he answered.

[theseeingfawn]

Gorgeous nutcracker elriel by gdrliarte on insta

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[theseeingfawn]

Lowkey Azriel was funny AF pulling that shit going into Hybern's war camp.

Everyone: don't go

The High Lord: please let me forbid u

His Brother: survival is impossible

The Girl's Sister: you'll die if u go

Azriel: already dead inside and that absolute fucking angel smiled at me once bury me in hell idc.

[theseeingfawn]

“𝑩𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑬𝒏𝒅𝒔” — 𝑨𝒏 𝑬𝒍𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒍 𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆 ❄️

This feels like forever in the making, but Violet and I are so happy to finally be able to share this with you all! When I reached out to Lulybot earlier this year, I knew I wanted an Elriel proclamation of love on Solstice. As the art was in the works and I got my first sketch, I knew it needed a story to go with it and immediately thought of Violet. I reached out to Violet (her fics are amazing) and thankfully she hopped on board 🫶🏼

You can find the link for the AO3 fic “Before the Night Ends” by @violetasteracademic here. Though it was inspired by this art, she has turned it into its own amazing story that I can’t wait for yall to read 🩵

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Art by @lulybot-blog

Commisioned by me, theseersgarden (Insta/Tumblr/X/TT)

Fic by @violetasteracademic

🚫 NO REPOSTS WITHOUT PERMISSION 🚫

🌸 Likes & shares appreciated 🌸

🚫 NO SHIP DRAMA PLEASE 🚫

If you don’t like this ship that is totally fine! But unless you’re commenting on the beautiful art the artist put their time and heart into, or something nice, please keep all other type of negative comments to yourself 🫶🏼 I don’t go to others posts and leave negative comments so I’d appreciate the same ☺️

[theseeingfawn]

Elain Archeron 🤍💐🪴🍰🤍

Fan art credits: Artworks By Rokii

[theseeingfawn]

You’ve Got to be Knitting Me {Elriel}

I hope you all are enjoying the Christmas season! This little ditty was written alongside @snelbz​. More will come soon. Enjoy the fluff. :) 

Elain Archeron was the type of girl who easily picked up anything new that she tried. Gardening had always come naturally, but when she’d decided to give the piano a try, it had taken a bit of work. After a couple of months however, she was able to play a few songs from memory and was always trying to learn more. She’d done excellent in school and had excelled at the few sports that she’d tried, so when she’d found a pattern for a festive sweater on Etsy, she looked up a YouTube video and bought the supplies she’d needed to make one for Azriel.

He loved handmade gifts — really, he loved everything that she did — and with the familiar triangular pattern from one of his favorite video games, she knew this would be a great surprise. She just didn’t figure knitting would be so damn hard.

Keep reading

[theseeingfawn]

all I need is a "I will have you without your armor, azriel" moment from elain ur honor

imagine after years of silent yearning for each other elain and azriel finally give in and kiss each other, its the best feeling they've ever felt and naturally elain tries to take azriel's clothes off (cause ofc miss "put it on me" is starving for him) and azriel stops her, self-conscious of the scars that litter his body, his deepest shame, and looks at elain with pleading eyes but she won't have any of that, no no no, hands still held within azriel's, she says, "I will not let you hide from me, azriel. I will have all of you. All your scars, all your tortured past, all your happiness. I will not settle for any less and I most certainly will not let you hide from me." and azriel pulls himself together into some semblance of a man for her, for she could ask him to bring her the sun on a silver platter and he would damn well find a way to make that happen. and they smash their booties together<3

[theseeingfawn]

Classic one bed left trope - ELRIEL

..... @snelbz and I are suckers for a classic one bed left trope. Enjoy.

Azriel walked into the cabin and nearly dropped his bag. The place was massive and beautifully decorated. He’d never been to the mountains before, at least not this far up, not on an overnight trip. But, when his group of friends asked him to go along with them, even though they were all couples, he couldn’t say no. It was time for him to take some time off of work, time for him to do something for himself. 

A weekend getaway was the perfect opportunity. 

He only had a moment of silence, though, because his friends soon trailed in after and they were not as quiet and serene as Azriel himself.

“This place is fucking huge!” Cassian yelled, his voice echoing throughout the grand room. Nesta followed him, eyes rolling, her hand in his. 

“Three days in this place,” Rhysand said, sighing as he entered. 

“It would be better if it was just Em and me, but I suppose it’s still going to be fun,” Mor chimed, giving Azriel a wink as she passed him.

“Let’s get unpacked and make a trip into town for groceries,” Feyre said, dropping her purse onto the counter and heading back out to the car to get her art bag. 

“And booze,” Cassian said, following to grab he and Nesta’s bags. “Can’t forget the booze.”

Azriel’s dropped his bag by the door and went back out to see what he could help unload. He nearly ran into Elain on the porch.

“Let me get that for you,” he said, taking her duffel bag from her.

“What a gentleman,” she sighed dramatically, her hand over her chest.

He rolled his eyes and carried it inside before making a couple more trips and then found himself in the grand room where Elain, Nesta and Feyre were whispering frantically. He raised an eyebrow as he leaned against the counter by Rhysand. “What’s happening there?”

“There aren’t enough beds,” he replied, simply.

With a shrug, Azriel said, “We knew that when we booked this place. Elain is taking the last bed and I’m taking the couch.”

Rhys took a swig from his beer. “There is no couch.”

Azriel blinked and looked around. He wasn’t sure how he hadn’t noticed it, but…there wasn’t. Those closest thing was an ancient loveseat Mor and Emerie were sitting on and there was no way he was fitting on that thing.

Elain caught his eye with a wince. “I guess it’s a good thing Gwyn got invited to speak at that conference in Cesere, or you’d be sleeping on the floor.”

He blinked again. “What?”

Rhysand chuckled. “Follow along, Az.”

The realization hit him the moment he saw Elain’s cheeks turn a bright shade of pink. “You want me to share a bed with Lainy?”

Rhysand grinned and walked away, only for Azriel to realize that his tone had made that sentence sound like an insult.

“Not that that's a bad thing,” he followed, quickly.

Elain’s cheeks turned brighter, if that was even possible. 

“I can sleep on the floor,” Azriel continued, when she said nothing. “Or, the…chair, thing.”

Elain looked at where Mor sat with Emerie on her lap. They barely fit on the little piece of furniture. 

“You’re not sleeping on that,” Elain said, at last, her voice quiet. “And the entire cabin has hardwood floors. You…can sleep with me.”

Azriel nodded, all the while thinking that this “mix up” had been intentional. Rhysand’s grin had been telling enough, but Feyre had been trying to play matchmaker between him and Elain for years. She probably sorted out the whole ordeal the second they found out that Elain no longer had a roommate for the weekend. 

He wondered if there was a couch stashed somewhere in their room, just to make sure this happened.

“It’ll be just like when we had sleepovers when we were little,” Elain added when he picked his bag up and set it by the door to the room.

Their room.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to share a room with Elain. It was that he did, far more than he should. He’d been in love with his best friend for longer than he could remember. He didn’t remember a time where he didn’t love Elain. But she had no idea and she never would.

Rhys, Feyre and Cassian decided to go to the store, while Elain, Nesta, Emerie, Mor and Azriel stayed behind. Within minutes, Mor and Emerie were making their way out to the hot tub, Nesta joining them. Which left Elain and Azriel in the living room.

“I’ll warn you,” she said, opening the cooler they’d brought from Velaris and pulling out two beers. “I'm a blanket hog.”

Azriel huffed a laugh, taking one from her outstretched hand. “That’s not good, then, because so am I.”

“Looks like we’ll need to find another blanket, then,” she smiled, that blush still staining her cheeks as she clinked her bottle against his. “Should we…join the others in the hot tub?”

Azriel nodded and when they both made a move for the bedroom, Azriel rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll just…get my shorts out of my bag and change in the bathroom.”

Elain cleared her throat as she nodded. 

He did just that, and when his shorts were on, he went out onto the back porch and sank into the hot tub with Mor, Emerie, and Nesta. 

The second he made himself comfortable, the sliding door opened again and Elain appeared in a little lavender bikini. Azriel’s mouth went dry and he tried his best to look away but he couldn’t. The second Elain’s eyes met his, Aziel’s jaw locked. Her eyes remained on his as she set down her towel and got in, opposite of him. 

“Az!”

Azriel’s eyes snapped to Mor. It obviously hadn’t been the first time she had said his name. “Hmm?”

“I asked if you minded being a gentleman and going in and grabbing us each a beer, too,” she said, raising an eyebrow as she looked at him.

He cleared his throat and looked at where Elain sat, her own beer pressed to her lips. He stood quickly, getting out. “Yeah, of course, I’ll be right back.”

He wrapped his towel waist and walked back into the kitchen. Rather than grab a few bottles, he grabbed the entire cooler, knowing Cassian would make sure the alcohol they were buying now would end up in the fridge anyways. Shouldering open the door, he found Nesta and Elain talking quietly, while Mor was swigging from a flask. They immediately hushed and looked at him, even as he set the cooler down and eyed Mor. “You needed a drink, huh?”

“I needed a beer,” she specified, taking one from him, as did Emerie and Nesta. “I never said I didn’t have a drink.”

Azriel rolled his eyes, grabbing fresh drinks for himself and Elain before taking his seat again, across from her. “What were you two talking about?” He asked, looking between Elain and her sister.

“The four orgasms your brother gave me last night,” Nesta grinned, opening her beer.

Elain choked on her beer, letting Azriel know that they certainly hadn’t been talking about that which made his curiosity grow. He gave Nesta a blank look. “Sorry I asked.”

Mor laughed quietly as Emerie put her arm around her. Elain was still trying to catch her breath, trying not to choke, blaming it on the beer going down the wrong pipe. 

The others returned from the grocery store and Feyre and Rhysand began cooking up a meal that was way too big for the lot of them. Once they’d eaten, they found themselves in the hot tub again, this time all of them trying to fit. Azriel was practically sitting on Cassian’s lap at one point, and once Cassian was drunk enough to become handsy, he excused himself. 

“Done snuggling?” Cassian grinned as Nesta climbed onto his lap with her newly filled drink. 

“Only to go clean up the kitchen,” Azriel announced, nudging Cassian in the head as he passed. “Feyre and Rhys did enough. It’s the least I can do.”

Azriel was almost to the door when Elain said, “I’ll help!”

The water sloshed and she rose, beads running down her body before she wrapped it up in her towel.

He swallowed, nodding and holding the door open for her. The headed for the kitchen, both sides full of dirty pots and pans, the counter lined with plates and silverware from their family meal.

“I’ll be right there,” she said, pausing as they passed their room. “I’m gonna change real quick.”

“You’re not getting back in?” He wanted to see that lavender bikini again…

“Too cramped,” she replied, scrunching her nose. “Wanna turn on a movie instead?”

So much for the bikini, but she did have a point about it the hot tub being a bit full.

One by one, they changed, before meeting in front of the sink.

“You wash, I’ll dry?” She asked, handing him the sponge.

Those hazel eyes narrowed, but he turned the hot water on. “Seems like I got the raw end of the deal, but sure.”

“What movie do you want to watch?” She asked, taking the pot he’d just finished rinsing bubbles out of.

He didn’t hesitate. “Something scary,” he grinned, even as Elain’s face blanched.

“You know I hate scary movies,” she groaned, wiping down plate after plate.

“We’re in a cabin, in the middle of the mountains,” he defended. “There’s never a better chance than now.”

“This sounds like the worst time possible!” she laughed, shaking her head as she put the dry dishes into the cabinet. 

“You asked what I wanted to watch, that’s what I want to watch,” he said, washing the last pot and drying it himself. His voice was light and Elain’s little smile only made him want to keep the gag going longer. “I promise not to let anyone get you tonight.” Since we’re sleeping in the same bed.

Elain must have thought the same thing because her cheeks were heating, once again. “Fine. One scary movie, but we’re watching something funny afterwards.”

“Deal,” Azriel said, smiling as he turned off the faucet and helped her put the clean dishes away. 

They went into their room and opened Azriel’s laptop on the bed. Opening one of the many streaming services, he scrolled through his options until he found one he liked and selected it as he grinned. 

“Friday the 13th,” Elain said, looking at the date on her phone. “Ha ha.”

“It’s practically a holiday,” he said, settling back against the pillows. “Only comes around a couple times a year, we might as well celebrate.”

She muttered something that sounded like Doesn’t seem like celebrating to me, but tucked her legs underneath herself and leaned back against her own pillows. Her arm leaned against his.

He pressed play.

To his surprise, she lasted a good half hour into the movie before starting to hide behind her pillow. Azriel pretended not to notice the way her knee fell against his, tried not to notice how when she jumped, she jumped towards him. 

“How pissed would you get,” Azriel began, quietly, as tense music began playing through the speakers, “if I scared the shit out of you in the middle of the night, just for giggles.” 

Elain slowly looked over at him from behind her pillow. “Try it and find out.”

Azriel’s brow rose and he grinned. Something in her tone had his stomach doing strange, familiar things. “Are you trying to be intimidating?” 

“Is it working?” she asked, the screen still blocked from her vision. 

Azriel pretended to think about it for a minute before saying, “No. Not at all.”

A scream sounded from the movie and Elain yelped, throwing her arms around Azriel. He caught her with an oomph as she buried her face into his chest. 

“I hate you,” she said, her words muffled against his shirt. “I hate you for making me watch this horrible movie.” 

He laughed softly, rubbing up and down her arm. “You’ll live. A little adrenaline is good for the body.”

“A little is one thing,” she said, her arms wrapping tighter around his neck as the wet sound of someone being stabbed came through the speakers. “My heart is about to beat out of my chest.”

Indeed, he could feel her frantic heartbeat, they were pressed so closely together. He could smell the vanilla and elderberry scent of her shampoo where her head was tucked beneath his chin.

With his other hand, he gently rubbed her back. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you if anyone tries to come get you.”

She pulled back, just a bit, so she could look him in the eye. “You better.”

Another scream rang out from the movie and Elain jumped just as bad as she did the first time. Azriel only chuckled and continued to rub her back. After a minute, he felt Elain’s head turn toward the movie again.

But she didn’t act like she had any intention of moving from where she was curled up in his lap. The laughter of their friends out in the hot tub still carried in to them, and Azriel knew both Cassian and Mor were drunk beyond reason. But no one had come to check on them after they’d gone inside to wash dishes.

He assumed that was Feyre’s doing.

After a particularly gruesome death where a woman took an ax to the face, she asked in a small voice, “How many more deaths?”

He glanced down at her and thought for a minute. “Four. Including the bad guy.”

She nodded. “And then we can watch something sweet?”

“Something sweet?” Azriel raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said something funny.”

“Well this movie has traumatized me and now I want to watch something romantic.”

“Romantic?” he repeated. “I don’t know about that.”

“No, no,” Elain said, fighting back. “You picked this mess, I pick the next one. Those were the rules.”

“Since when?”

“Since now, when I made up the rules.”

Azriel laughed, quietly. “Alright, fine. What romantic nonsense are you forcing onto me?”

“Oh, 13 Going on 30, not even a debate,” Elain said.

It was her favorite. He knew it was her favorite. He knew it was the movie that she was going to suggest, which is why Azriel had his eye roll ready to go.

Once the movie ended, he found hers and pressed play. She was instantly perkier, instantly invested in the laptop. 

Meanwhile, Azriel was leaning back against his pillows, yawning. “Wake me up when it’s over.”

“Oh no,” she said, chuckling. “I watched yours, you’re watching mine.”

“You spent half the movie behind your pillow,” he argued.

“You may do the same for this movie if you feel so inclined,” she jabbed. “But, you’ll miss the best parts.”

“Anthony Serkis dancing to Thriller is the best part,” he replied, leaning back, arm stretched out across the back of the pillows. “Wake me up when that scene comes on.”

Elain poked him in the side which made him jump, which made her giggle. 

“Eyes open or I’ll do it again,” she warned, and settled back into the pillows.

They were close.

It wasn’t unusual. They’d known each other for twenty years at this point and had been best friends for the majority of it. Throughout that friendship, there had been a thousand movies watched and their bodies had grazed one another’s. No, it wasn’t unusual, but every time Azriel’s skin grazed hers it still sent an electric buzz throughout his entire body. 

He never showed it, though, never gave any indication that he felt a damn thing when his skin touched hers. He wondered if she felt something similar or if she had ever had a thought like the many of his that ran through his mind. 

Surely, she hadn’t.

If she had, their friendship would be very different. Shit, it wouldn’t even be a friendship. It would be something more, something greater, something real that would have come out of Azriel’s wildest dreams. 

He looked over at her. She was fully engrossed in the movie, not even aware of his inward thoughts. 

Maybe it was that fourth beer, even though he felt none of the alcohol’s effects by the point, but he let his arm drape across her shoulders, just to see what she’d do. And at first, she did nothing. Azriel nearly muttered an apology and a fake excuse about reaching around her for something I’m the night stand…

But then she scooted closer, infinitesimally, settling against him. Into him.

His fingers began drawing shapes on her bare shoulder, the sleeve of her cardigan having fallen down. The tank top she wore beneath showed off the beginnings of a tan that he knew would be golden in the summer from working in her garden any spare daylight she had. And likely some nights, depending on what shift she’d be working at the hospital.

Slowly, as if she didn’t want him to notice what she was doing, she laid her head in the crook of his neck.

It was a wonder he was still breathing.

The door from the balcony slammed and they jumped apart, Mor’s bright laughter suddenly much louder than it’d been before.

“Are they in their room?” A voice tried to whisper from right outside their door.

Tried, but failed, because it was Feyre and it sounded as if she’d made good on her promise to drink the entire bottle of wine she’d bought at the store.

“I think so, but I think they’re asleep, so we should go to bed.” Rhys was, once again, the voice of reason.

The door knob jiggled and both Elain and Azriel held their breath. Thank God he’d thought to lock it, figuring Cassian would try to play some prank in the middle of the night.

They heard a very unladylike snort. “The door is locked. They’re not sleeping, they did what we’re about to go do—”

There was a scream and then Rhys’s voice was fading as he spoke, getting quieter with every word, as if he’d tossed Feyre over his shoulder and headed for the stairs leading to the rest of the bedrooms.

The movie continued to play, but neither of them spoke in the silence. Azriel felt Elain’s eyes on him after a moment, and he turned towards her. Gazed into those warm, caramel eyes. But her eyes weren’t on his.

She was looking at his mouth.

To hell with it.

Azriel leaned down and brushed the softest of kisses to her lips.

At first, she didn’t react but perhaps it was just the shock of it all because her lips met his as her hand rested idly on his thigh.

The kiss was soft, sweet, gentle. Yet, it was earth shattering. He felt that kiss in every inch of his body, he felt alive for the first time in a long, long time.

When the kiss broke, Azriel only backed up an inch and they stared at one another.

When Elain didn’t say anything, Azriel whispered, “Sorry.”

“Why?” she breathed. “I’ve been…waiting for you to do that for a long time.”

Azriel’s breathing hitched. “How long?”

“Long enough,” she promised, and kissed him again. Her soft, gentle hands ran through his hair as Azriel’s arms went around her. That kiss deepened and Azriel couldn’t form a single thought.

His entire world was changing before his eyes, but he couldn’t focus on that, couldn’t focus on a thing. He’d spent many nights dreaming about this, and here it was: he was kissing Elain Archeron. 

If this was all he got, thank the Mother, but he would take advantage of the opportunity he’d been given. His lips left hers and she next felt them on her neck, followed by the barest hint of teeth. Her head tipped back, giving him better access, and a quiet moan slipped out as his lips found that glorious spot where her neck met her shoulder. She melted into him as he explored that spot, what she did when he kissed, licked, sucked, tasted.

Her hand was still on his leg and she squeezed lightly as his mouth worshipped her neck. He paused for a moment, her hand much higher on his thigh that he’d realized. If she even scarcely moved her hand up, her fingers would brush against him, his body would let her know just how much this was affecting him. But as he let his teeth scrape over a sensitive spot, she didn’t timidly shift her fingers up a bit. No, Elain brazenly reached out and cupped Azriel through his sweatpants.

He hissed onto her skin, all the while relishing in the feel of her fingers around him. 

She seemed to find satisfaction over this, over his sounds, over the way his body tensed and quickly relaxed. She smiled, Azriel feeling the gesture against his own lips. After she gave him a gentle squeeze, Azriel was pulling her by her hips until she was planted in his lap, straddling his waist. One arm was instantly around her, the other holding the back of her head as he kissed her. He wanted to be as close to her as possible, every hesitant inch of him that he held back all these years finally being able to let go. 

The second her body made contact with his, she rocked her hips and Azriel swore against her lips. 

“Too much?” she breathed. As she pulled back, he could see how flushed her cheeks were, even though the only light came from his laptop. 

Azriel couldn’t help but quietly laugh. For her to think that this was too much… “No. Not at all.”

This time when he kissed her, her body melted into his. She was pressed up so tightly against him that he swore he could feel the beating of her heart against his chest. 

When his tongue slid between her lips, she moaned and the sound alone had Azriel wishing he was inside of her. What sounds would she make then, as he pleasured her far greater than anyone surely had before? He would be sure of it, if that time came, when that time came. Judging from the way her hands had been wandering, it wasn’t too far off. 

The movie still played in the background, the laughter of their friends outside, but there was nothing and no one but the two of them in that moment. Elain ran her hands through Azriel’s hair, hair nails lightly dragging against his scalp and he made a low noise of pleasure. Smiling, Elain pulled back to survey him. He’d be willing to bet his face was just as flushed as hers, his lips just as swollen.

“Tell me when to stop and I will,” he breathed.

She bit her lip and glanced down. Down, at the evidence of how much he was enjoying this. “And if I don’t want you to stop?”

Azriel hesitated. Not because he didn’t want to go further, he had never wanted to go further this badly before, but because he was caught off guard. If there was one thing that he and Elain never talked about throughout the years of their friendship were each other’s sex lives. He knew Elain, though. She may not have been completely innocent, but she sure as hell wasn’t as outspoken as her sisters about what went on behind closed doors. 

“Then I won’t,” Azriel said, at last, jaw ticking as he swallowed. He felt like he was about to combust, every part of his being barely hanging on by a thread. 

Elain ran her hands down his chest as she said, “Good.”

Her fingers delicately found the hem of his shirt and she pulled it up over his messy hair before tracing the ink on his chest. Azriel scarcely breathed as he remained perfectly still, letting her explore the skin she had always seen but never touched.

She followed one flowing swirl of dark ink that trailed down his bicep, letting her hand continue down his arm until it wrapped around the hand he had resting on her hips. Azriel watched in frozen silence as she brought his scarred hand to her lips and pressed a kiss over his skin. At his quiet gasp, the only sign of his shock, Elain’s eyes flicked up to his. Keeping her eyes on his, she then kissed each finger, before taking his other hand and showing it the same love and affection.

He blinked away the burning in his eyes at the tender act. He and Elain had discussed his hands before. She knew how he felt, to have them acknowledged. The cool wash of shame he usually felt was replaced by a tightening in his chest and he kissed her again. Her hands were once again exploring his body so he took the opportunity to do the same.

One of Azriel’s hands left her face, trailing down her neck, to her breast— where he realized she wasn’t wearing a bra.

He felt her smile against his lips and he chuckled, loving the feeling of her breast in his hand, even through the thin t-shirt she wore. It was baggy enough that he hadn’t even noticed, but now…

He couldn’t stop himself from pulling away from the kiss, from pinching her nipple just hard enough that she whimpered, and he watched as they both hardened beneath the fabric.

“Can I take this off,” he whispered, letting his thumb brush beneath the hem of her shirt, over her soft, warm skin.

Elain nodded and he wondered if words may have become just as foreign for her as they were for him. He took his time taking off that first piece of clothing. There had been so much anticipation that led to that moment, so many years wondering and imagining. Now that it was happening, he didn’t want to rush it, wouldn’t rush a thing. He would take his sweet time.

They had nowhere else to be. 

He pulled the thin tee over her head and tossed it aside, not bothering to look away from her for a second to see where it had gone. His gaze was fully focused elsewhere.

Elain watched, slowly rocking her hips side to side in a silent tease, as Azriel gently cupped her breasts in his palms, his thumbs brushing over her peaked nipples. 

Elain let out a held breath as he leaned down and took one of them into his mouth. Her fingers twisted into his hair and she gasped, eyes falling shut.

Her hips bucked of their own accord, her head falling back, and one of Azriel’s hands swept down her, holding her to him. His teeth bit down on the sensitive nub, his tongue flicking over it a second later, before his lips closed around it and he sucked. At the same time, his other hand showing the other as much attention as he could. He was hard, so hard, just a pair of leggings and panties between the two of them. She ground her hips down on him as she straddled him, the quiet noises she made like the sweetest song he’d ever heard.

His lips found her other breast, becoming as acquainted with it as he had the first, letting his teeth and tongue explore and then his lips were back on her neck.

“Az,” she breathed. 

“Hmm?” His mouth never left her breast.

“I want you inside of me.”

The words rushed out of her mouth, hardly a whisper, but Azriel caught each and every word with perfect clarity. He leaned back and caught her eye, and he knew by the look in hers that she meant it.

Slowly and gently, Azriel held her tight and rolled her over, laying her back against the blankets. Hovering over her, he kissed her softly on the lips before trailing down her body. His lips found her neck, her shoulder, between her breasts and down her abdomen before he looped his fingers into her shorts and pulled them down to reveal a lace thong in a color very similar to what her swimsuit had been. 

He pressed a kiss over top of her sex, through the lace and he swore he heard her release a shuddering breath. He relished in the sound, in the sight and smell and feel of her. His senses were overrun with her, everything around him screaming Elain, Elain, Elain. All he lacked was the taste of her, though her kiss was still fresh on his lips. He wanted to linger, to truly taste her, but she’d been very clear with what she wanted. He’d take his time between her legs, the next time he had the opportunity.

So he slowly dragged that scrape of lace down, Elain lifting her hips to help him. And then she was bare before him.

Azriel sat up on his knees, taking her in. There was a blush on her cheeks and he couldn’t tell if it was her nerves that caused it or what they’d been doing, but he brushed his thumb along her lips. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

That blush deepened and she pressed a kiss to his thumb before she reached out and tugged him towards her by his sweatpants. “How are you supposed to fuck me with those on?”

The noise that came out of Azriel was primal as Elain’s fingers gripped the waistband of his sweatpants and tugged them down. She sucked in her bottom lip as his cock sprang free, beautifully hard and ready for her. 

Slowly, she brushed her thumb over the head and stroked him once before she laid back and spread her legs for him.

For a moment, it all became real. Azriel felt like he was living in a dream and maybe he was; but, if he was, he didn’t ever want to wake up. He ran a finger between her folds before sweeping his hands up her thighs, positioned himself just right, and slowly slid his cock inside of her. 

Elain gasped as her fingers dug into his skin, her body tensing before starting to adjust to his size, his length. 

Her eyes had fluttered shut as he slid all the way home, in to the hilt.

“You feel…” Azriel couldn’t find the words. Amazing didn’t seem to cover it. Earth-shattering was a little closer to what he was looking for, as was mind-blowing, but he dropped his forehead to hers and breathed, “so fucking good.”

She only nodded in agreement, pulling his lips to hers and kissing him with a need that told him she’d been waiting for this as long as he’d been.

He pulled out and pushed his hips back into hers a long, slow thrust. He let her feel every inch of him, and with every roll of his hips, he moved faster, harder, deeper, until the headboard was thudding against the wall. Azriel had a hard time caring, didn’t really give a shit as he looked down at Elain, watched as his cock slammed in and out of her. She was whimpering, his name tumbling from her lips in hushed whispers.

Her head fell back against the pillows as she moaned and her hand went right between her legs, expertly finding that tight bundle of nerves.

“Are you close?” He asked, dragging his teeth along the exposed column of her throat.

“Yes.” Her voice was high, breathy, something straight out of one of Azriel’s most private, personal dreams.

He leaned down, his lips inches from her rosy nipple, ready to help guide her over the edge with his teeth, but she threaded her fingers into his damp hair and pulled his face up to hers.

“I want,” she panted, hand tightening in his hair, “to come with you.”

The words nearly destroyed him. Azriel nodded, lips finding hers and set a brutal pace, not caring about the banging of the headboard on the wall or the fact that the movie quit playing at some point. He was too focused on how amazing Elain felt, how beautiful she looked, how sliding his cock inside of her had felt like home. He felt it build, felt her winding up tighter and tighter and then Elain cried out, his name a prayer and a curse all in one. As soon as she shattered around him, nails dragging down his back, he’d cum right alongside her, burying his face in her neck and groaning her name.

He had never felt anything like it, had never felt anything even close to how he felt as he fell over the edge, holding her in his arms. He rode out his orgasm as she rode out hers, and when he couldn’t move anymore, he fell into her. His face was still buried in her neck, he was still whispering sweet nothings into the silence.

Once Elain’s knees stopped shaking around his hips, her hands found his back. Those gentle, delicate fingertips of hers swept across his skin until his breathing evened out. When he finally found the courage to look up at her, the look in her eyes made his knees weak. He brushed back her hair that had fallen into her face and pressed his lips softly to hers.

“That was…” he began, quietly, shaking his head. “Elain, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

“Years?” she suggested, and when he grinned she laughed. “Yeah, me too.”

“Was it…”

“Better than I ever expected,” she confessed, taking a deep breath. With his face in her hands, his forehead fell against hers. “What do you want to bet that everyone in this damned house just heard everything we just did?”

Azriel laughed quietly before kissing her, sweetly. “I don’t give a damn if they heard or not. Let them hear.”

Elain’s laughter echoed through the cabin as Azriel rolled them over, only to perfectly pleasure her once more. 

[theseeingfawn]

“Two dozen guards,” Azriel murmured to Rhys. A glance at Elain. “And Lord Graysen and his father, Lord Nolan.”

A Court of Wings and Ruin - Chapter 52