Azriel/reader - Tumblr Posts

Cruel Fates (Part 1)

Pairing: Azriel x f!Reader

Summary: Azriel is your mate but only you know it. You are very aware that he has eyes for someone else and thus you decide not to hide it forever. After all, what could go wrong right?

Warnings: Pure angst

Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

He was looking at her again. The only time he didn’t look at her was to update Rhysand on his last mission. You tried your best not to look at him but somehow your eyes wandered back to him like a moth drawn to flame.

The meeting finished and everyone left except for you and Rhysand. 

“How long do you plan to continue this?” he asked, worry coated his words.

“I don’t know, as long it takes.” your gaze was focused on the golden sunlight that poured from his window

“From what I see it looks like forever.” he placed a hand on her shoulder, “And forever is a long time, Y/N”

“What do you think I can do?” you said finally looking at him. You wished ignoring the feeling long enough would make it disappear.

“He’ll want to know. Tell him, we all saw what happened to Feyre and me” Rhys was the only person you told about this. He was the older brother you could confide in anytime.

“Feyre wasn’t in love with someone else.” At this point, you were not sure if you were trying to convince him or yourself.

“Azriel is your mate.”

“And he thinks the cauldron made a mistake with Lucian and Elain. He thinks Elain should be his mate. Not me. He barely looks at me that way Rhys.”

Rhys shook his head and sighed.

“I don’t know why we are having the same conversation for the hundredth time. I told you before and I'll tell you again, I am not going to say anything to Azriel. If I do it’ll ruin everything I already have with him.”

“I know have you at least tried to hint at him?”

“No. And I won’t besides Elain is happy when she is with him and that makes Feyre happy. I can’t do that to her Rhys. She has enough to worry about already.”

Rhys just looked at you as if you were some weird puzzle.

“Both of us know those are just partial reasons. You can’t bring yourself to tell him but my question is why."

He held my stare as he repeated, "why Y/N?”

You let out an exasperated sigh, “Because I am afraid he won’t like me. I am afraid yet another person who I like will tell me that they don’t see me the same way. I am tired of this, Rhys. Unless he realizes I can’t do anything. Maybe the cauldron was indeed mistaken.” 

With that, you just walked out of the room.

Next part

I love how you all responded to my azzie fanfic !! So for those who asked, yes I will be working on a part 2 but I can't tell you how soon I can post it because finals week absolutely sucks. So until then if you have any ideas for this story or if you want me to write for any other character, my requests are open!! Here's the list of characters I write for.

Cruel Fates (Part 2)

Pairing: Azriel x f!Reader, little Eris x f!Reader

Summary: Azriel is your mate but only you know it. You are very aware that he has eyes for someone else and thus you decide not to hide it forever. After all, what could go wrong right?

Warnings: Angst (I don't think I can ever stop myself from writing angst.)

Based on this ask.

4.1K words

Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4

You found yourself aimlessly wandering along the banks of Sidra after storming out on Rhys. The ambient noise enveloped you—the rhythmic splashes of the river against rocks, the bustling chatter of the market, birds chirping in the background. Everything felt mundane, yet strangely comforting. Ignoring your problems wasn’t a solution, as Rhys had pointed out, but it was undeniably easier than facing or even acknowledging them. Nevertheless, you had resigned yourself to the current state of affairs.

Using distraction as your shield, you returned home burdened with bags filled with new books, clothes, and other unnecessary items. As you entered the elegant two-story building you called home, a sense of familiarity and solace washed over you. This palace had become a sanctuary, a reflection of your own essence.

Closing the door behind you with a soft thud, you were greeted by the familiar scent of citrus and jasmine. Setting down the bags, you kicked off your shoes. The silence of the house stood in stark contrast to the lively atmosphere of the market. Just as thoughts of Azriel slipped from your mind, your senses sharpened, recognizing the subtle hum of shadows.

"Ah, the shadow singer. Ever heard of knocking or privacy?" you quipped, though you didn’t need to turn to know it was him.

"I'm a spymaster; it's not in my nature," he replied with his customary soft smile.

Refusing to let your gaze linger on him for too long, you busied yourself by fetching a glass of water.

"How can I assist you, Azriel?" you inquired as you filled the glass in the kitchen beyond the hall where he stood. You still felt a distance from him, not quite comfortable enough to address him as Az like your sisters, Feyre or Elain, did.

"Can't I simply enjoy your company?" he teased, his voice gentle.

Turning away, you closed your eyes for a moment, mentally reminding yourself to compartmentalize. "He's just being polite," you repeated to yourself, trying to drown out the nagging voice in your head that reminded you of Elain's constant talk about him. "He treats Elain the same."

You scoffed, hoping it didn’t come across as too rude. "Yeah, sure. Now, what brings you here?"

"We're expecting Eris to arrive in a few hours, around sunset. Rhys wanted me to ask if you've changed your mind."

Ah, you had forgotten about the impending meeting with the prince. You sighed. "And Rhys couldn’t ask me himself because?" It was a rhetorical question, but Azriel seemed unaware.

"He mentioned that you two had a disagreement, and he wasn’t sure if you'd be open to talking."

"Of course, I'll talk to him. I’m not a child," you replied, your brows furrowing. "And yes, I still intend to attend that meeting."

Azriel nodded, his expression unreadable as always. "Good to know. In that case, he asked me to inform you that you’ll have to deal with this meeting on your own, there are some crises with an Illyrian camp that he had to attend to, and he is running late.”

“Oh,” A part of you was glad that Rhys let you handle this, “It’ll just be me then?”

The spymaster shook his head, “Of course not, I’ll accompany you.”

You nodded as you were unsure of the right response, “Is there anything else I should know before I meet Eris?”

Azriel paused and started slowly, “My shadows tell me he wishes to overthrow his father. But it’s difficult to know what’s the truth.”

“Ahh, that’s why Rhys put me on this.”  you realized as Azriel nodded in response.

You wondered why Rhys requested you accompany him to a meeting with Eris. The powers you got from the cauldron were unique. Your ability ranges from slowing a person's pulse to snatching the air from their lungs as long as the target must be in your line of sight. You can command human organs and regulate emotions by releasing certain chemicals in the body. This allows you to induce suffocation by removing air from someone's lungs, controlling blood flow, causing heart attacks, dictating heart rhythm, and slowing healing. Aside from being extremely valuable in a battle, you can also act as a living lie detector, by monitoring a person’s physiological response.

“Alright, I’ll be there, is there anything else?” 

Azriel looked like he was about to say something before he muttered a no.

“You know better than to lie to me, what is it?”

He signed before he finally asked, “I knew that you and Rhys got close in a short time but I didn’t realise you were close enough that he trusted you to handle a meeting alone. That too with Eris.”

“Honestly, I didn't know either.” you said, “Rhys and I connected so quickly that it felt like I had known him for years, he is the older brother I never had. I am glad that he trusts me to handle this.”

You noticed a strange emotion flash in his eyes for a quick second before he gave a soft smile “I am happy for him, I am glad he found a friend in you, y/n. Cassian and I may be his brothers but he still doesn't confide in us completely, he is too afraid to burden us. Feyre and you are good for him.”

You returned his smile, “We all need someone to lean on.” 

“Well, Is there anything you need assistance with before then?", he asked.

You shook your head, dismissing any further conversation. "No, I'll manage. Thank you, Azriel."

He lingered for a moment, as if debating whether to say something else, but ultimately turned to leave without another word.

As the door clicked shut behind him, you couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment. It wasn’t directed at Azriel, but rather at yourself for the walls you had built, preventing anyone from getting too close. Yet, at the same time, you couldn’t bear the thought of letting those walls crumble, leaving you vulnerable to the possibility of rejection. Aside from that, even if he did feel the same way, how long will it last? That too with your newly immortal lifespan? You have witnessed true love fall apart in a short time in the human lands. How would it not end in anything but pain in the life of an immortal? If there was one thing you knew for sure, it was that to love, is to destroy. Not telling Azriel was the best option for yourself, you were not going to invite pain to your doorstep.

With a heavy heart, you retreated to your room. You knew that sooner or later, Azriel would find out but for now, you allowed yourself the temporary respite of distraction. 

Later that day, the anticipation of Eris's arrival hung heavy in the air as you prepared for the meeting. Despite your best efforts to focus on the task at hand, thoughts of Azriel and the unresolved tension between you lingered at the edges of your mind.

As the sun began its descent, casting hues of orange and pink across the sky, a knock at the door signalled Eris's arrival. Taking a deep breath to steady yourself, you made your way to the entrance, your heart pounding in your chest.

Opening the door, you were met with the sight of Eris standing tall and imposing, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. His eyes, a striking shade of amber, sparkled with mischief as he took in your appearance.

If you were to describe him, you'd call him the living embodiment of fire. 

He was the light to Azriel's dark, they were opposite in every way possible.

“Well, well, well, if it isn't the infamous Y/N," he drawled, his voice smooth like silk. "I must say, you're even more captivating in person."

You rolled your eyes at his flattery, though you couldn’t deny the flutter of excitement that his words stirred within you. "Save the charm, Eris. It won’t work on me."

He chuckled, stepping closer until there was barely any space between you, the air between felt charged, "You wound me, darling. I assure you, my intentions are nothing but genuine."

Before you could retort, Azriel appeared beside you, his presence like a sudden gust of wind that left you breathless. Though his expression remained neutral, you couldn’t shake the feeling of tension radiating from him.

You did miss how Azriel's heart rate was unusually increased, while Eris' remained stable calm and genuine, just like he mentioned before. 

“Eris," Azriel greeted with a nod, his voice devoid of warmth.

"Az," Eris replied, his smirk widening as he used Azriel's nickname. "Always a pleasure."

The air crackled with unspoken tension as the three of you made your way to the meeting room. Eris's gaze lingered on you, his eyes flickering with a mixture of curiosity and desire that sent a shiver down your spine as you all took your seats.

“Imagine how surprised I was when my high lord told me that you had requested a meeting with the night court.” you began holding the prince’s eyes.

“I had requested to meet Rhysand but I am not complaining. You are far better to look at.” Eris said with a smirk that never seemed to leave his face.

“I'll inform him that you were pleased by the arrangement.” you replied with an earnest smile.

Maybe this could be fun, you thought.

Maybe you found Eris fun.

As Eris seemed to give another flirty retort, Azriel spoke.

“Why are you here?

“Ugh! You are no fun Azriel. It’s not like you don't know already.”

You raise your brows at him, asking him to elaborate. 

Eris obliged, “I want to…” he  seemed to pause choosing his words carefully, “relieve my father from his duties and be the high lord of Autumn court.”

You couldn’t help but snort a laugh at his words, “‘relieve my father of his duties’? My, my, whatever happened to daddy's loyal boy?” 

You caught the slight upper tilt of Azriel's lips just as your powers detected the slight rise in the pulse of Eris before it slowed down again.

“Apparently he's not as loyal as you thought.”

“How can we trust you?”

“Who are you kidding, princess? I'd be a fool not to know about your interesting powers.”

“Fair enough, what does the night court have to do with this?”

“Help me, to get rid of my father, support my claim as the high lord.”

“Why would we do that? We’d then be replacing one monster for another.” you shot back.

If your words affected him, he showed no signs of it, physically at least, but the small spike in his cortisol levels and the drop in his pulse told you your words hit their mark.

Eris's smile tightened ever so slightly, but he maintained his composure, leaning back in his chair with an air of practised ease. "I can see why you might think that, but I assure you, I'm not my father. Unlike Beron, I see the value in alliances and mutual benefit."

Azriel crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. "Convincing words, Eris, but words are cheap. What do you have to offer in return for our support?" 

You couldn’t honestly remember when was the last time you had heard him speak this much, or if you had ever interacted with him for more than a few words.

Eris's gaze flickered to Azriel, then back to you. "Information. My father is planning something that could have catastrophic consequences for all of us. He's been working with a human queen—one who has a vested interest in starting a new war between our realms."

Your heart skipped a beat, a sense of dread settling over you. "Which queen?"

Eris's expression grew grave. "Queen Briallyn. She's amassed a formidable army and is working with my father to create a weapon that could tip the scales in her favour."

You exchanged a glance with Azriel, whose stoic expression betrayed a flicker of concern. "What kind of weapon?"

"One that can manipulate the very fabric of magic itself," Eris replied, his voice low and serious. "It could render even the most powerful High Lords and their courts defenceless."

Azriel's eyes darkened. "And you have proof of this?"

Eris reached into his coat and pulled out a small, intricately carved box. He placed it on the table and opened it to reveal a collection of documents and maps. "These are the plans and correspondences between my father and Queen Briallyn. Everything you need to verify my claims is right here."

You leaned forward, scrutinizing the documents. The meticulous detail and undeniable authenticity left little room for doubt. 

You sighed passing the letters to the shadowsinger. "Just when we thought Prythian had a moment of rest."

Eris met your gaze, his expression was earnest. "Our courts need to work together."

You considered his words, the weight of the decision pressing down on you. It was a risk, but the potential consequences of inaction were too dire to ignore. "Assuming we agree to help, how do you propose we go about it?"

Eris's smirk returned, though there was a determined glint in his eyes. "We can meet regularly and update eachother with what we know and proceed from there."

Azriel's gaze remained fixed on Eris, his expression unreadable. "And what guarantees do we have that you won't betray us once you have what you want?"

Eris leaned forward, his amber eyes burning with intensity. "You have my word and the knowledge that if I betray you, I'll be signing my own death warrant. Beron would kill me in a heartbeat. I need this alliance as much as you do."

You took a deep breath, weighing the risks and benefits. Finally, you nodded. "Alright, Eris. We'll discuss this with our high lord and get back to you. But know this—if you betray us, there will be nowhere in this world you can hide."

Eris inclined his head, a genuine smile tugging at his lips. "Understood. Now, I've always been curious about your powers," he began, his tone light but laced with genuine interest. "I've heard rumours, but I find that firsthand accounts are always more... enlightening."

You arched an eyebrow, meeting his gaze with a guarded expression. "Have you now, Eris? And I’m not in the habit of revealing my secrets to just anyone." Your powers were not publicized much, you and Rhys decided it was more advantageous to keep it quiet. But they weren’t a secret either.

Eris chuckled, the sound warm and inviting. "Ah, but I'm not just anyone, am I? People talk about you being able to control the very essence of life itself. Now, that sounds rather impressive, don't you think?"

You chuckled softly, crossing your arms. "Rumours tend to exaggerate. I'm sure the truth is far less exciting."

Eris took a step closer, his gaze never leaving yours. "Is that so? From what I understand, you can manipulate the body on a molecular level. Imagine the possibilities... and the danger."

You shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Dangerous, perhaps, but only to those who give me a reason to use it."

His eyes gleamed with amusement. "Fair enough. But tell me, how does it work? Do you just think about it and—poof—someone's heart stops beating?"

You gave him a sly smile. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you. Or at least give you a nasty headache."

Eris laughed, a rich, warm sound that filled the room.

Eris's expression grew more serious, though his smile remained. "You know, Y/N, there's something else I've been thinking about.”

You looked at Azriel and joked, “Look at that! You have certainly been thinking a lot recently, haven’t you Eris? Looks like you’ve been having a lot of thoughts.” You were surprised that Azriel gave a small smile from the way he had tensed this entire meeting, waiting for a chance to pounce on the Autumn prince.

Eris widened his smile at your comment as he continued, “Here’s my proposal, this alliance between us... it could be more than just a political arrangement."

You tilted your head, intrigued despite yourself. "Oh? And what exactly are you suggesting, Eris?"

He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I'm suggesting a union between our courts, a marriage of sorts. Think about it—together, we’d hold so much power." 

Azriel lost all his self-control as he whispered in a deadly calm tone, “You have gone insane.”

You laughed softly, shaking your head. Your powers silently rush to soothe Azriel before he does something reckless, "You certainly don't lack ambition, I'll give you that. But why on earth would I consider such an arrangement?" 

Eris's gaze softened, and for a moment, you caught a glimpse of something deeper in his eyes. "Because I believe we could be unstoppable together. You're powerful, intelligent, and, if I may be so bold, quite captivating. With your abilities and my resources, there's no limit to what we could achieve."

You felt a flicker of something—curiosity, perhaps, or maybe even the faintest hint of intrigue.

“Too bad you were already mated, if only he knew”, you thought to yourself.

A slow thought crept into your mind, “So what if you were mated? Nothing was going to come out of it anyway.” 

"Captivating, am I? You do know how to charm, Eris. But you'll have to do better than that to convince me."

Eris's smile widened, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Consider it, Y/N. Imagine what we could accomplish together. The Autumn Court and the Night Court united as one. We could bring peace, prosperity, and a new era of cooperation to our people."

You studied him for a long moment, weighing his words. There was no denying the potential benefits of such a union, but there were also risks—trusting Eris was a gamble, and one you weren't sure you were ready to take. Thoughts of what he did to Mor screamed in your head.

“I didn’t forget your past with Morrigan, Eris. You still expect me to agree to this?”

His eyes narrowed at that, “Morrigan knows the truth of what happened that day. Ask her for the entire truth.”

Confusion bloomed inside you at his words but you did not have time to sort through lies now, Azriel was too agitated and you were left with an important choice to make.

"I'll think about it," you finally said, your tone careful. "But don't get your hopes up, Eris. I'm not so easily won over." you slipped a mask of playfulness again.

Eris chuckled, rising from his seat with a graceful fluidity. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Y/N. Just promise me you'll keep an open mind."

You nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of your lips. "I'll keep an open mind. But remember, Eris—if you cross me, you'll regret it."

He inclined his head, his expression earnest. "I wouldn't dream of it. Until next time, Y/N."

With that, Eris turned and left the room, leaving you alone with your thoughts. The idea of a union with Eris was both tempting and daunting, and you couldn't help but wonder what the future held for the two of you—and for your courts.

The room settled into an uneasy silence. You could feel the tension radiating from Azriel beside you, a stark contrast to his usually calm demeanour. His jaw was clenched, and his shadows seemed to writhe and twist around him with a life of their own.

You turned to face him, concern etched into your features. "Azriel, what's wrong? If I hadn’t calmed you Mother knows what you’d have done to him!"

Azriel’s eyes, usually a cool and controlled shade of hazel, now burned with a fierce intensity. "What's wrong? Are you seriously considering his proposal, Y/N?"

You blinked, taken aback by the intensity of his reaction, you have never seen this side of him.

 "It's not as simple as that, Azriel. We have to consider all options if we want to ensure the safety of Prythian."

He took a step closer, his voice low and filled with barely suppressed anger. "Eris is playing a dangerous game. A union with him? You can't seriously think that's a good idea."

You met his gaze, your own frustration bubbling to the surface. "I'm not saying I'm going to marry him tomorrow, Azriel. But we can't dismiss his proposal outright. There’s the potential benefit—"

Azriel cut you off, his voice rising. "Potential benefit? He's manipulating you, Y/N! He wants power, and he’ll use you to get it. Do you really believe he has anyone's interests at heart other than his own?"

You felt a surge of defensiveness, your own anger flaring in response. "And what if he does? What if this alliance could actually bring about the change we need? We can’t afford to let personal grudges cloud our judgment. He meant everything he said today, not a single ill-intended thought!"

Azriel’s expression darkened, his shadows growing more agitated. "This isn't about personal grudges. This is about trust, about loyalty. Eris has proven time and time again that he can’t be trusted. And now he's proposing a union with you? He’s trying to bind you to him, Y/N. To control you."

You took a deep breath, trying to steady your emotions. "I know it’s risky, Azriel. But we need allies. We need every advantage we can get if we're going to take down Beron and stop this war."

Azriel’s fists clenched at his sides, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "And what about your own safety? What about the risk to you? I can't stand by and watch you put yourself in danger for a power-hungry prince who will betray you the first chance he gets."

Your heart ached at the raw concern in his voice, hope threatened to manifest in you but you shoved it aside and held your ground. "Why do you care, Azriel? I can take care of myself. I’m not making any decisions lightly. I just need to consider every option."

Your words cut through the air like a sharp blade, and for a moment, Azriel seemed taken aback by your response. His gaze softened, his expression filled with a mixture of frustration and hurt.

"Why do I care?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. "Because you are like Rhys’s little sister, you are one of us. Because I can't bear the thought of anything happening to you."

Though a part of you was glad he cared but you scoffed in disbelief, “Right. Because I am important to Rhys. Well, this decision is mine to make and I will discuss it with Rhys as it concerns his court. I’ll be sure to take what you feel into consideration. Thank you for your input, Azriel.”

His gaze hardened, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes. "Fine. If that's how you want it. But have you ever stopped to consider the possibility that you might have a mate, Y/N?"

The question hung in the air like a heavy weight, the implication sinking in with a sickening certainty. You felt your breath catch in your throat, the blood draining from your face as you struggled to comprehend his words.

"What if you have a mate out there, waiting for you?" Azriel continued, his voice soft but filled with an undercurrent of pain. "What then?"

You recoiled as if struck, the weight of his words crashing down on you like a tidal wave. The truth, the painful, unbearable truth, threatened to drown you in its depths. A dry, joyless laugh came out of you.

"I don't have a mate," you spat out, your voice trembling with rage. You lied without a second thought. The ease of it scared you. "And even if I did, it's none of your damn business, Azriel. Stay out of my life."

With that final, venomous retort, you turned on your heel and winnowed out of the room, leaving Azriel behind in a cloud of anguish and regret. 

As you fled down the empty corridors of the townhouse, your heart ached with a pain you couldn't name. 

You opened Rhys’s study door without a second thought and sighed in relief as you found Feyre and him.

Realization of what truly happened spread through you like a bolt of lightning hit you. Both of them were quickly at your side, worried and asking you questions. A single tear slipped as your voice broke,

 “Not telling him was one thing, but lying to him? Oh cauldron, what have I done?”

Next Part

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Cruel Fates (Part 3)

Pairing: Azriel x f!Reader, little Eris x f!Reader

Summary: Azriel is your mate but only you know it. You are very aware that he has eyes for someone else and thus you decide not to hide it forever. After all, what could go wrong right?

Warnings: Angst, again.

3.1K words

A/N: Thank you @vanserrasimp for your ideas!!!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4

“Do you want some more water?” Feyre asked softly, her brows knitted with concern. You shook your head slowly, your gaze lost in the shadows of Rhys’s study, overwhelmed by the storm of thoughts in your mind.

“What happened, Y/N?” Rhys’s voice was gentle, but his eyes were intense, probing. They sat across from you like worried parents, and you sighed, lifting your eyes to meet theirs. Slowly, you recounted the meeting with Eris.

“Beron and a human queen?” Feyre repeated, her voice tinged with disbelief.

“He spoke true. I saw their correspondences with my own eyes,” you replied, the memory still fresh and unsettling.

“So he wants to join forces with us so he can rule,” Rhys mused, the wheels already turning in his mind.

 “And he proposed a marriage alliance between us.” You finished his sentence.

Their eyes widened, and Rhys gestured for you to continue.

“He said our powers together would be formidable and the alliance would be very convenient. I told him I’d consider it.”

“Are you insane?” Feyre frowned, disbelief colouring her tone. “Why would you even think about it?”

“Because he had a point,” you answered, your voice steady despite the turmoil inside. “It would benefit both courts, and before you question his sincerity, let me assure you, he was.”

You turned to Rhys, searching for his reaction. He simply asked, “What did Azriel say?”

“That’s where things got messy,” you admitted, recounting Azriel’s outburst and Eris’s proposal. When Azriel brought up the mating bond, it made you snap.

Rhys’s brow furrowed as you spoke, a knowing look passing between you.

Feyre noticed his reaction and asked, “What am I missing?”

He shrugged in an ‘ask her’ manner.

“Azriel is my mate.”

“WHAT!?” Feyre’s eyes widened in shock.

“I’ve known for a few months. I didn’t want to tell him, considering everything with his love life.”

“And now she downright denied that she has a mate,” Rhys concluded, shaking his head slightly.

Feyre buried her head in her palms for a few moments before looking back at you with a mix of disbelief and sympathy. “You lied to him.”

“I didn’t plan to,” you said, frustration lacing your words. “I’m not sure what came over me.” Even as you tried to defend your actions, you knew you had messed up.

Rhys, who had been silent, suddenly perked up. “He knows!”

“Huh?” Blood drained from your face.

“He brought up the mating bond and was against even the idea of a marriage with Eris. He knows you're his mate.”

“He said he cares because I’m important to you, and he hates Eris on a normal day, let alone when he asked for my hand.”

“Fine, but how will you argue with him bringing up the bond point?” Rhys pressed.

“I don’t know. Maybe he assumed I’d have a mate too, considering the rest of my sisters do?”

Rhys thought about it for a while and shook his head. “I still feel like he’s aware of his mating bond, too. He probably didn’t tell you yet.”

You let out an exasperated sigh. “I have legitimate reasons for not telling him. What does he have?”

“And what are those reasons exactly?” Feyre inquired curiously.

“One, he is in love with Elain, and she is also in love with him. Everyone knows that. Second, the mating bond is forever. It is permanent and painful. I have seen people fall in love easily and fall out just as easily. If ‘love’ can’t get through a mortal lifespan, how can it withstand an immortal one? Accepting the mating bond will only lead to pain, one way or the other.”

Feyre’s eyes narrowed while Rhys’s were filled with pity. You knew your views on love were not popular. You weren’t a pessimist, just someone who saw the world as it was. You wanted to believe in love so badly, but your past had taught you better. Rejecting the mating bond was far less painful than getting rejected.

After a few beats of silence, Feyre spoke in a haunted whisper, “I truly am sorry for you, sister. Whatever pain you’re trying to avoid will come no matter what. But when it does, don’t blame the bond. Blame yourself.”

Azriel

To say Azriel was confused was an understatement. He had never really understood Y/N, not that he'd ever made much of an effort to, but now he desperately wished he had. He had always thought of her as smart and careful, but not reckless. A child would know Eris was bad news. What was she thinking when she said she’d consider his proposal? Azriel was not a male to lose his temper, but she made him go feral. Ever since Y/N winnowed out of that room, her words constantly echoed in his mind. She asked him why he cared, and he did not know. He simply did, right? And what did she mean by “I don’t have a mate”? Did she just assume she didn’t, or did her mate die? Why was Y/N so furious at him?

He needed answers, and he knew who had them: Rhys. Which is exactly why he stood in front of his high lord on the balcony of the River House.

“Ask her, Az,” was the only response he got from him.

“Uh, why didn’t I think of that? Maybe because she asked me to stay out of her life?” Azriel said in a dry tone.

Rhys sighed. “It’s not my story to tell, assuming there is a story.”

“There is.”

“Then ask Y/N.” Rhys shrugged. “Or don’t.”

The spymaster could not remember when was the last time he was this crazed out. He was well aware of how unreasonable his reaction to this whole show was, but he couldn’t help himself when he asked, “How could you let her marry Eris?”

Rhys gave him a pointed look, his eyebrows raised. “One, she hasn’t decided yet, and two, no one lets Y/N do anything, let alone me.”

Azriel shook his head, at himself for his poor wording and at Y/N for her poor decision-making.

“She’s new to all this. Maybe she doesn’t know how Eris is.”

“She says Eris spoke true, and I believe her. Even a mind reader can be fooled when you practice enough, but you can’t fool her powers. Nothing escapes her, Az.”

True, very, very, very true. Azriel knew it, and yet he couldn’t accept it.

It was when his brother asked, “Why are you so bothered by it?” that he realized he didn’t fucking know. 

Why was he bothered by it? Why did he care? Why?

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“I don’t.”

“Hmm.”

“What does that mean?” His eyes narrowed at his high lord.

“Nothing. Just speak with her? Maybe you’ll know.” Cauldron, he wished it was that easy. Y/N was a mystery to him, a stranger. It didn’t feel right to ask her. He wished he knew her well like Rhys and Cass do. The only thing he knew was that she was powerful and dangerous.

“She might kill me.”

Rhys laughed at that. “Then give her some time.”

A whisper of a shadow brushed his ear. But you also know she is loved, how your family cherishes her.

Y/N

You walked through the corridors of the River House, your mind a whirlwind of confusion after your conversation with Rhys and Feyre. Your decision to keep your bond with Azriel a secret weighed heavily on you, but the thought of facing him—and the inevitable pain it would bring—was even more daunting. And then there was Eris. He occupied your thoughts equally, but you welcomed it; he was a very pleasant distraction, but the thought of Azriel interfered there too. Why was he so against Eris? Was Rhys right? Did he know about the bond? As your head swarmed with even more questions, you decided you needed some quiet, some space, a moment to breathe and process everything, away from bonds, decisions, and the pressure of court politics.

As you turned a corner, you heard soft voices coming from the garden. Curiosity got the better of you, and you slowed your pace, your footsteps quiet on the stone floor like a wraith. Peering through the open archway, you saw Azriel and Elain standing amidst the blooming roses, their figures bathed in the golden glow of the afternoon sun. 

Wonderful, you thought to yourself, this is exactly what I needed right now.

You knew you had to get out of there; witnessing whatever was going on between them was a terrible idea, but you found your feet stubbornly rooted to the ground.

Azriel's back was to you, his wings slightly drooped as he spoke to Elain. You couldn't make out their words at first, but the tender expression on Elain's face and the way she gently touched his arm spoke volumes. A pang of something sharp and bitter twisted in your chest, a feeling you couldn't quite name or rather refused to, but you recognized it all the same.

Azriel looked at Elain like she was the sun, the light to his shadows, his eyes filled with an emotion that you deep down wished was directed at you, to feel the warmth and certainty of it. But another part of you recoiled, reminding yourself of the pain that love could bring, the scars it could leave behind.

Thanks to your fae ears, Elain's voice carried over the breeze, soft and melodic. "Azriel, you deserve to be happy. To find someone who truly sees you."

Azriel nodded, a faint, wistful smile touching his lips. "I thought...maybe I could be that person for you, Elain. Maybe we could be right for each other."

Your heart clenched at his admission. Leave, Y/N, leave, your brain urged, but you didn’t. Despite everything, it was clear that Azriel's heart leaned toward Elain, and he was still chasing the idea of love he believed they could have. Yet, as you watched, you noticed something in Elain's eyes—sympathy. She seemed to understand Azriel's confusion.

Elain gave him a gentle smile, her eyes kind yet firm. "Azriel, you've been a wonderful friend. But you need to be honest with yourself about what you truly want."

He nodded, though his expression remained troubled. "I just want to do what's right. I pined for Mor, but that was just a wishful dream, and then you came. All signs pointed to you. I just want to be with someone who fits."

Apparently, that was enough pain for your heart, so finally, you took a step back, your heart heavy with the realization of Azriel’s struggle to find where he belonged, to understand the love he craved. But the sight of him seeking comfort in Elain's presence confirmed your doubts. It was enough to solidify your resolve. He was searching for something in Elain that he yearned for, and it looked like he found it, and it hurt you more than you wanted to admit.

You had to protect yourself. You couldn't risk exposing the bond, not when Azriel's heart was clearly elsewhere. The risk of rejection, of enduring the inevitable heartbreak, was too great. It was certain; it was no longer just a possibility.

You retreated down the corridor, determination settling in your chest like a cold, hard stone. You would accept Eris's proposal. It was the logical choice—the safe choice. An alliance with Eris would protect your heart and the Night Court. And if it meant denying the bond you felt with Azriel, so be it. This was not the first time the bond was denied, and it wouldn’t be the last. At least this way, you would be spared the pain of seeing Azriel look at Elain with love that wasn't meant for you.

Your footsteps echoed in the quiet halls as you made your way to your chambers. Each step felt heavier than the last, burdened with the weight of your decision. You had a choice to finalize and preparations to make. The path ahead was clear. It was time you started to face destiny on your terms.

Reaching your chambers, you closed the door behind you, leaning against it for a moment. You took a deep breath, steeling yourself against the emotions threatening to overwhelm you. You had always been strong and always made the difficult choices. This was no different. You would marry Eris, forge the alliance that would protect Prythian, and bury the bond deep within yourself, where it could no longer hurt you.

As you stood there, alone in the dim light of your room, you allowed yourself one moment of vulnerability. A single tear slipped down your cheek, which you quickly wiped away as you squared your shoulders. Determined, you sat at your desk and reached for a parchment and quill.

Dear Prince Eris,

I hope this letter finds you well. After giving it a lot of thought, I’ve come to a decision about your proposal. Let’s discuss it further at the Midnight Solstice Ball in the Hewn City. It’ll be a good chance for us to talk privately and to discuss more about our deal. I’ll give you my answer then, but I think you’ll find it worth the wait. Until that time, I trust you’ll keep this between us.

Looking forward to seeing you,

Y/N

Azriel

The conversation with Rhys replayed in Azriel's mind as he made his way through the corridors of the River House, the sound of his footsteps a dull echo. Why are you so bothered by it? Rhys's question had struck a chord within him, and Azriel found himself restless and searching for answers he couldn't quite grasp. He needed clarity—needed to understand what was happening between him and Y/N.

As he reached the garden, he saw Elain among the blooming roses, her presence as serene as the morning sun. Azriel hesitated at the threshold, a familiar mix of comfort and uncertainty settling in his chest. Elain was his friend, someone he could confide in without fear of judgment, and yet a part of him wondered if she could help him understand Y/N's behaviour.

"Azriel?" Elain's voice was gentle as she turned to him, a welcoming smile on her lips. "What brings you here?"

He approached her slowly, the scent of roses mingling with the crisp morning air. "I needed someone to talk to," he admitted, his voice rough with the weight of unspoken thoughts. "I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not," she replied, gesturing for him to sit beside her on the garden bench. "What's on your mind?"

Azriel sat down, his wings folding neatly behind him as he stared at the vibrant flowers. He struggled to find the right words, unsure of how much to reveal. "It's about Y/N," he finally said, glancing at Elain to gauge her reaction.

Elain's expression softened with understanding. "I heard there's been some tension," she said. "Is everything alright between you two?"

He shook his head, frustration creeping into his voice. "I wish I knew. She... she makes it difficult to understand her. I thought I knew her, but now I'm not so sure." He paused for a moment, trying to organize his thoughts, “I...I don’t understand her,” his voice strained. “She told me she doesn’t have a mate, but that’s not true, i gathered that much from Rhys. And then there’s Eris. She’s considering marrying him, and I don’t know why it bothers me so much.”

Elain’s gaze softened, and she reached out, placing a gentle hand on his arm. “Azriel, Y/N is a complicated person. She’s been through a lot. Maybe she’s scared.”

“Scared of what?” he asked, his frustration evident. “I just want to understand her, to know why she’s doing this.”

Elain sighed, looking thoughtful. “Sometimes, people lie about things because they think it’s the only way to protect themselves. Maybe she’s afraid of the bond, of what it means.”

Azriel clenched his fists, trying to suppress the anger and confusion roiling inside him. “But why would she lie to me? Why not just tell me the truth?”

Elain shook her head. “It’s not always that simple, Azriel. Bonds are...intense. They can be overwhelming. Maybe she’s trying to herself from getting hurt.”

“I feel like I’m missing something, like an important piece in a puzzle.”, he confessed.

Elain turned to him and offered one of those healing smiles, “Time will tell, Az. You shouldn't worry yourself too much.”

He nodded, right now he just needed to wait.

A few minutes passed as they both sat in silence, taking in the beautiful garden.

He turned to her, taking in her gentle presence. There was a time when he had believed she might be the one to fill the void in his heart, but now he questioned everything he had assumed. "Elain, I've been thinking," he began, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Elain gave him an encouraging smile, her eyes filled with understanding. "What is it, Azriel?"

“I have been searching for love for a very long time but I never felt like I deserved it.” He admitted to her. 

Elain’s eyes furrowed as she placed a comforting hand on his arm,  "Azriel, you deserve to be happy. To find someone who truly sees you."

Azriel nodded, and a sorrowful smile graced his lips. "I thought...maybe I could be that person for you, Elain. Maybe we could be right for each other."

Elain sighed softly as she spoke, "Azriel, you've been a wonderful friend. But you need to be honest with yourself about what you truly want."

He nodded, as he searched for words, "I just want to do what's right. I pined for Mor, but that was just a wishful dream, and then you came. All signs pointed to you. I just want to be with someone who fits."

Elain remained silent as she listened to him, “But I think I made you seem like something you are not, you are one of my closest confidantes but I thought or rather hoped we’d be more. I was desperate to have something that my brothers had, so much so that, I was sure you were my answer.” he paused, "I wanted to be the person for you, Elain. I thought that the cauldron was mistaken, but now I see that I've been chasing something that isn't meant to be." 

"But I've realized," Azriel continued, "that while we share something special, it's not the kind of love I thought I was looking for. We're better as friends, aren't we?"

Elain nodded, her smile warm and understanding. "I think so too. We have a bond, Azriel, but it's different from what you have with Y/N."

He let out a soft chuckle, the sound tinged with relief. "I suppose I've been chasing shadows, hoping to find the light in the wrong places."

Elain nodded, understanding in her eyes. "It's okay to want love, Azriel. But maybe you need to look beyond the obvious, beyond what's easy."

Next Part

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Moonchild

Prologue: Set Me Free

When Hybern falls, all of their prior experiments are free to take the world as they want, but for months no one hears anything coming from the castle. Until the massacre. Until the whole palace explodes. Their biggest weapon is out, and she only has one objective: get back to her sisters.

Warnings: mentions of blood, mentions of child abuse, mentions of experiments with human beings, mentions of possession (?), mentions of child murder, this is just so fucked up (please someone tell me if I forgot something)

I'm still not sure about this, since I'm usually on the reading side, not writing haha. Tell me if I should keep going on with this. Also, how do I make this blog pretty? Mine just looks like trash lol. Btw, English is not my first language, this is just for me to see if I am actually fluent or if I'm delusional.

She always thought that she would spend her whole life running away from herself, but while she ran through those camps, she thought she could be free. She didn't have any hopes for herself anymore and would happily die in the same cell she was raised in, but when she saw the new group of children coming into the horrible place that she was obligated to call "home," she decided they all had enough.

She herself had gotten there when she was only a child of three. Her family was all dead. Or at least that's what they told her. She didn't know any better than to believe. They had thrown her into the cauldron when she was merely a kid of eight, and when they realized all of them were coming out of there with more powers than what they planned, that's when the experiment began, and she would not let those children suffer the same. Not that it matters anymore because all of the children are dead. Hybern didn't have the cauldron anymore. The kids became useless. And she exploded.

Exploded her cell. Then, her friends' cells. Then the whole tower. And later on, the whole building. Now she was in the camps. Burning them with the powers they taught her how to use. She thought it was rather funny.

She was sharing her body and mind with a sadistic, killstarved demon, and for some seconds, she let herself imagine what her sister Nestha would have thought of her if she saw what she was doing. She wondered if her twin sister, Elain, was also a bloodlust monster as much as she was. Then she shoved those thoughts away. She shouldn't think of them. Not at the moment.

Not when she was killing the males and females that trained and showed her how to use her powers. Not when she was slaughtering them with the techniques they taught her. Not when she was staining her spider silk suit with the blood of the ones that gifted it to her. 

And yet, while the tears stained her face and her skin started to get darker because of the amount of power she was using, she thought she might be free after all.

Aemma Archeron decided in that moment that she was going home.

Moonchild

Prologue 2.0: 28 Reasons

When Hybern falls, all of their prior experiments are free to take the world as they want, but for months no one hears anything coming from the castle. Until the massacre. Until the whole palace explodes. Their biggest weapon is out, and she only has one objective: get back to her sisters.

Warnings: mentions of child abuse, mentions of experiments with human beings, mentions of possession (?), mentions of child murder, I'm so sorry (please someone tell me if I forgot something)

No one can convince me that the King of Hybern didn't had a bunch of people to write everything that he made thinking that he would be so famous to the point where he would be deeply studied. Change my mind.

Hybern isn't a stupid country. Neither do we have a stupid king. When we made the agreement to turn the human queens into fae, we had already started to search for subjects for the research.

Once the cauldron was complete, we started the tests. What was the minimal and maximal age at which a human girl could get into the water and come out alive. What we could and couldn't do to the tested girl for her to survive the transition. It's easy to say the males weren't pleased by the fact that they couldn't enjoy their prey before and after the transformation or the girls could break. Humans are such fragile beings.

Once we defined those topics, we found out that all of them had some type of power. They were gifted from the damn bathtub. The cauldron considered all of them its children. Stupid magical thing. Not that it was a bad thing; we could always use some additional power in the war.

Of course, some of them were useless, such as helping plants and changing objects' colors. Some of the girls were too stupid and couldn't access their powers, and they ended up becoming nothing more than slaves for the females that could. But, of course, we were lucky with some of them — especially with the ones that were raised here as our old slaves' kin, due to the constant contact with magic — but the girls from Wotawa were the best; all of them proved to be good at bending the magic for their will. If we had more time, we would've created an army full of Wotawa girls.

But one of them — not one of the Wotawinas, surprisingly — is more than special. The king sees it too. He took her under his wing and trained her himself. Of course, she still sleeps in the cells with all the other girls; she trains in those horrible and smelly camps downtown and eats with them at lunch time. But she also took more classes. History, astrology, magic, and all this stuff. It's almost as if she were his own child. It was almost lovely.

Aemma Archeron is her name. Her grandmother sold her for a better property in the Human Lands of Prythian and some gold coins. We thought she wouldn't even survive the travel here, sick little thing she was. But she was also a fighter and a fierce leader. Somehow smart too. Young Aemma got here when she was three. At the age of eight, it was her time to be thrown into the cauldron. She was the first one to not cry or look scared. Some could say she was almost excited. When she came out of that stuff we felt the flame in her, but together with that, something else came too.

As the girls were always in duos (to make sure they weren't surviving out of pure luck), her weaker friend died there. As I said, Aemma refused to die. We crossed the line at the age of eight at that moment. But this is useless data to use here.

When she came out of there, for days in a row she claimed to have a demon following her. We thought she went crazy as a collateral effect of the transition. But then we saw it too, hanging on her shoulders, we heard the whispers the thing left in her ear, even if we couldn't make out the words.

Then she completely lost it one day when the shadow demon took her body and became her. Sweet and soft skin was replaced by burned and gray pieces of flesh. The dark brown silky hair was replaced by black disgustingly oily hair that dripped down her body. And the body was the worst. Marks were painted all over it, and ancient and undistinguished symbols were drawn—no, not drawn, burned in her. And her eyes became pure dripping silver blue, as if the original Aemma was still in there (it took us some weeks until we found out that she was indeed there, controlling or just watching it, depending on the demon's will).

The thing was an ancient being that was long locked in the cauldron, and while lovely Aemma was fighting for her life inside the dumb bathtub, this smart little demon sneaked into her and is now dividing the body with our special girl. If Aemma dies, the being dies. And the being cannot be killed unless Aemma fully takes control. That's why she took control that first time—to ask for rest in Aemma's name.

After that, the King took an interest and started to train her in particular. Bloodlust and killer machine that Enchantress (or how she asked to be called) demon was, Aemma easily became the best one at everything, if she wasn't so kind and gentle, she could almost be a replacement for Amarantha (half-failed attempt this female was).

Even if she is ready for battle in camp, we know exactly who we are going to find on the battlefield. All of the remaining Archerons will definitely be there, fighting for Night Court. We don't want to risk her getting all emotional during the war when one of her sisters recognizes her (which they definitely will; she and that Elain girl look exactly the same, even if we prayed day and night for them to be different).

It was an amazing idea to bring the other two Archeron sisters and make them a demonstration. The original plan was to throw whatever remaining girl we had in the cells, but once that dumb priestess told us about the Archerons, we knew what we had to do, especially with our girl's twin sister. We had to see if they were identical or if we could be a little bit lucky and both of them wouldn't have any resemblance, which unfortunately didn't happen.

After the war, we are going to release our powerful lovely experiment over Prythian and see them burning in her hellfire. If Maester Cassius is right and Aemma also has a power of her own, we might have to explore that after all. But just when we come back. Then, and only then, we shall be happy.

Maester Orwin,

From "The personal perspective

of the Hybern people over

their biggest weapon, Aemma Archeron"

Moonlight

Chapter 1: Bohemian Rhapsody

When Hybern falls, all of their prior experiments are free to take the world as they want, but for months no one hears anything coming from the castle. Until the massacre. Until the whole palace explodes. Their biggest weapon is out, and she only has one objective: get back to her sisters.

Warnings: mentions of blood, mentions of child abuse, mentions of experiments with human beings, mentions of child murder (please someone tell me if I forgot something)

The reason why I chose the name of the chapter is quite simple: This is the song I listened to and repeated the whole time while I wrote the chapter. Also, Rhapsody means a collection of different beats and rhythms united in a song, and that represents this lovely group of ladies that are together now fighting for their lives. And Bohemia is the city where Fausto (a mythological German character) was born, it's said that he traded his life with a demon for knowledge, eternal life, and love, kinda reminds me of a certain Archeron sister that I created haha

Aemma Archeron never believed she had the chance to reflect on her life. Her routine was simple: rise early, eat breakfast, train her powers, eat lunch, train physically in the camps, eat dinner, study with the king, and return to the cells to sleep. It was easy, it was enough. But then the war came, and Hybern fought and lost.

When Hybern's king fell, so did the girls' hope - though not Aemma's, not exactly. The younger girls still clung to dreams of a future that wasn’t theirs to dream. Their lives had never belonged to them but to the king. After Feyre Cursebreaker freed the High Lords in Prythian, after they stormed the castle, left more broken than before, after obtaining the Book of Breaths, even after Prythian's victory, no one came to free them, the long-forgotten slaves who were supposed to compose Hybern's domination plan. After that, they were all just waiting to die.

They could have left. That was an option. But months after the war ended, a new shipment of children arrived, meant to be turned into fae. The girls couldn’t abandon them; the camp lords and ladies were preoccupied with restoring order, so Aemma and the others cared for the children. It was the perfect moment for someone - anyone - to come and save them. But no one did. The camps restarted, and the children were gone, declared useless by the lords. 

Grief washed over the girls, always a strange feeling for them. They always cried for others, never for themselves. Over time, they stopped caring about their own pain, after all, Faes, they were told, do not grieve. But deep down, they were still human and always would be. Aemma once told the king this, he had laughed at her at the time and told her to only shut up and listen to what he had to teach her, and she had never spoken of it again.

After the grief came anger. The others raged against the camp lords, but Aemma remained the same, always leading, always unbreakable and fierce. For months, they protected those children, fed them, taught them, and loved them as their own. They hadn’t known the Cauldron was gone; if they had, Aemma wouldn’t have let Vivie get so attached. It was a cruel mistake, one she wasn’t prepared to deal with. The king had always known how to keep her in check, to make her his own obedient servant. She knew he was evil, cruel, and sadistic, but somehow, in some deep part of herself, so was she. He had given her a purpose to fight, a role to fill, a task to reach, even if his sense of care was cruel and twisted, he was the only form of care Aemma had ever met. She had grieved for him, too.

But what they had done to the children? Unforgivable. Aemma killed in the name of those who couldn't rise anymore tortured those who were proud of their swords, and fed the Enchantress's soul with their despair. She had enjoyed it, even if she didn't dare to admit it. She burned their homes, their camps, their ships, their souls. Silently, she mastered her power and ended them. The girls took the studies kept in the castle, saving them for their new lives. Whether they sold the knowledge, used it, or gave it away didn’t matter. Hybern was gone, and all that remained were its twisted experiments, finally free to run into the life the Mother had promised them.

Some girls went to Wotawa, others to Vallahan. Aemma and the largest group had made their way to Prythian. Their goal was simple: find a place to call home and start anew. Aemma’s personal objective was to reunite with her sisters, but first, she needed to ensure the safety of her girls.

They arrived at the Spring Court not long after the Black Massacre - as the commoners in Hybern were calling it -, knowing the High Lord had abandoned it. For days, they had mapped the area using Alyssa’s power, which allowed her to see the world differently than the others. Oletta ensured they weren’t caught off guard, feeling any movement from living beings, while Naomi kept them hidden when anyone ventured too close. They worked together seamlessly, though the fear of punishment for mistakes still haunted them, almost as if breathed in their necks every second of the day.

Aemma was lost in thought when Ada approached. "Aemma? Alyssa finished mapping the Night Court. The girls want to know if you'll decide now or if we need to wait."

"Reunite the girls," Aemma replied, standing up. "We're deciding now."

Ada, whose power allowed her to speak with animals, was one of the first to be enslaved by Hybern. Her poor, ragged dress made her stand out from the others, who still wore the training uniforms assigned to them by the king. Aemma was the only one dressed in cobalt blue, chosen for her because of her matching eyes, so the king could always locate her during training.

As Aemma entered the camp, the girls gathered, waiting for the discussion. Alyssa looked excited; her power was finally being used for something good. Aemma somehow understood the feeling, if killing every camp lord to free themselves could be considered something good. 

"Where’s Clover?" Aemma asked. "Someone bring her here, please."

Soon, Clover, a dark-skinned girl with the power to project images from someone's mind, joined them. A detailed map of the Night Court appeared in front of them.

"Okay," Aemma began. "I think we can all agree that the Autumn Court is a no, we know how the High Lord is there. Winter Court is out because Olive needs warmth, and Summer Court is out because Livie needs the cold. We're already in the Spring Court, but the High Lord is still a lost cause, Missy, Lyanna, and Elara are making a list of those who want to stay here to help those who remain here. Anyone with plant, weather, or healing powers is welcome, or anyone who wants to help, for that matter."

With a wave, the map showed the Courts disappearing, leaving only Night and Day.

"Dawn Court is out because of the mountains. Shuri needs space," Aemma said with a smirk as the girls laughed. Shuri, their runner, had collided with a mountain before during one of the training sessions in Hybern, causing days of cleanup and being moved to a more open camp. "That leaves us with Night and Day. And for me, the choice is obvious. The Night Court is the largest, with different races and the most powerful fae leading it. They can help us continue our training and provide resources."

"And why do you think they'll help us?" Vivie asked, her eyes red and puffy from sleepless nights.

"They were the only ones who tried to stop Hybern from the start. Feyre Cursebreaker is the High Lady, and just accepting a High Lady is a good sign. They’re not perfect, but we can help them with our knowledge."

"And it has nothing to do with your sisters being there?" Vivie’s voice was flat, making Aemma stop in her tracks.

"How do you know Nesta and Elain are alive?"

"I heard your conversation with Anika," Vivie replied. "She overheard peasants talking about them and told you. Were you planning to tell us we’re going after your sisters?"

"We’re not after my sisters," Aemma said firmly. "If I had to take you all somewhere else on the other side of the world for your safety, I would. If I had to choose between all of you and my sisters, I'd choose you. The fact that they’re in the Night Court is a coincidence." Vivie lowered her head, and another girl comforted her with a soft hug "I know you're hurt, and I share some of that blame, but we can’t turn on each other now. The Night Court is our best option. If anyone objects, speak now. Otherwise, we leave tomorrow morning." As the group dispersed, Vivie lingered, looking unsure "Anything else?" Aemma asked.

"I’m sorry. I just… I don’t know. It feels weird."

"You’re sad. It’s okay. I shouldn’t have been so hard on you, or this strict. After so long, it’s strange to have so much freedom, I don't know how to deal with this, or… how to communicate with you without sounding like a direct command"

"That's more part of your personality than your training anyway" Vivie whispered, laughing softly at the panned expression she received from Aemma "Sorry again. I'm just tired, I still don't believe this is actually happening"

“I understand, you are one of the oldest here, you are hurt and confused with the new life we received, and I haven't been the softest anyway” Aemma's hand hovered over her friend's shoulder, before returning it to her side when it started to warm.

“Still getting used to your secret power? Hybern never taught you how to control this one” Even if her posture was one of jest, her voice carried a hint of worry in it.

“I'll get used to it at some point, the king never knew about this, I know I would suffer if he did” Her voice kept lowering to the point it ended in a whisper. Vivie took it as a dismissal, rising from where she was sitting before smiling at her sort of leader.

Aemma only watched her leave to her tent, only to be joined by the Enchantress, her shadowed form appearing beside her, laughing.

"It was for the greater good, if you wanted to say anything" Aemma said in the language only the Enchantress could understand.

“Perhaps. But your real goal is to find your dear sisters, isn’t it?" To anyone looking from the outside, it seemed like the female was talking to the shadows that hovered around her own shoulders and ears, but in Aemma's eyes, the old spirit took the form of a little girl smiling at her.

"Maybe. But these girls are my family, too" The Enchantress's shadow draped over Aemma, the voice fading into the recesses of her mind.

“You are so much fun, sweet girl. I'll be here waiting for this new adventure of yours” She always knew that the old death demon liked her, and found Aemma more amusing than anything. Even if it pained her to admit, she liked to have special treatment from anyone. She was a selfish person, terribly prideful and stubborn, she knew that much, and the king made sure to engrave it in her mind from the beginning. But it never hurt as much as lying to get to her own personal objectives. Even if she tried saying the contrary, she knew she was every bit what the king forged her to be.

Moonlight Masterlist

Synopsis:

When Hybern falls, all of their prior experiments are free to take the world as they want, but for months no one hears anything coming from the castle. Until the massacre. Until the whole palace explodes. Their biggest weapon is out, and she only has one objective: get back to her sisters.

Warnings: mentions of blood, mentions of child abuse, mentions of experiments with human beings, mentions of possession (?), mentions of child murder (please tell me if I forgot something)

Prologue: Set Me Free | Prologue 2.0: 28 Reasons

Chapter 1: Bohemian Rhapsody

Chapter 2: A Million Dreams

Chapter 3: Cheering For Me Now

Isa's Masterlist

Hello! I'm Isa, and I'm here only because I can't keep my ideas to myself lol. Technically this is an experiment to see if I actually know how to speak English, and as you can guess, English is not my first language, so any mistakes are excused here haha.

Please be gentle with me, I'm just a girl in college trying to do something fun 😭😭

Did I mentioned I love music? Yeah, you'll see it everywhere. Look, there is one right here.

I can try writing for other characters of ACOTAR and maybe for Ruhn Danaan, so I'm open for requests, but I won't promise too much

Azriel

Moonlight Masterlist 🔗✨️

A Little Too Not Over You ✨️

Never Knew I Needed ✨️

Until It Happens To You 🔗✨️

Golden ✨️

Make You Mine ✨️

Delicate ✨️

I Think He Knows ✨️

Pillowtalk ✨️

Rhysand

This Is Love

What Was I Made For? 🔗

Mastermind ✨️

Wait For It ✨️

Waiting On A Miracle 🔗

The Loneliest ✨️

Cassian

Scars 🔗✨️

Burn For You ✨️

Kiss The Girl ✨️

Lucien

Dear Theodosia (and Philip) ✨️

What Makes You Beautiful ✨️

Eris

The Night We Met 🔗✨️

Helion

Baby Mine 🔗✨️

Serendipity ✨️

Information:

🔗 - Angst

✨️ - Fluff

💦 - Smut

ACOTAR Bingo

✨️Rules:✨️

1. I kinda of have a cenario imagined for every prompt, so if you want something more specific, please ask

2. I can't guarantee it will be posted soon but i guarantee i will do all

3. PLEASE tell if you want one of the three options: fluff, angst or smut (I'm not a big fan but test your luck)

4. Writing for everyone here

5. No jugdments, no questions, ask WHATEVER comes to mind, i really don't care

6. If you want smut pleaaaase specify SOMETHING i am a dumbass when it comes to this

7. I will probably do more than one story for each prompt if the requests are fun

8. Yes, all of them will come with a song, it's just my way of doing things and organizing my thoughts

9. I'm honestly hoping all of them have a Rhysand request lol (he's my favorite batboy for a reason)

In case someone here is wondering when i will publish another chapter for Moonlight I SWEAR it'll be this month as soon as i finish my two weeks of exams ("get into college, it's fun" they said) this bingo is more for fun cause it's fast and fun to write them, nobody told me it was so hard to write a multi-chapter fanfiction

10. I really want to fill all of them, help me

Hi! Could you please do a second chance fic for azriel? Maybe angst that ends with fluff? I’m such a softy, I enjoy angst but need a happy ending 😅

Maybe, but just MAYBE, i got carried away with this one. I SWEAR the original plan was to do something simple, but i HAD to give them a backstory, i HAD to make it into more than one scene, and I HAD to make this into this length. I hope it is what you wanted. Thank you for being the first person to send a request 🥰🥰🥰

A Little Too Not Over You

Work was probably the only word you ever knew in your life. Or at least in the first two hundred years of it. It was hard to find a way to live your life as a normal fae and work for the High Lord at the same time, but it became more bearable as time flew and you understood how to organize your schedule to fit everything in for the few hours you had for yourself.

Especially when a certain spymaster started to be part of your schedule too.

It all started with the last High Lord and the day he hired you as his assistant. So review all the papers, fill in the requests, organize parties and all of that falls right into your back. It wasn't a problem tho, you were young and smart and wanted to please your High Lord as much as you could. You wanted to be useful.

It wasn't long until you met his personal spy, Azriel. You two formed what your boss said was his best team. Not in a good way at all, but both of you took it into your heart and worked through it. Once you met him, you started to work with him as well, resuming his travels for the High Lord, organizing his schedule for the next missions, and sometimes even helping him with his after-mission bruises or feeding him when he forgot to eat.

It was probably this that made you decide your life wasn't supposed to be all about work, you could add a new word to your vocabulary: love. It was easy to love Azriel, it was easy to fit him into your life and to fit yourself into his.

Behind the facets of the High Lord's most trusted duo were the hearts of two young faes who just discovered what happiness was.

That was, until it wasn't easy anymore.

The High Lord was dead. Rhysand took the power. You gained a new job in the library. Azriel too, but as the trusted spymaster of the Night Court. He was part of the inner circle. He was part of something bigger, something greater. You weren't.

You couldn't say Rhysand treated you badly, of course he didn't. But he had more people that he trusted over you. And apparently Azriel too.

You first had to watch him get away from you. Slowly but undeniably he was a fading presence in your life now. You had more time, he had more work. Suddenly he stopped asking you to help him with his schedule. Then he stopped going to your house every time he came from a mission for you to cover his bruises with kisses or just shower him with love. One day he simply stopped coming.

You considered going up to the House to see if everything was alright many times but brushed off the possibility quickly. On the day you finally gathered the courage to climb your way up to the House after a light day of work you finally discovered the reason why Azriel disappeared from your life. She had a great figure, a melodic voice, blond hair, and the most beautiful name you ever heard: Morrigan.

She was the High Lord's cousin, third in command, and member of the Inner Circle. Of course. She was better, smarter, and prettier. Everything you were supposed to be in this new court, the assistant and advisor you always worked hard to be but in a more beautiful face. You couldn't hate her, even if you tried. Maybe the grief of losing Azriel could've been easier if she wasn't so easy to love. You actually understood him.

It all happened almost five hundred years ago, and your thoughts still lingered in the shadows of your last lover. Your job in the library stayed the same, cataloging and organizing everything. It was a job you learned to love. It was easy, it was calm. Everything your life wasn't supposed to be.

Taking every girl that came into the library as a priestess into your wings and taking care of them was just a natural thing. Especially when they were as in need of a family as you.

- OH, here you are! I was looking for you - A ghost of orange hair flew into your vision faster than you could process who exactly it was.

- Gwyneth Berdara, should I be worried you did something bad again or you're finally here to give me some good gossip? - You asked once you finally understood who was standing in front of you, looking like a child that hides something from their mother.

- It'll depend on your answer - You quirked an eyebrow at that.

- Yeah? How so? - She giggled before handing a paper out to you.

- You know about the training I do with the Valkyries right? - you looked at her confused - So, I know that I already asked you to come to train with us a million times and a million times you denied but, hear me out, it's my birthday tomorrow and I can't imagine my birthday party without you in it.

- I know that and I hope you know I participated in your last twenty birthday parties. In the library - You said looking directly at her, seeing her face fall a little bit.

- Yes… but the thing is… this year it's gonna be up there. In the training area - You looked at her with concern. The memories of the days you spent in that training space flooding your brain - I know you don't like to go there, but please? Just this once? You don't even need to participate in the party, just… I don't know, stay at the side, watch and wait for the cake. Then you can get back down and never go there again. Please?

You looked at the paper she handed you, your name beautifully written on the card with golden paint, everything decorated with flowers and sparkles. Maybe it was time to finally face your fear of being neglected again. The girl in front of you and a hundred others that went through your life taught you that you were worth it. Even if the new High Lord didn't see that. Even if Azriel forgot that.

I raised you, Gwyn, and I'm still shocked with the things you can convince me to do - The female laughs and throws herself at you in pure happiness while murmuring lots of "thank you".

There was one thing you knew was even more worthy in this life than love: the smile you could bring into people's faces.

----------------

Maybe it was a terrible idea after all. Maybe you could still go back to the library you've grown so accustomed to and never get out again. Maybe Gwyneth won't even miss you with the amount of people filling the training area, if you could sneak out and fake a sudden flu she won't even notice. Yes, that was the perfect idea.

The amount of people surrounding the place made you feel suffocated, every reason for all of the hard times you went through in your life united in a day it was supposed to be a happy one. Rhysand, the High Lord who took your job away. Morrigan, who made you lose your lover. Even the goddamned Elain Archeron had to be there. Between gossips and rumors it got to your hearing, the one about the spymaster finally getting over The Morrigan only to fall in love with the middle Archeron sister wasn’t the one that would escape from you.

You were ready to turn up on your heel until a body crashed right into the person rushing to take the gift box that fell to the ground. You bent down too, trying to help fix the mess you made. One more reason to never leave the library again.

I'm so sorry, it's been so long since the last time I went out that I think I lost all of my capabilities of interacting with others and-

- It's you.

- I'm sorry? - You raise your head only to meet the golden eyes of your ex-lover, the ones you swore to never look at again and yet were burned into the depths of your mind. And he was looking straight at you - It's me - You flash him a quick smile before getting up and running back to the stairs you just climbed.

- WAIT! - You heard his voice calling you from a distance but you couldn't stop. The tears started to form in your eyes again and you thought of laughing right there and then. Five hundred years and he still affected you more than you could give yourself to believe.

You were close to the door until it opened in a flash and it hit your nose so hard that you instantly felt the blood start to drip from the area it was hit. You should probably feel thankful to however priestess opened the door and gave you an excuse for the tears that started to shed at the moment. Obviously because of the pain. You just pathetically sat there and let the tears run down your face, trying to make the blood stop running down your nose. It was all too much for a day.

- By the Cauldron, what happened here? - You heard Gwyn’s voice in a hurry.

- It’s okay, I was just trying to back because I don’t feel well and then someone opened the door when I was in front of it. It’s not much, I dealt with worse - I said finally getting up, realizing a good number of eyes were on me - I just need to go back to my house and it’ll heal-

- Definitely not, I’m taking you to the healing quarters and we’ll make sure it’s not broken - Azriel’s voice came from behind you, his hand already taking your arm to fly you wherever the healing quarters were.

- No! Really, it’s not necessary, I probably would feel if my nose was broken and guess what? I’m not feeling it. But thank you for your concern - As you were ready to turn back to the door you felt a hand wrapping around your wrist and panic flew right through you.

- You seem euphoric, Azriel will take you to the infirmary, even if just to give you tea or something to stop the bleeding - You knew why the High Lord said that, knew about the bond he shared with his two so said friends, gods be damned, you helped find the enchantment to create that bond. It was very clear by the look the shadowsinger was giving him that he was pleading for a moment alone with you - Where are you from? Never saw you around here.

- What do you mean? I've been working in the library since your father died. You sent a letter saying I should work here.

- WHAT? - Azriel's voice came in a shout, a good part of the group that formed around you decided to finally disperse back into the party.

- You guys... don't… know? - Your eyes going through the spymaster to the High Lord while they talked mind to mind.

- Let me take you to the healing quarters, we'll talk more there - You finally accepted the hand he extended to you, being instantly winnowed to a different room.

You watch as he start to search for something in the various cabinets, rushing over pots and flasks until he found what he was looking.

- Azriel? - His back is turned to me when his shoulders start to shake.

- I thought you were dead - It's the first thing he said before turning back to you, his eyes red and filled with tears.

- What do you mean dead? And why doesn't Rhysand know I work for him? It's been five hundred years, how could he not know who I am? - The words flashed out of your mouth as easily as they used to do. As easy as it used to be with him.

- I helped Rhys' father to find another court for you to work in for when he died. Everything was a mess and you didn't knew if you would still work here, and I knew you weren't, I helped Rhysand's father find a house and a job and everything else there. When Rhysand solved everything out and sent his father's last letters I went to search for you in the Winter Court, where you were supposed to be and you weren't there - His eyes traveled through all your face, taking you in as much as you used to do after all of his missions - I searched for you everywhere, in every court. I thought you were dead.

- I was here the whole time - You felt his scarred hand hold your face as he tilted your chin so he could work easily, applying something in your nose to stop the blood from flooding even more - I received a letter signed by the High Lord putting me to work in the library and after some years I received another one saying it was now my job to help the other girls set in.

- No, that job was supposed to go to the headmaster of the library - He said when pulling a cup of tea from the side table, a cup you didn’t even see appearing.

- Yes, me. I am the headmaster of the library. How could any of you know this? - His eyes started searching for any kind of lie in you and then he looked at you apologizing for this, but you didn't feel offended. You knew him.

- Your name it's not in the records. The headmaster of the library it's named Iris - Your head snaps up at him, shock filling every fiber of your body as everything starts to make sense in your head. You let go of the cup of tea still full of the hot beverage as the tears start to finally run down freely on your face. You feel Azriel’s hand hold your face to him as his expression starts to express panic. And oh, gods, how you missed his hands - What happened, is something aching?

- It's part of the Project Flora - You shake your head and incline your face to lie down on his hand, feeling his fingers start to caress your cheek - He knew his death would come from the Spring's fucker, and we planned how to send every person that worked for him away so that no one could try and get information from them. The idea was to basically make all of them disappear without knowing they would be disappearing so that they wouldn't smell of fear every time anyone looks for them. I didn't know I was being included in that too, which is the whole idea, not knowing you went missing. I should've known, by the Mother - Your tears start to flow again and Azriel’s body crashes against yours in the tightest hug you felt in years. Everything in him seemed perfect for you, his smell, his body, his thoughts. He was as perfect for you as you were for him.

- I'm sorry I didn't search enough. You were living right under me and I never thought - He takes a deep breath, taking you into his arms again and finally feeling that sensation of home he so longed for.

- It's not your fault. It's kinda mine, actually - He goes back a little to look at your face asking for answers - It was my idea to also make a sort of spell and make everyone undetectable. Weird how my brain is so smart isn't it? - His laughter fills the room and he takes your face into his hands again. You really missed his laugh.

- I missed you so much, you have no idea - He whispered as his face got down into yours and touched your nose with his.

- I may have an idea because I felt the exact same - He smiled at you again, finally understanding that yes, you were there, you were both together and united again. The nostalgia hitting in every tear that slided in both of your faces.

- What about that, honey pot? What are your feelings about a date now? - His question made you smile so hard your cheeks hurt.

- What about Gwyn’s birthday party? - He looks around as if searching for someone.

- She makes birthdays every year. I don't re-encounter the love of my life every day - He whispered as a secret in your ear.

- So am I the love of life?

- No one else could be - His face approached yours again.

- Not Morrigan? - You ask in a sudden - Or Elain?

- What kind of gossip have you heard in that library? - He kisses you once, fast and curious as to test you out - So, what do you say about our date? Want to run away with me now?

- Maybe, if you don't call me honey pot ever again - He laughs and throws his head back.

- Deal. I can think of something better - He fully kisses you. His lips crashed into yours and your hands flew to his head to grip those dark soft locks of his, desperate for any kind of touch you could get from him

- I may be a little too not over you, Azriel Shadowsinger - You say as you both finally get away from each other to get air back into your lungs.

- I may be a little too not over you too, dearest love of my life - As you heard him addressing you the same way he used to write for you in the letters, nothing was rest to do as you kissed him again, pouring all the love and joy you kept inside of your heart for him for over five hundred years.

You both had so much yet to talk about, but any conversation could wait a little bit more. You both waited five hundred years to finally find each other again, words had no place in that happiness bubble. And suddenly, everything seemed easy again

Omg thank you so much for the fic!! It was so amazing, better than I could have ever hoped for and exactly what I needed 🥹

Ohhh thank you so much!!! You literally just made my day. Sorry if I took too long to write it, but I went WILD after thinking about the story

Thank you again anon!! 🥰🥰🥰

For the Acotar Bingo could you do Pregnancy with Azriel?

You thought you were going to be free from me? NEVER MUAHAHAHAHA I promised to do all of the requests and I WILL

See? I'm not capable to do a one-shot without giving their whole story before. Not that any of you mind I guess 😎😎

I don't know if it's something you like but hey! Let's give this poor author a try, alright?

Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this 🥰🥰

Never Knew I Needed

You always knew Azriel would be the greatest male that ever got into your life. From the moment you saw those eyes looking at you from the other side of the room until the scene going on in front of you, you decided that this male would be forever cursed with your presence in his life. You doubted he would mind tho.

It all started when your friend got you an extra invitation to the High Lord's starfall party in one second she was guiding you through the food table and in the other she found another friend of hers and simply disappeared. Easy like that you stayed a good part of the night eating every single different appetizer you could find. This kept going for a long time until he saw you looking like a fish out of the water and smiled at you from across the room.

And, oh my, wasn't he ravishing? The most beautiful male you ever encountered in your life. And yes, you were counting those funny-looking shadows that kept flying around him as part of his charm.

You didn't smile back through, too shocked with his looks to make your brain work properly. He raised an eyebrow and made a wave with his hand, signalizing for you to approach. Not that you did, your first reaction was to put another deliciously fried cheese thing inside your mouth and look around to search for who he was talking to. It couldn't possibly be you… right?

As you were ready to take another cheese ball a shadow appeared in front of the bowl, after circling your wrist and tugging the sleeve of your dress you finally looked back at the male, he was definitely trying to contain a smile that threatened to form in his mouth. Damn it, you wanted to see that full-mouth laugh he was trying to hold back.

That's when you finally realized he was waving at you. Oh, gods, everything made sense now, he was one of the High Lord's men and he discovered you were nothing but a mere citizen and that you were not part of the High High Fae, but a Low High Fae. By the Mother, you could just jump out of the building and hope for a quick death if he was going to take you to the dungeon and torture you. Could you possibly give away your friend for sneaking you there? You decided that no, however the torture method you were going to face you would never EVER give away your friend. Even if she deserved it for abandoning you there.

You quickly popped another ball into your mouth before following the shadows that looked so happy to guide you through the crowd. When you made it to the male you were already finished chewing that delicious food, hoping it wasn't the last proper food you were going to taste before being only fed with old bread and dirty water for the next few days.

- Oh well, hello there - He said, his voice causing reactions in your body that you didn't think were possible.

- Hm, hi? I guess - To say you were scared was ridiculous, you were ready to pretend to have a heart attack and get away from there - Look, I'm sorry if I'm not on my best behavior. I'm just a little nervous that my friend disappeared from my view and she was kind of my guide here, so, yeah, I'm sorry that I'm eating the whole buffet. But you need to understand, it's my first time here, and, I kinda figured out you already know that I'm not part of a rich family or even deserve to be here, I mean, my parents are bakers! How could I possibly get an invitation, right? That's what you were going to ask! So, this friend that I was talking about, Stella, she got me an invitation, it was supposed to be her sister but she got sick last week and told me to come to her place. Yes, I know, fake identity is a crime, but hey, having fun for one night is not! I swear I'm not going to do this ever again, if, and only if, you promise to not take me to the dungeons to only feed me bread and let the rats ruin this beautiful dress, because, you know, this is not even mine! I borrowed it from Stella! Please mister scary and strangely handsome winged muscular attractive male, don't kill me! I swear I'm usually a good person, I had a good education too, you know? I don't know what happened to me tonight, but I promised I'll be better from now on!

You could only watch as his face morphed from a shocked expression to the most amused one. The laugh he seemed to be holding now made music to your ears, and you wondered if you actually had jumped out of the mountain and were now in that heaven with milk honey or something like that people always talked about.

- What? - He laughed even harder as you tried to catch your breath.

- You are not one of the High Lord's men?

- Well, that I am - He said as the laughs slowly turned into small giggles.

- But you are not going to arrest me? - His eyes sparkled as he took you in, his smile now permanent on his face.

- Why would I do that to such a beautiful female? - You felt your face heat up at his question, mischief covering his expression as he realized the effect he had on you.

- You called me here for what, then? - One of his shadows slowly made its way to your arm, resting on your shoulder as if trying to warm itself.

- Can't a male try his luck with a pretty girl at his brother's party? It's Starfall, after all, I was kinda hoping you could give me the gift of your night - That made you dumbfounded, you weren't going to lie to yourself.

- You are quite shameless, huh? - His eyes traveled through every part of you before stopping at your face again.

- I'm not the one giving away my best friend Stella for inviting me to a party - Your eyes surely were popping out of your head as you realized what you said only minutes ago - But I promise I won't tell Rhysand if you give me the pleasure of your company for this night, my lady - He offered you his hand, a shining stone glowing in the back of it - And maybe I can personally invite you for the next Starfall and you won't have to commit a crime again.

You gave him your hand as you felt a smile appear on your mouth, making his expression light up from the simple view of your happiness.

That was basically how, thirty years later, you were now caressing the shadowsinger's hair as he sang for the little baby inside your belly, making yours and his heart calm as the smooth voice of your husband filled the place around you and he finished the song and kissed you belly one more time before pushing himself up until he met your lips with his.

- What that big mind of yours was thinking, hm? - He knew you too well, thirty years of sharing your lives and you learned that you could never hide anything from him.

- Just remembering the day we met - He slightly chuckled before wrapping you in his arms, keeping a hand on your stomach to make sure his future son would stay calm and finally let his mother sleep - Weird to think I was hoping to not get arrested and ended up caged to you. Now I'm carrying your child and you sing to him when he kicks too much while I admire that pretty face of yours and imagine how in this universe I got you to fall in love with me.

- You never asked, actually - At your confused look he kissed lips quickly before explaining - Why I fell in love with you. I know that you took your time but I knew that you would be my wife the moment you begged me to not let the rats eat Stella's dress in the dungeon. You're the best thing I never knew I needed, even if I always searched for.

- You're the best thing I never knew I needed too, Az. Thank you for loving me, for giving me the life I have right now - You joined your hand with his on top of your belly, feeling your son kick lightly as if to say he agreed with you - I love you more than life itself.

- I should be the one thanking you. You changed my life for best and showed me so many different ways of living - He kissed you, deeply now, taking his time with you, tasting all the love you had to give, and answering with the same amount - I love you more than life itself.

Moonlight

Chapter II: A Million Dreams

When Hybern falls, all of their prior experiments are free to take the world as they want, but for months no one hears anything coming from the castle. Until the massacre. Until the whole palace explodes. Their biggest weapon is out, and she only has one objective: get back to her sisters.

Warnings: mentions of blood, mentions of child abuse, mentions of experiments with human beings, mentions of child murder (please someone tell me if I forgot something)

I love this song so much it hurts

Imagine baby Azzie singing this in his tiny little cell dreaming about a mate that wouldn't be born until five hundred years later 😭😭😭😭

Than baby Aemma singing this in her tiny little cell without even knowing what a dream is 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

I like to hurt myself apparently

I'll let you guys find the lyrics to rhe song in the middle of the chapter, good luck

I'm not sure if I like this tho, please leave a comment, I'm the happiest when someone sends something 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

The days seemed to pass slower than usual for Azriel. Over the past few years, he had grown accustomed to dealing with all the love and countless mating bonds snapping into place around him. It was becoming easier to stand at the edge of the room, unnoticed by everyone, the shadows hovering around his body helping him fade into the background.

He used to be better than that until the Archeron sisters officially became part of their lives. Feyre, ever the optimist, wanted everyone to be happy and together all the time. She was like a little ball of happiness, eager to spread it to everyone around her. For a good while, it worked.

Nesta, on the other hand, seemed to want everyone to be as miserable as she was. And somehow, Azriel understood her. For as long as he could remember, life had always seemed bleak. Even when others could move past their fears and problems, learning to accept themselves with all their mistakes, Azriel couldn’t. He hated himself because that was the only thing he had ever known how to do without error. Unlike him, Nesta actively tried to make everyone around her miserable as well, Azriel never had the courage to do that, though the thought crossed his mind more times than he cared to admit. But now, Nesta had found her mate, her self-love, her family, and her strength. Now, she fought for everyone to find their own happiness too.

And then, there was Elain. Sweet, delicate Elain. She wanted everyone to feel calm, to find their peace. She wanted to be his peace too, just as he had been hers in those early days, years ago, when she first arrived after being made fae. He used to dream of her face back then, though it was always blurred, as if something prevented him from seeing her clearly. He had thought she would be his mate, but Lucien was. He could feel it, damn, even smell the bond between them. And yet, something still pulled him to her. His mind? His heart? He wasn’t sure. But something. Azriel never told Rhysand about the pull he felt toward Elain. The fear of rejection and the disgust he imagined in his brother’s face every time Rhys caught him looking at Elain too long kept him silent.

Somehow, there were moments that was harder for him to remain invisible. Feyre tried to cheer him up, Nesta tried to make him feel worthy, and Elain tried to make him feel loved. But none of it worked. He laughed, he felt happy around his family - he loved them, for Cauldron's sake - but he was not happy. He didn’t feel like he deserved anything but sorrow and suffering, and he certainly didn’t deserve love, especially not from Elain. She loved the idea she had of him, but she didn’t know the real him, his shadows hid from her because she couldn’t associate him with them. She knew his pain and his sadness, but not his soul, not his heart or mind. And she never would, their pains were too different to understand one another fully.

That was why Azriel had spent the last four years running, like a stray animal. Missions and work filled his mind every waking hour, so there was no room left to think about anything else. He didn’t think about Feyre’s happiness if death consumed his days. He didn’t think about Nesta’s strength if only work filled his time. He didn’t think about Elain’s love if grief surrounded his heart. He didn’t think about the hatred he had for himself if the only thing on his mind was hatred for his enemies.

"You don’t need to do this, you know?" Rhysand said, entering the weapons room as Azriel filled every inch of his clothes with something sharp. "We can send another spy. Or Cassian. He could use something alive as a punching bag right now."

"No need. I’m going," Azriel replied quickly, wanting to end the interaction. His relationship with Rhysand had been strained ever since Rhys told him to stay away from Elain.

"Az, you’ve barely slept this past week. If the beast is too strong, you won’t win. You might get hurt," Rhysand pressed, watching Azriel bend down to lace his shoes. Azriel did his best to avoid this conversation, keeping his hands busy with the task "Are you even listening to me?"

"Loud and clear, Rhys," Azriel muttered, though his voice lacked emotion. "I just don’t want to talk. This is the last mission for now," He added, straightening. "I won’t do anything else until next week."

"You need to come back alive. Nyx can’t lose his favorite uncle," Rhysand said, his voice filled with both warning and concern.

"Don’t let Cassian hear that. He’ll be grumpy for a year." Azriel managed a small grin as Rhysand laughed and gripped his shoulder, offering what little reassurance he could. 

"I’ll come back," Azriel said quietly. "I always do."

"I know," Rhysand replied, stepping back. "Just… Feyre’s not sure you should hunt the beast right now. She has a bad feeling."

Azriel shook his head. "I won’t let that monster terrorize any more villages. It’s my job to keep them safe."

Rhysand nodded, giving him space to winnow. "It’s just a weird feeling. But I know you can do it."

With one last breath, Azriel let the shadows engulf him, the familiar sensation of folding time and space filling him as he disappeared, ready to begin his hunt.

In another place of the Court, one big group was finishing their journey, winnowing the last few travelers to safety. Each girl carried a small bag with something of importance -clothes, a weapon, or a cherished book. It didn’t matter what they carried, because within each item was a story, a piece of themselves they refused to leave behind. 

The border of the Night Court was calm. Their destination, a clearing nestled within a beautiful and dense forest, seemed almost serene. The warm climate in the open camp was tempered by the canopy of trees that surrounded them, creating a soft breeze that made the air feel comfortable and humid. It was enough. They knew the High Lord would sense any significant movement within his borders, but that was exactly what they were counting on - to be found, to offer their skills, and to ask for help. They needed the Night Court to know they were here.

One of the travelers, Aemma, still working as their leader, silently counted each girl as they arrived, ensuring all were well and strong enough to bring in more from the last group. There were only a few more left to transport, and they had been careful, winnowing in small batches to avoid sickness from the vast distances between the Spring and the Night Court.

Suddenly, the air around her seemed to shift. The usual noises of the forest - chirping insects, rustling leaves, the soft whispers of the girls - vanished, replaced by an unnatural silence that kept ringing in her ear. She straightened, senses immediately on alert, her eyes scanning the perimeter for the source of the disturbance. Her warriors noticed the change in her demeanor and quickly readied themselves, some shifting into defensive stances. But she didn’t focus on them, she saw further, beyond the trees.

Miles away, something dark and terrible was happening, breaking something inside of her that she couldn't quite place. Fear, blood, and despair wafted through the air, reaching her like a wave. Her pulse quickened. Something deep inside her stirred - an ancient, primal force that pulsed with urgency, demanding her attention. She didn’t need her weapons, this feeling, her power, was far stronger. It was the Enchantress within her, awakening, eager to take control. 

Without hesitation, she winnowed, her body folding through space, to the source of that bright, pulsing thread deep in her chest. The scene she arrived at was nothing short of brutal. A massive beast, bloodied and wild, was attacking a winged fae - a male, an Illyrian, judging by the distinctive wings. He was struggling, his movements slow and sloppy, as if exhaustion from the fight had drained his strength. His unfocused eyes betrayed his fatigue. He was fighting for his life, and he was losing. 

She felt the Enchantress surge, the hunger for death overtaking her. She let the magic flow through her veins, consuming every part of her being, until all she could feel was rage. The beast roared, claws tearing into the Illyrian’s flesh, but she hardly registered the sound. Her mind was focused solely on the thread, bright and blue, somehow binding her to this male, tugging at her heart with every beat.

Without a word, she stepped forward, her hand not reaching for any blade or power. She didn’t need them. The Enchantress would be enough.

The beast sensed her too late. In a blur of movement, she was on it, her body a whirlwind of lethal precision. She moved with an unnatural speed and grace, her fingers tearing into the creature's flesh with the force of her power. She didn’t hear the beast’s screams. She didn’t see the blood splatter across her skin. All she felt was that weird connection, that string pulling her closer to the Illyrian.

The beast was large, easily towering over her, its teeth gnashing and claws slashing wildly in a desperate attempt to shake her off. But she was relentless. She didn’t stop. Her every strike was calculated, lethal, the way her masters told her how to do it. The Enchantress within her roared with fury, and with every pulse of power, the beast weakened. It faltered, its roars turning into pained howls as her grip on it tightened.

The Illyrian was on the ground now, barely conscious, blood still pooling around him. His eyes fluttered closed briefly, but just in time to see her. But he didn’t have time to think. His vision blurred again as he slipped back into unconsciousness.

With one final, devastating blow, she brought the beast down. It collapsed, its massive body crashing into the earth with a sickening thud. She stood over its lifeless form, breathing heavily, her hands covered in its blood. The blue string in her chest pulsed, brighter than ever, tugging her toward the Illyrian.

Azriel had been stupid.

Stupid, senseless, reckless, stubborn - every adjective for foolishness could have described him at this moment. But admitting that now wouldn’t save his life. He might die if he didn’t fight back. He would die if he didn’t get help. Desperation clawed at him as he screamed internally for Rhysand, for Cassian, or even for Feyre to come. He screamed for anyone to hear him, anyone to help, but his mind couldn't focus as teeth and claws kept coming into his vision.

He shouldn’t have come. He should’ve let Cassian take his place. He should’ve slept more. He should’ve told everyone he loved them. Had he said it enough? No. It was never enough.

Memories flooded his mind. As a child, he used to dream so much. He would close his eyes to escape the darkness of his cell, dreaming of a world beyond the shadows. A world where the skies were clear, and freedom wasn’t just a distant wish. Every night, as he lay on the cold ground, he let those dreams fill his head - a million scenarios of what life could be if he were ever free. He dreamt of a life outside the darkness, a life where he wasn’t the forgotten bastard child locked away.

He used to dream of a girl. Her face was always blurred, her features indistinct, but he would tell his mother about her, imagining she would be the most beautiful female he’d ever meet. His mother would laugh, telling him to keep that dream alive, to find her one day when he was grown. It had taken him centuries to dream of her again.

When Azriel first saw Elain, he thought she was the one from his dreams. But her eyes weren’t the right color, nor was her hair, nor was the fierceness he had imagined in those indistinct features. She was close, yet not the same. But now, as he lay on the ground, his face smeared with blood and his chest burning from the wound that refused to heal, he wondered if he was dreaming again.

A blue light filled his vision as he watched a female - fierce, unrelenting - tear into the beast that had attacked him. It wasn’t clean or quick as she took her time, savoring the beast’s screams, making a mess of it on purpose. And yet, in that violence, in the blood and chaos, Azriel saw some kind beauty. This felt like one of the many dreams that had once kept him sane in the dark. The beast howled, its dying scream reverberating through the forest as the female wrenched its heart from its chest. 

Azriel's shadows danced around her, almost reverently, as if they too admired the raw brutality. His senses, dulled by pain and exhaustion, softly returned. His heartbeat steadied, and the fog around his mind slowly began to clear. The female stood over the beast’s lifeless body, her posture shifting, as though she had become someone else entirely. Slowly, she turned, and Azriel's breath hitched.

For a moment, all he could see was Elain. But this female’s eyes were different - sharper, fiercer - and her hair was of a darker brown, a few blue strings peeking out of her braid, but he thought he was imagining that. She looked like a vision, a memory brought to life.

"Are you alright, sir?" Her voice was firm but filled with concern as she approached. Azriel blinked, trying to shake the fog from his brain. But still, it was Elain’s face he saw. “Are you Azriel? Spymaster of this court?”

“Elain?” he whispered, his voice rough with pain and confusion. The female’s eyes widened in surprise, and she knelt before him, the scent of coffee and wood flooding his senses. It was unlike Elain’s scent of jasmine and honey - this scent was stronger, fiercer, like the female before him.

“You know her? Is she here? Can you take me to her?” There was desperation in her voice, her blue eyes darting between Azriel and his surroundings. He realized then, she wasn’t Elain. Not quite. “Sir? Do you think you need a healer?”

Azriel shook his head, though his body still ached. “No, I just need time,” he replied, taking the hand she offered as he struggled to his feet. “Who are you?”

The female’s eyes narrowed slightly. “First, I need to know who you are,” she said, her tone sharp but not unkind. “I just saved your life. I think I deserve that.”

“I’m Azriel, spymaster of the Night Court, as you guessed,” he said, his wound now almost closed. But he didn’t release her hand. “And you?” She hesitated, glancing toward his shadows and the darkened forest. Her earlier confidence faltered for a moment before she spoke. “You asked if I knew Elain Archeron, I do. She is my High Lady’s sister - Feyre’s sister. They’re under my protection. Now, who are you?”

At the mention of Feyre, the female’s eyes filled with sudden emotion. “High Lady’s sister?” she whispered, her voice trembling. “You mean… High Lady Feyre?” 

Azriel nodded, watching as the female’s expression shifted, tears welling up in her eyes. She stepped back, releasing his hand. He could see the weight of whatever news she carried in the way her posture stiffened. His shadows shifted curiously, as if sensing something important in her.

“Tell me your name. Do you need help?” Azriel pressed, noticing the way her composure wavered. As if something inside her had cracked.

“My name is Aemma Archeron,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I am Elain Archeron’s twin sister. My grandmother sold me to Hybern years ago to test me with the Cauldron.” Her voice cracked as she continued. “I was one of the few survivors. I’ve been leading a group, nearly a hundred and fifty other females, all survivors of Hybern's slavery, and we’re trying to find a place in the Night Court. If you could… if you could help us, if you could speak to your High Lord, your High Lady... my sister.” She said the last word as if unsure, as if the connection was too fragile to believe.

Azriel’s mind reeled, trying to process what she had just revealed. Aemma Archeron. Elain’s twin sister. Sold to Hybern. Tested by the Cauldron. He could hardly believe it, but the truth of her words rang in the connection he shared with his shadows.

“I think I could use some help, yes,” Aemma said softly, the weight of her story settling between them.

Without wasting a second, Azriel sent a silent, urgent message through the mental bond to Rhysand, telling him everything he had just learned.

"Aemma," he repeated softly, as if testing the name in his mouth, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. "I... I need to get you to Rhysand and Feyre. You and the others."

Aemma nodded, her hands trembling slightly despite her strong demeanor. She still wasn't entirely sure if she could trust him, but she had no other choice. She never had, she felt like. “Yes, please.”

Hey could you pls do the nightmare trope with azriel where the reader has a very bad nightmare in which she sees azriel nearly dead and when she wakes up and finds him she can't believe it's him and he manages to help her ? ☺️🤔

I certainly can! 😉😉

Oh my, thank you very much for directing me on this one, my biggest fear is writing something people wouldn't like since I usually get carried away in the story and write whatever comes to mind first

Hope you enjoy this!!

I know I said I wouldn't do more than one fic for each trope right now but whatever I like this one better 😡

Until It Happens To You

The night was restless as if the shadows themselves whispered secrets that their master shouldn't hear. You felt burdened by a foreboding unease, your mind shifted between the deep slumber and the real world. You didn't feel Azriel's body beside yours in the bed, his side turning cold at each passing moment he was away. You were sure he slept at your side this night, just as the many others he said your presence made it easier for him to finish his work and finally get some rest.

This strange arrangement between the two of you started a few months ago, you with your throat dry and in need of water and him with a pile of work, he didn't finish during the day. You were so deep into your sleep that somehow you managed to invite him to your room and tell him he could do it in your bed since "two work better than one". You were obviously asleep when he found himself at your side, but he remained there anyway and assured you the next morning that it worked, in a strange way. After some days, some times you actually helped him, he distracted himself by your calm aura and slept in your bed.

That's how everything started and, on his restless nights, he found comfort at your side, both of you holding your peace together as the dream world caught you both at night.

Anyway, you imagined he went back to his room, as he did so many nights before, it wasn't weird at all. Yet, you couldn't get back to sleep as the silence filled the house, almost as if it was mourning something. Your eyes started to close again only to open by a haunting scream that seemed to transcend the walls of the whole house, filling every corner with terror.

In this nightmarish scenario, you found yourself standing in the middle of the room, what before was a bright and colorful place became a desolate chamber shrouded in darkness. The air was heavy with a cold, forming an oppressive atmosphere. Dimly lit torches flickered around you, torches you didn't remember you lighted. They kept casting eerie shadows that danced along the walls, mocking you with their macabre movements, almost as if they were laughing at your lack of knowledge.

As your eyes adjusted to the gloom, you noticed the open door, more torches lighting your way to the corridor, and the stones covering the walls, dirty with a thin layer of blood that started on your door and kept going downstairs. You checked your own body to make sure, finding nothing but heartache, a feeling that your heart was being ripped out of you.

You followed the path that led you to the living room, the blood forming a thicker layer with each step you took closer. The sight you found wasn't any better, close to the balcony doors, in a position that looked like the person was trying to run away, you spotted a figure lying motionless on the cold stone floor. The wings were shredded to pieces, and blood covered their clothes, forming a pool on the sides.

Your heart skipped a beat as recognition dawned upon you, making your knees tremble as you took in the image forming in front of your eyes. It was Azriel, the one whose love and presence had become the foundation of your existence. Panic surged through your veins, and your voice choked with fear when you screamed for help, but it seemed like no one was in the house besides the both of you.

-Azriel! No, please, wake up! - You uselessly screamed as you ran close to his body, feeling that your heart could explode at any moment with the pain you felt.

With trembling hands, you rushed towards him, your footsteps echoing ominously through the chamber. Kneeling by his side, you desperately shook him, but he remained unresponsive. His usually tanned and alluring features were now pale and lifeless, and his eyes closed in an eternal slumber. Suddenly you understood the pain you were feeling. The mating bond. The realization kills you even more.

Tears streamed down your face as you cradled his motionless form, hugging his cold body the way you could, hoping for any form of life to come out of him. Your voice became a desperate plea as you kept talking to him, even if you knew he wouldn't answer.

-No, this can't be happening! Azriel, please! Wake up! - Your anguished cries reverberated off the walls, fading into the oppressive darkness.

Yet, despite your desperate attempts, your touch suddenly met no resistance. It seemed to pass through his form as if he were nothing but a specter. His body started to disappear in thin air, the despair seemed to taunt you, amplifying your pain and the sense of loss.

As this nightmare tightened its grip on you, the chamber distorted and morphed, becoming a labyrinth of pain and suffering. The walls closed in, constricting your movements, suffocating you with an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. You fought against the suffocating atmosphere, gasping for air, your voice a mere whimper as you tried to grasp Azriel's disappearing form.

- Please...don't leave me… I love you. I've been in love for a long time now and you can't leave me here… my mate - Your last words were whispered against the nothing.

When Feyre told you about the day she almost lost Rhysand she told you about the painful sensation of getting her heart broken. And you were there when she need it most while she remembered the situation, but you weren't the one falling off that deep end of silence and cold of a once cheerful and bright string that connected their souls. You understood her now.

You once had a friend that lost somebody close, and you were also there when they needed it most, but you would never be the one having trouble sleeping once the night came and you felt like you didn't do enough. But you understood them now.

You can say you're sorry a million times to Azriel's body laying on the floor. But even if you try hard, he won't come back. The same way you tried to sympathize with your friends, it was helpless, you wouldn't be the one picking up the pieces left of your heart. Now you were. And you felt helpless anyway.

Somebody loses somebody every day, but you'll never really know what it's like till you wake up to some really bad news and the worst scenario you could ever find. You'll never really know how it feels until it happens to you.

You looked around the room, the blood covering everything only made the pain worse. You looked outside, trying to find a starry night, instead, you only found a creature looking back at you, its teeth covered in your mate's blood when the thing seemed to smile at your figure. You only waited for the creature to break the windows and devour you completely, but as it came closer you only felt the wind meeting your skin as the thing breathed against your hair. It was inside the house the whole time, only waiting for you to mourn Azriel's body and relish its work before doing the same to you.

Just as the darkness threatened to consume you entirely, your body jolted awake, every piece of skin drenched in a cold sweat. The nightmare had released its grip on you, but your heart still raced with lingering dread. Trembling, you looked around the room, desperately seeking solace in the comforting embrace of reality. The colors and brightness of your bedroom make itself known as you take in the world around you. The small sounds of night filled you in, the solitude leaving your body.

And then you saw him - Azriel - sitting at the edge of the bed, concern etched across his face. His presence felt surreal as if the boundaries between the nightmare and reality had blurred. Tears of relief welled up in your eyes as you reached out to touch him, fear covering your movements as uncertainty filled you.

- Azriel...is it really you? - Your voice was trembling with disbelief as your hand finally made its way toward his face. Azriel's eyes softened with compassion as he gently took your trembling hand in his, his scars making everything fall into place. The reality and the mating bond.

- Yes, it's me. You had a terrible nightmare, but you're safe now - His voice was raw, he was probably trying to wake you up for some time now. Overwhelmed by emotions, you throw yourself into his waiting arms, holding onto him as if he was your lifeline.

- I thought...I thought I lost you - You whispered, voice quivering with a mixture of fear and relief. Azriel held you tightly, his touch a soothing balm to your shattered emotions.

- I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere. Do you want me to stay here a little longer? - At that moment, the nightmare's grip loosened completely, replaced by a newfound strength and resilience.

- I need to tell you something - His eyes widened a bit, and his breathing became uneasy. You realized he felt the tug you gave into that bond between you two - It was horrible to feel this being shredded to pieces as you died in my arms, I couldn't do anything while you disappeared right in front of my eyes.

- I'm here now, I'm fine - He kissed your head and pulled you closer - I woke up when I heard your scream. You were calling my name - He smothered his hand on your arms, warming you with his presence - When I got here you weren't screaming, but I could still hear your voice. I probably heard from…

- The mating bond - You finished the phrase for him, just seeing him nodding - Why didn't you sleep here tonight?

- If I spent one more night at your side without having you being mine completely I would go crazy - He put you to lay down on the bed, quickly getting under the covers with you - I thought I should put some space between us or I would hold you in my arms and never let you go.

- I wouldn't be opposed to this, you know - You said in a whisper, seeing the smile that planted his face as he went closer and closer to you, holding you impossibly near his naked torso, enough heat irradiated from him to warm both of you. His presence became your anchor, his love a guiding light through the darkest of nights - What do we do now?

- Now we sleep, I don't go to train tomorrow so we can talk and figure out how we gonna work this out - His hand traveled to your face, tilting your head up to look him in the eyes - I want you to have in mind that I won't rush you in any way, but I love you and I want this between us. I want you to love me too.

- I already do. I always did - You whispered as you went closer and closer, slowly ending the gap between both of you as you kissed his lips lightly, just a taste of the near future you both could have - I want everything with you, and I don't want to wait. Just to remember the sensation of losing you without getting to live anything makes me anxious.

- It's okay now. I promise I won't leave your side - He wrapped one wing around you, providing a safe space for you both - Get some sleep now, when the sun rises we can talk - He granted one last kiss on the lips before you closed your eyes and hugged him tight.

You stayed entwined in each other's arms, finding solace in the warmth of your embrace. The nightmare may have left scars, but also a sensation of longing for the bond that you would have to fulfill for the rest of your life. The scars would heal with time and you would both find solace in the unbreakable bond you shared.

Velar is citizen with azriel?

The requests are ending and I'm DESPERATE

There's only one more someone help me, send something, ANYTHING, doesn't even need to be from the bingo 😭😭😭😭😭

I don't think I have enough creativity to think alone with my own head

This one is small but so cute 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 azzie's shadows 🥺😭😭😭😭 I would date him just to play with his shadows honestly

Golden

Azriel strolled through the vibrant streets of Velaris, his usual calm demeanor slightly disrupted by the bustling energy surrounding him. Everything has been peaceful since the official end of what they called the "Age of Terror" and the defeat of a great part of their enemies. Despite the happiness that overflowed him, Azriel somehow missed all the agitation and the danger. Not that he didn't have anything to do, but the number of missions that requested his presence started to short as time flew.

Without the mess and agitation, he wanted to settle down as his brothers did, find someone to love and to live a quiet and peaceful life with, or the closest a spymaster could get on that topic. This proved itself to be the hardest thing he ever did in his life since his options were scarce. Everyone seemed to fear him or not even interested in anything but his dick.

As he neared his favorite coffee shop he noticed a little commotion on the front door. The shop was a quaint little place tucked away amidst the city, not very known by the population but definitely worth every penny he spent. It didn't take long for him to notice a sign that read "New Barista". Apparently, this new person brings a new wave of interested people to the store. He couldn't help but be happy since he knew the owner was an old lady that didn't want much but to see his clients happy.

Curiosity sparked within him, and he decided to step inside, intrigued by the idea of someone fresh in the city, something that became common since the war stopped and thousands of people from every court went to Velaris searching for a better place to start their lives. The moment he walked through the door, his eyes found you. A young female with captivating eyes and a smile that seemed to light up the room was the best way to describe Azriel's first impression. 

You stood behind the counter, diligently preparing orders for the eager customers at the same time you kept a conversation with each of them, always looking interested in whatever they were saying. Azriel took a moment to observe you, admiring the grace with which you moved around the shop, an effortless charm evident in every gesture. It was in that instant that he knew he had to get to know you, to uncover the stories that lingered behind those enchanting eyes.

Summoning all his courage, Azriel approached the counter, his voice steady but laced with a hint of nervousness. 

-Good afternoon - He greeted, offering a polite smile. 

-Oh, hello there. What can I get you? - You turned around to see him, slightly shocked by him. Everything in his appearance looked so… perfect. It was almost scary.

-Just the usual for me, please - He asked, already taking off the coins to pay. You didn't move an inch, smiling at him as if it was funny. It took him some moments until he realized his mistake - Of course. I'm sorry, you're new here. Uhm, a regular black coffee, that's all.

-Okay then, a regular black coffee it is - You said, already starting to prepare his order.

-I couldn't help but notice you're new here - You stopped what you were doing, looking at him with a confused expression. He looked back at you, before realizing his second mistake of the day - I mean, new in the city. I never saw you around - Your eyes met his for the briefest of moments before you returned to work, a big smile on your face.

-Yes, I am. Just moved to Velaris a few weeks ago. It's been quite an adventure so far - Intrigued, Azriel leaned against the counter, eager to engage in a conversation, watching to stop himself from making another mistake. 

-Velaris is a wonderful city, there are a lot of things to do. Have you had the chance to explore much of it yet? - You paused again, quite shocked by his sudden interest.

-Not as much as I'd like. Any recommendations? - You asked with a playful glint in your eyes, testing his intentions.

-Well, there's a hidden garden not far from here, tucked away from good part of the prying eyes - Azriel's lips curled into a mischievous smile, getting closer to you as if to whisper a secret - With prying eyes I mean my family. They are quite the gossipers - You couldn't help but laugh, the coffee quickly forgotten on the counter.

-I thought you being the spymaster would be the biggest font of the gossips - He almost looked offended if it wasn't for the smile that started to grow on his face.

-I never said I wasn't, it doesn't mean I want them prying on my business - You felt your cheeks reddening as you took in his words, understanding that you would be one of his business - About the garden, it's quite a beauty in this season if you allow me to say. Would you care to accompany me there one evening? - Your eyes widened with surprise, a deep blush painting your cheeks now. 

-That sounds... lovely. I'd be thankful if you showed me - You turned back at your work before your colleague gets the opportunity to get mad at you for not working - Okay, I think that's it. A regular black coffee for the Shadowsinger - He took the cup from your hand and made a little bow, making you chuckle a little. He took a sip of it and started to turn around, but he stopped in the middle of the way and came back to the counter.

-I'm sorry, but I think there is something wrong with my order - He gave the cup back to you and you felt your heart beat faster. If your first mistake was with him your career could be done. And maybe your date too.

-What is wrong? I can fix it - You gestured to the cup, ready to throw it away and make a new one.

-I'm sure you can fix it. It's just that is missing your name in the cup - You stopped middle way, looking at him in disbelief as his smile took over his whole face, making him look even more beautiful than before - It's unfair that you know who I am and I only know that you're the pretty fae that makes a delicious coffee.

-Okay, you got me there - Your cheeks were already hurting from smiling so much, still in disbelief at his attitude - You can't ask your shadows, anyway?

-Well, I can. And they already know. But if I ask you then I have a reason to hear you talk - You wrote it all down in his cup and gave it back. He read it and turned the cup to you, lots of words written down but any was your name. His eyes asked you a silent question.

-My address. So you can pick me up and take me to the garden. You can ask my name there - You smiled brightly at him, calling for the next customer.

You exchanged one last look before Azriel leaves the coffee shop with a newfound happy pace in his step. He couldn't help but feel that this meeting was something special, the start of something he couldn't quite take place yet. His shadows poked him in his cheek, which was still locked in a big smile.

-What? You never saw me flirting? - He asked to the smoke around him. The little beasts surround him as if they were laughing - I just don't do it often. But you can see that it worked.

The shadows once again moved in laughter, making him groan in frustration before taking another sip of his coffee. Yeah, he could definitely get used to this every day.

next morning with azriel where they both love each other but are idiots so she ends up trying to leave but is caught by the whole inner circle for breakfast and so she ends up staying the whole day with a lotta fluff?

I loved this one so much that I feel ridiculous 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

But oh gods how long it took me to find a song, I thought I was going insane

Don't worry, my loves, I'll do every request, I just need to finish the bingo and I'll start working in everything else

We still have One night stand and getting in trouble, send the character (please give a little idea 🥹) and I'll write it

Make You Mine

The sun slowly rose upon Velaris, casting a warm glow through the window of Azriel's bedroom, as you woke up from your deep sleep you found yourself entangled in Azriel's arms. You had spent yet another night with him, enjoying his kisses and warmth. You and Azriel have been going back and forth with one another, months of pure flirting and hot nights, followed by warm and fun days at his side. However, in the light of day during your normal routines, your insecurities and fears crept back in, making you hesitant to express your true feelings. It was hard to admit your love for him and risk being dismissed. Not just by him but, oh gods, his family. The most powerful people in Prythian united in one solid relationship definitely felt very intimidating.

As Azriel stirred awake, slowly getting out of his slumber state, he found you trying to slip out of his bed quietly, your cheeks flushing with embarrassment as you tried to find your clothes in the middle of the mess you made yesterday. He reached out, gently tugging you back into his embrace, making you fall back into his bed while he pulled the covers up again.

-Where do you think you're going? - He whispered, his eyes shut and a soft smile playing on his lips.

-I thought maybe I should go before anyone sees me - You stammered, avoiding his intense gaze - It's past Cassian's waking hour. If I'm fast enough I think I can still go out - Azriel's heart ached at the thought of you leaving, especially when all he wanted was for you to stay.

-You don't have to leave, you know. You can stay if you want - He cupped your cheek, his scarred thumb caressing your skin, making you shiver with the sensation - I can give him an excuse and stay here with you for the rest of the day. You know, working.

-I know what kind of work you're talking about - You laughed as he buried his face in your neck, hiding his blushing face.

-Can you blame me? - He asked sheepishly, wrapping an arm around your waist and tugging you even closer.

-You wouldn't mind? - He chuckled softly, pulling one of your legs on top of him.

-Of course not. I want you here with me - Relieved, you nodded and settled back into his embrace, your head resting against his chest.

You lay like that for a while, basking in the warmth of his presence, content to just be together. However, the moment was completely interrupted when a knock on the bedroom door startled you both. Before you could even react, the door swung open, and the rest of the Inner Circle barged in.

Rhysand, Feyre, Cassian, Nestha, Mor, and even Amren stood there, smirking at the sight of the two of you tangled in bed. You felt your face blushing furiously, burying your head inside the covers and in Azriel's chest, while he tried to regain his composure, hiding your naked form from his family.

-Well, well, well, what do we have here? - Rhys teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes - Looks like someone had quite the night.

-Don't worry, lovebirds. We won't tell anyone - Cassian let out a boisterous laugh, and Mor winked at them playfully after she attempted a joke. Amren merely rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of amusement in her expression.

-We're not here to tease you, though that's always fun. We wanted to meet Azriel's girlfriend properly - She said while trying to have a proper look at you.

-Um, hi. I'm not Azriel's girlfriend but it's nice to meet all of you - You peeked up from your hiding spot, your cheeks still pink.

-Oh, come on. Cass has been seeing you come in and out of the House at least five times a week. We just never got the chance to come here fast enough to peek at you - Feyre said excitedly, having fun at your surprised expression - Apparently, you both slept in and we gathered ourselves as fast as we could. When I got here I feared you were leaving since I heard you were getting up. I'm glad Az convinced you to stay.

-How exactly did you hear our conversation? I put sound shields in my room every time she's here.

-We listened in your mind - Rhysand explained as his mate smiled in shame, pink dusting in her cheeks - I think it's sweet that you let your mental shields down when she's around, it means you trust her.

-Okay, we need to have a conversation about not getting in my head and listening to my conversation, but first, can you please get out of my room so we can put our clothes on and eat breakfast? - Azriel pointed out and you covered your head with the pillow, feeling the embarrassment getting over you again.

-You don't need to dress up if you don't want to - Nestha said and Mor agreed with her with excitement.

-Nestha! - Cassian barked before laughing at his mate.

-What? I was going to do us all a favor - She mumbled before stepping out of the room, being followed by the whole Inner Circle, each one sending a different wink at you.

-We don't have to go down there if you don't want to - Azriel said after everyone closed the door and he made sure his shields were up.

-I don't think I can run away from them anymore - You got up from the bed, searching for one of the dresses you left in his room, making sure to swing your hips more than necessary.

-I don't think I want to go down there anymore - The male said in a growl, making you giggle while dressing yourself - I know you didn't want to meet them yet. We never even talked about a relationship, damn. I'm so sorry, I should've let you go away before - He dropped himself in bed again, feeling deeply sad with the possibility of you wanting to never see him again.

-Nonsense. I'm not mad or anything like that - You threw yourself on top of him, already dressed in one of the many blue gowns you owned. Blue was always your favorite color anyway, only gaining a new meaning after you met Azriel - Put on your clothes. I might be scared of your family but I will be even more when they start to follow me on the street if I miss this breakfast.

He laughed at you, peppering small kisses in your mouth before getting dressed up, extending a hand to take you down in the dining room. The Inner Circle did not exited to gather around you the moment you sat down at the table with them, eager to know every detail about your and Azriel's relationship. Excitement sparkled in their eyes as they bombarded you with questions, making you chuckle nervously at their enthusiasm.

-So, how did you two meet? - Cassian asked, leaning in eagerly.

-We crossed paths during one of his missions. I was in the bookstore where I work and Azriel swooped in, totally bloodied, and hurt and I offered him help. The rest, as they say, is history.

-Ah, I can imagine Az swooping in like a shadow into your life - Rhysand smirked playfully, receiving only a tired stare from his brother.

-And what's your favorite thing about him? - Mor inquired with a grin.

-Oh, there are so many things I like about him. But one thing that stands out is his unwavering loyalty and how he always makes me feel safe - Your gaze shifted to Azriel, who was sitting on your side, his expression soft but protective.

-Have you told him you love him yet? - Amren asked, always the direct one.

-Well, actually, I'm not-

-Please, look at them, if they didn't say yet in words it's on the way they act around each other - Feyre pointed out, Azriel's arm around your shoulders only proving her words - But I think they both know.

-They better know. Az, you're a lucky guy - Rhysand chuckled.

The questions continued for a while, with the Inner Circle genuinely curious and invested in your - still nonexistent - relationship. They asked about your favorite activities together, and memorable moments, and even teasingly inquired about your private moments. Through it all, you answered everything with good humor, feeling the warmth of acceptance from this quirky and caring group, wondering how you could ever have felt fear of them since they all looked like a big and weird family.

However, after a while, Azriel sensed you might be getting overwhelmed by the attention. He got closer to you and pulled out your chair, wrapping a protective arm around your waist as he made you get up from your place.

-Alright, alright, that's enough interrogation for now. Let's give her a break - You only chuckled, feeling grateful for his consideration.

-Thank you, Az - You smiled at all of them, getting closer to your partner.

-We're just excited for you, that's all. You're like family to us already. So sweet - Rhysand winked.

-Thank you very much for the consideration, I loved meeting all of you - Azriel's grip on you tightened at your words, happy that you liked his little piece of heaven, and he pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead.

-Come on, let's get out of here - He whispered, leading you away from the playful chaos of the Inner Circle when all of them cheered at your interaction.

As you walked hand in hand, you couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with happiness. You had found not only love but a group of friends who welcomed you with open arms. Damn, you just admitted that you're in love with Azriel. He took you to an open area and found a moment of tranquility on the balcony, enjoying the fresh air and each other's company. As you stood there, wrapped in his embrace, laughter echoed from the house, and the sound of footsteps approached the balcony. Before you knew it, a joyful group of females from the Inner Circle appeared, faces beaming with excitement. You shot up from your place in Azriel's arms and he muffled a groan, earning giggles from the group.

-Hey, you two lovebirds! Sorry to interrupt, but we have plans for the lovely lady - Mor announced playfully, grinning from ear to ear.

-Oh, um, plans? What kind of plans? - You blinked in surprise, not quite expecting this sudden intrusion.

-We're taking you out for a shopping day and lunch with the girls. It's time to get to know you better - Amren stepped forward with a mysterious glint in her eye - It's a family tradition, you can't deny it.

-Consider this your official initiation into the Inner Circle - Rhysand, who had an amused smirk on his face, added as he stood behind his mate, a hand on her waist.

-Oh, and don't worry. We'll have you back before Az even notices you're gone - Cassian chimed in, wrapping an arm around your shoulders.

-Wait, you're taking her out without even asking me? - Azriel's protective instincts flared up, not quite ready to let you go just yet.

-Relax, darling. It's just a girls' day out. We promise to take good care of her - Mor playfully patted Azriel's cheek.

-It's okay, Az. I'll be fine with them. Besides, I bet it'll be fun! - You stepped into the conversation, knowing very well he wouldn't let you go before hearing from your mouth that you were okay with it.

-Alright, but take good care of her. And bring her back in one piece - Azriel hesitated for a moment, but he knew he could trust his friends.

-Of course! Don't you even worry, she'll come back safe and fully working - Mor exclaimed, linking her arm with yours and practically dragging you away as she winnowed you out, leaving Azriel standing there, watching you go. He felt a mix of emotions, from protectiveness, anxiety, and a strange sense of pride for you being accepted into this tight-knit group.

As the day progressed, Azriel received a few playful messages from Mor that Feyre sent to him through his mind, sometimes she even sent some images of you trying on clothes, laughing, and seemingly having a wonderful time with them. Each memory and message warmed his heart, reassuring him that you were in good hands.

As the day with the females continued, you found yourselves lounging comfortably near a candy shop next to the Sidra, chatting and laughing together. As the conversation flowed, the questions took a playful turn, testing the waters of your newfound intimacy with them and they all shared experiences.

-Alright, ladies, how about we play a little game of Truth or Dare without the boys? But let's make it spicy! - Mor, with her characteristic cheekiness, leaned forward with a wicked grin.

The other girls giggled, intrigued by the idea. You felt a mix of excitement and apprehension, not quite sure what you were getting yourself into.

-Truth or Dare, new girl? - Amren asked you with a glimmer of mischief in her eyes.

-Truth - Knowing you were among friends, you decided to play along.

-We know our boy Azriel has his little dirty secrets. So… Have you and Azriel ever... Experimented with anything... Adventurous in the bedroom? - Amren only smirked, gaining a lot of screams from the other females that were just as curious as her.

-Uh, well, um... Maybe - Your cheeks flushed bright red as you stammered - Yes. Definitely. A lot - The girls burst into playful laughter, their amusement evident. You tried to hide your embarrassment, but you couldn't help feeling shy under their scrutiny.

-Oh, come on. Spill the details! - Nestha chimed in, seeming to be jumping up and down from her seat in excitement.

-No way, I can't talk about that! - You practically screamed, covering your face with your hands as the redness kept growing in your cheeks.

-Oh, come on, we're all adults here. You can share with us - Morrigan said, basically jumping on top of you.

They all continued to nudge and tease you, trying to get you to reveal more, but you remained steadfast, maintaining your privacy on the matter. Oh, gods, there were things that if someone from the outside heard they would definitely fear you. As the teasing continued, you couldn't help but feel a mix of embarrassment and amusement. You realized that the Inner Circle was merely having fun, and there was no judgment behind their curiosity. You knew they were just trying to create a playful atmosphere, but you still found it hard to share such intimate details.

-Alright, alright, enough about you. Now, let's talk about our dear Azriel - During a lull in the teasing, Mor grinned like a little viper.

-Truth or Dare, Nes? - Feyre asked,

-Dare, obviously - Nestha smirked confidently.

-I dare you to tell us one thing you find most attractive about Azriel - Nestha chuckled at her sister, considering the question.

-One thing, huh? Well, aside from the obvious - She gestured a big space with her hands - I'd say it's his thighs. Every time I see him in training I try to understand if I want to have it or if I want to sit on them.

-I agree. That little devil knows very well what he's doing and he sits with open wide legs like: "You can watch and sit on it but you'll never have it", it's ridiculous! - You didn't even realize you said it out loud until you saw the other girls nodding in agreement, their admiration for Azriel evident. It was then that you realized that you weren't the only one who held a special place for Azriel in her mind. You only chuckled and brushed it off, knowing damn well how hard it is to not fall in love with him.

By the end of the day, you felt even more connected to the Inner Circle. You realized that they were not only Azriel's friends now but her friends as well. Their playful banter and genuine interest in your life made you feel accepted and cherished.

When you finally returned, Azriel was waiting at the door, trying to act nonchalant but failing miserably. You practically ran to him and wrapped your arms around his neck.

-We're back, and I had an amazing time! - You told him to ease his nerves, beaming up at him.

-I'm glad you had fun - Azriel couldn't help but smile back, relieved and happy to see you safe and happy, seeming so chill around his family.

As the night stretched on, the Inner Circle continued to round you everywhere you went, determined to explore every facet of Azriel's relationship. From your favorite food, to your favorite book, and your favorite court, they asked for everything. Suddenly, as dinner time started to approach and Rhysand pulled out the bottles of wine, Mor, never one to shy away from pushing boundaries, smirked as she posed her next question.

-Alright, my darlings, how about some role-playing? We did it with our new guest already but now we have the whole gang together - She looked at you deeply, her smile never leaving her face - Truth or Dare, Az?

-Dare - He chose, knowing exactly which dare she was going to propose, already getting up from his seat and pulling you with him.

-I dare you to show us how you'd flirt with each other if you were complete strangers meeting for the first time - Mor said with a twinkle in her eye - None of us met each other in a simple scenario, so it's nice to pretend. They all have done it before.

The challenge intrigued you, and you decided to play along. He took a moment to compose himself before approaching you as if you were strangers meeting at a party. With a smoldering look, he introduced himself with a charming smile, making you blush and giggle. You stayed in character as you talked back and everyone laughed at your little theater when you rejected him.

-Have you two ever snuck away during a party to have some alone time? Now I'm pretty sure that every time Azriel ran away from our game nights because of some "emergencies" you were the emergency - Cassian, who enjoyed stirring the pot, raised an eyebrow and pointed at you.

-Maybe once or twice - Azriel couldn't help but chuckle, feeling a little bashful - Guilty as charged.

The Inner Circle hooted and cheered, reveling in the playful and candid nature of the game. The evening was filled with laughter, affectionate teasing, and a growing sense of intimacy among them all.

-Truth or Dare, lovebirds? - Amren, who had been quietly observing, decided to add her own provocative twist.

You chose "Dare" without hesitation, eager to keep the momentum going.

-I dare you to kiss Azriel in a way that will make his heart skip a beat - Amren said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. As you turned to him, your eyes were smoldering with intent.

-Watch this - You leaned in slowly, lips brushing against his ear before you whispered and then pressed a lingering, passionate kiss to his lips. Azriel's heart thundered in his chest, his arousal unmistakable. The room seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you in your private bubble of desire and affection.

-Alright, alright, that's enough of a show for today. It's my turn. Truth or Dare, Az?

-Truth - Azriel took a deep breath, his senses still reeling from the kiss while he still looked at you, eyes never leaving yours.

-Do you remember the first time you realized you were in love with her? - Rhysand smirked.

You looked at him terrified, your heart fluttering with anticipation and fear. The room fell silent as Azriel's eyes kept looking at yours, from the thousand times you tried to tell the Inner Circle about the truth of your relationship with Azriel you were met with deaf ears. And now, with Azriel's hand still on your waist from the previous kiss and his eyes glued on yours, you couldn't feel more nervous. You loved him, deeply, but did he?

-It was during a mission. I was surrounded, and I thought I might not make it out alive. At that moment, all I could think about was her safety, her happiness, and the possibility of never getting to see her smile again. I didn't think about myself or my safety, I didn't fight there to get out alive for me, I did it for her because I knew she would be sad if I didn't go to her bookstore again to give her another treat or organize every single book she left for later or just stay in the corner looking at her while she cataloged every new book. It was then that I knew I loved her.

A collective "aww" echoed through the room, and you felt tears of happiness welling in your eyes. You leaned in, capturing his lips in a tender kiss, conveying all the love and affection you felt for him.

Eventually, as the night turned into dawn, everyone decided to call it a night, retiring from the dining room to sleep. The Inner Circle looked exhausted but happy, their hearts filled with the love and joy of finally meeting someone special for Azriel that loved him the way he deserved. Only they knew how hard it was to find someone who would treat him right.

As you sat down in Azriel's bed again, you only extended a hand to him as he took it and threw himself over your body. You hugged him tightly, smelling his scent as you dipped your nose into his hair, its softness always surprising you. He took in your hands, getting up from his position to look in your face, his eyes searching yours.

-I hope they didn't overwhelm you today - He said sincerely, worried about your well being.

-No, not at all. I actually had a great time - You smiled softly, getting a smile from him in return.

-I'm glad - He whispered, brushing a strand of hair away from your face - And about this morning, when I said you could stay, I meant it. You never have to leave unless you want to - Your heart flutters, your fears melting away under the warmth of his words.

-I don't want to leave. Not now, not ever - His face broke into a radiant smile, and without another word, he leaned in, capturing your lips in a tender kiss. It was a simple yet useful way of saying what both of you had struggled to express all those months you had spent together.

For the bingo, could you do friends to lovers with Azriel? Also, I love your writing!

First of all, thank you very much, I really appreciate this type of comments about my writing, it makes me so happy and I always feel motivated 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

NOW

I was on my normal Taylor Swift moment and BOOM she said "Damn, never seen that color blue" and I knew I was done from now on if I didn't write something for Azriel with this song 🥹

Here we are, thank you

Delicate

As the night unfolds at Rita's, you and the Inner Circle are enjoying yourselves together, laughing and sharing stories with each other. The atmosphere is lively, and the free bottles of wine are definitely contributing to the merriment. Since Rita's birthday when Rhysand gifted her a ridiculous amount of wine that she was sure she couldn't sell she's been proposing games every Saturday night and obviously the most eager to participate were you and your friends.

Tonight the idea is to go up to the stage and share one secret with everyone in the bar. If they think the secret is good enough they'll scream and you can go back to your table with a bottle of wine. It started pretty light, some nonsense secrets that people only laughed at and no one took a bottle. However, as the night progresses, the secrets start to get deeper and more personal, granting a lot of people an unhealthy amount of alcohol in their bodies.

You and your friends decided to participate too, knowing that whatever you said up there would make people scream. After each member of the Inner Circle goes up on stage and reveals a dumb little secret, it's finally your turn. With a slightly tipsy but determined gait, you take the stage, capturing everyone's attention, including Azriel's, who's watching you with curiosity but a bit of concern, taking your itty bitty drunk state.

You hesitate for a moment, thinking about the secret you wanted to reveal. I mean, now everyone in Rita's knew they couldn't use the table in the House of the Wind after Nestha's confession. Yours wouldn't hurt that much, right? So you take a deep breath and begin to speak. You started light, recounting the years you've spent together with your friends, the adventures you've shared, and the unbreakable bond you've formed as friends. A story that made everyone happy.

Until you finally pulled the card from your sleeve, telling everyone the day you met Azriel and how you felt. The friendship you created with him and how exactly your feelings started to develop after the years you spent together. The funny moments and the sad ones too, the love you felt for everyone in the Inner Circle would never compare to how you felt about the Shadowsinger. And you meant it, you are in love with him, for the cauldron's sake! You said you are content with being his best friend, but you love him so much that sometimes you think you might explode.

Your declaration of love is met with stunned silence by the whole bar and then a round of applause from the Inner Circle, who had no idea about your feelings until this moment. Rita grants you three bottles of wine at once, your state not making you understand exactly why but you accept it gladly, trembling back to the table with your friends.

Azriel's heart skips a beat as he listens to your words, trying to process the depth of your emotions. He's touched by your honesty, damn, he feels every bit the same for you, but he also knows that you had quite a bit to drink, which might have influenced your decision to share this with everyone. Especially when you don't react to the provoking of your friends and just play along, not quite comprehending why everyone was so excited but happy to be happy with them.

As the applause finally dies down, and the rest of your group opens another bottle, Azriel quickly stands up, thanking everyone for the entertaining night and requesting their understanding that you might be a little overwhelmed right now and that he would take you back home. You protested and tried to sit back, only for him to take you on his shoulder, guiding you out of the noisy bar and into the cool night air.

Once outside, Azriel lets you down and wraps his arm around your shoulder, supporting you as you walk. Saying that going home on foot would help you sober up a little bit.

-You know, you didn't have to do that - He says gently, concern evident in his voice - Anything you said would be good enough for them.

-I know - You funnily reply, your cheeks flushed with both embarrassment and alcohol, your words getting out tripping from your mouth - But I just... I couldn't keep it in any longer. I had to tell you. I love you this much - You let go of him just to open your arms wide and show him the amount of love you had - Maybe even more. It would need the whole court to open their arms to show you how much - He laughs at you and makes you walk again, holding you close to him the whole way.

-You mean the world to me, do you know that? I never want to lose you, I think I might die if I do - Your shocked expression makes him laugh again, the sound fluttering your heart again.

-No, don't die, Azriel, please - You hug him tightly and then place a hand on his cheek - I don't want to lose you ever ever. And even if you don't feel the same way, I need you to know - Azriel's expression softens, and he gently takes your hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

-Let's talk about this tomorrow when you're not under the influence of gallons of wine. I promise we'll figure things out, okay? - You only nod, trusting him completely, and allow Azriel to lead you to the Town House.

Back in your room, you found a way to stumble into every single fitment in every single room you went through, laughing each time your body hit something different. Azriel guides you to your bathroom with gentle care. Your steps are unsteady, and your words are still a bit slurred, a clear indication of how much alcohol was still in your body, and that the walk did nothing to sober you up. Despite your inebriated state, you kept trying to talk to him, but your words were sometimes muddled and difficult to comprehend, which only made Azriel agree and continue to take you to your destination.

-I hope you're not mad at me. I know it's a delicate matter to you and I said it in front of everyone in the whole Velaris - You turned to him when he made you sit in the tub edge while he turned on the water and filled it with shower salts and scents - Is it cool that I said all that? Maybe I crossed the line. Sometimes I wonder if you would ever look at me and think about me the same way that I do. Is it too soon to have this conversation? I feel like I made a mess of myself now and-

-Shh, it's okay. You don't need to explain anything - Azriel whispers, his voice soothing - We'll talk in the morning when you're feeling better. Right now, let's get you cleaned up and ready for bed.

He helps you undress and assists you into the tub, his gaze never lowering for too long from your face. Making sure the water is warm and comforting he washes your hair and helps you clean your body when you distract yourself with the bubbles floating in the water or when you have sudden low peaks of energy and simply lies your head on his chest and lets him do all the work - that he gladly does.

After the shower, Azriel wraps a fluffy towel around you, gently patting you dry until you say you can do it alone. He hands you a glass of water that he summoned from the house, encouraging you to drink it to help with the inevitable hangover. You comply, taking small sips at times while he dresses you in some of the sleeping clothes he found in your massive wardrobe, his eyes still filled with affection and yours with gratitude.

-Will you stay with me tonight? - You ask with a plea in your voice once he settles you in your bed, now that he dressed you in a nightgown and dried your hair.

-Of course - Azriel replies without hesitation, his heart aching at the sight of your vulnerability. He climbs into bed beside you, pulling the covers over you both, cocooning you in his warmth. He wraps his arms around you gently, holding you close as you snuggle into his embrace, feeling his scent and the heat that irradiates from his skin.

-You're my best friend - You murmur, your words still slightly slurred - I'm glad I told you how I feel. Or everyone at Rita's. Even if... even if it's complicated.

-I'm glad you told me too. And I promise, we'll figure this out together. But right now, rest. We can talk more tomorrow when you're feeling better - Azriel brushes a soft kiss on your forehead, slowly wrapping you with his wings as if testing the territory.

As the night wears on, your breathing steadies, and you drift into a peaceful slumber in Azriel's arms. He stays awake for a while, watching over you, his mind a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. He cares and loves you so much that his heart aches sometimes, and your confession has brought a mix of joy and trepidation to his mind.

In the quiet darkness, he decides that whatever the future holds for him, he will always cherish your friendship and be there for you, just as he has always been. And as he finally succumbs to sleep, he hopes that the morning will bring clarity and understanding for both of you, strengthening the bond that has held you together for so long.

The morning light begins to filter into the room, gently rising you from your slumber. As you open your eyes, memories from the previous night flood back, and you can't help but cringe with embarrassment at your drunken confession and all of the conversations that followed after. You try to cover your face with your hands, wishing you could disappear, but you're met with a strong pair of arms holding you still in place. Tracing the tattoos you know so well you realize who exactly is holding you in your bed. Azriel stirs beside you, sensing the movements you were making. He brushes a hand over your back soothingly to calm you down.

-Hey, there's no need to be so hard on yourself, slow down a bit - he whispers softly.

You finally gather the courage to look at him, expecting disappointment or awkwardness in his expression. Instead, you only find warmth and understanding in his eyes.

-I remember everything - You admit, voice tinged with shame - I'm sorry, Az. I must have made a complete fool of myself. And you probably felt so embarrassed - Azriel lifts your chin gently, causing you to meet his gaze directly, his touch not letting you look away.

-You have nothing to be sorry for - He says earnestly - Last night, you were just being honest about your feelings. I value that honesty, and I value you. It doesn't change anything between us.

-But... but I was drunk, and I told so many things about us, things that no one knew - You stammered, your cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

-Yes, you were drunk, I acknowledge that, but your feelings were still genuine. And to be honest, I've been wrestling with my own feelings too - Azriel smiles softly, his thumb brushing against her cheek.

-You have? - Your eyes widen, hope flickering in your heart.

-I didn't want to make any rash decisions last night, but this is something I've known since the first time I met you. I care about you deeply, and I've been in love with you for a long time too - Your heart skips a beat at his confession, a wave of relief washing over you.

-You have? - You ask, needing to hear those words again.

-Yes - Azriel replies, his voice steady - I love you too - Unable to contain your emotions any longer, you throw your arms around him, hugging him tightly.

-I was so scared I'd ruin everything - You admit, your voice muffled against his shoulder. Azriel holds you close, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead.

-You could never ruin anything between us. I cherish our friendship on top of everything, but I've come to realize that what we should have is something even deeper. I want to explore this with you, if you're willing to - Tears of joy and relief gather in your eyes as you pull back to look at him.

-I want that too - You say, voice filled with love and happiness - I want to see where this takes us.

-Then let's take it one step at a time. No need to rush anything. We'll figure it out together, just like we always do - Azriel smiles, his hand cupping your cheek tenderly.

-Thank you for being understanding and for not pushing me away - You say gratefully, kissing the palm of his hand that were holding you. He slowly leans in, pressing a soft kiss to your lips.

In that moment, you and Azriel were embarking on a new chapter of your relationship, one filled with love, trust, and the knowledge that you have been each other's best friends and confidantes all along only to become the best of lovers. And honestly, you weren't feeling any bit of nervousness, the years you spent growing your friendship making you sure that you wouldn't get out of this situation hurting. Actually, you were sure you wouldn't get out of this situation. Which you were completely content about.

-I could never push you away - He whispers, your foreheads resting together - You mean too much to me.

friends to lovers with Azriel? they’re both secretly pining after each other and even flirt but it has never gone past that

Fun fact: I received 3 or 4 of the same request of friends to lovers and now I have to think of different stories for each of them (how much do I hate myself? Here's the answer)

One more prompt babies (getting in trouble), send the request for her so I can finish the bingo or I'll never write again 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁

Also, please comment on the posts, I get super happy and it definitely makes me go back to Google Docs to finish what I'm currently writing

I Think He Knows

It basically started weeks ago when you were researching something you couldn't even remember what it was that Rhysand asked. You were deep into the books, nothing was making sense in your mind and frustration was starting to set in as you struggled to find the answers you sought. Azriel silently slipped into the library and observed you from the shadows, captivated by the sight of you so concentrated and focused on your work. He noticed the frustration building in you, unable to resist, he stepped forward, revealing himself with his usual quiet grace.

-Need some assistance? - His velvet voice reached your ears, sending a shiver down your spine. You looked up, your eyes locking with his, and you couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement.

-Well, I wouldn't mind a second opinion on this research - You replied, trying to maintain your composure despite the sudden warmth spreading through your cheeks.

Azriel moved closer, leaning over your shoulder to examine the texts you had been poring over. The close proximity sent your heart racing, and you could feel the heat of his breath on your skin.

-You're looking in the wrong section - He said softly, his fingers brushing against yours as he pointed to a nearby shelf.

Your hands touched, and you both felt a jolt of electricity shoot through you. You glanced up, your eyes meeting his, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. Azriel's lips quirked into a faint smile, as if he knew the effect he had on you.

-Let me show you - He offered, gesturing for you to follow him.

You walked together through the aisles of books, discussing the research, and exchanging ideas. You found yourself drawn to Azriel's intellect and the way he effortlessly wove his knowledge into the conversation. As you spoke, the flirtatious undertones became more evident. You teased each other playfully, your laughter filling the library like music. It was as if you had known each other for years, despite the fact that this was the first time you had engaged in a real conversation alone.

Usually all your interactions with the Inner Circle had Rhysand's presence. And besides the fact that you considered and was equally considered by all of them as a friend, this was the first time you actually talked alone with Azriel, no need to keep formality or the topic of work getting in the way. The more you flirted, the more you realized how easy it was to be yourself around him. Walls that you had carefully built began to crumble, revealing your true self, vulnerable and unguarded.

The spark of attraction between you was undeniable, and it left both of you surprised and intrigued. It was a dance you hadn't expected to partake in, but neither of you could resist the magnetic pull that drew you closer.

As the night wore on, you reluctantly bid each other farewell, promising to meet again in the library to help each other if necessary. But even as you walked away, your thoughts were consumed by him and only him.

In the days that followed, your flirtatious encounters continued, fueled by a desire you couldn't ignore. Each meeting left you wanting more, and yet you hesitated, unsure of the depths you were diving into. Suddenly you were being invited to family dinners and the Valkyries' training. You weren't sure who exactly you should blame: Rhysand and his necessity of taking you under his wing or Azriel with the need of having you closer to him. Somehow you knew the answer without asking directly.

The Night Court's dinner table was a scene of elegance and camaraderie as the Inner Circle gathered for their nightly meal. Amidst the laughter and casual conversations, Azriel and you found yourselves seated beside each other, eyes locked in a silent promise of something more. Your foot unintentionally brushed against Azriel's calf under the table, sending a thrill through both of you. Azriel's fingers ghosted along the back of your hand, a subtle invitation to continue the game you started playing.

Rhysand and Cassian exchanged bemused glances, sensing the charged atmosphere between their two friends. Feyre tried to hide a knowing smile, while Amren raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. You carefully leaned in, your lips so close to Azriel's ear that your warm breath sent shivers down his spine.

-You're playing a dangerous game - You whispered, your voice laden with mischief.

-Danger happens to be my job, dear - Azriel replied, his voice husky and filled with desire.

As the dinner conversation flowed around you, Azriel and you engaged in a subtle dance of seduction beneath the table. Your fingers intertwined, your touch light but electrifying, as you teased each other with playful caresses. You let your fingers trail along Azriel's forearm, relishing the way his muscles tensed beneath your touch. Azriel responded in kind, brushing his thumb across the outside of thigh, deliberate circles that left your craving more.

The rest of the Inner Circle exchanged glances, unable to believe what you were witnessing. Cassian leaned over to Rhysand, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

-I think we're witnessing the birth of a mating bond - He teased, causing Rhysand to chuckle. Across the table, Mor was trying her best to suppress a grin, while Amren simply rolled her eyes, unimpressed by your antics.

Nestha, always one to relish in mischief, decided to stir the pot. With a sly grin, she looked at Azriel and you at his side, already planning a way to burst the bubble you settle yourselves in.

-So, Shadowsinger, what's the most daring thing you've ever done? Cassian just told his - Her mate looked at her confused, until he realized her plan and agreed along with the rest of the table. Azriel's eyes twinkled with mischief as he slightly turned his gaze towards you.

-Oh, I think I'd rather show than tell - You felt a blush creeping up your cheeks, but you didn't back down.

-And what about you, Rhys? What's the most thrilling thing you've ever experienced that didn't involve your mate? - You turned to Rhysand and asked with a playful glint in your eye. The High Lord only chuckled, sensing the game you were playing.

-Well, it might just be seeing the way Azriel flirts with someone he cares about, it's rather fun, to say the least - He replied, glancing pointedly at his spymaster.

Azriel's lips quirked up in a knowing smile, and he leaned towards you, his voice low and suggestive, as he spoke high enough for everyone at the table to hear.

-Oh, don't worry, my love, I save my best for you - Your heart skipped a beat at his response, but you maintain your composure, turning the tables again. You looked at Cassian, one that looked very amused by the whole interaction.

-Cassian, have you ever been so captivated by someone that you couldn't take your mind off them to the point you simply did and said stupid things all the time? - Cassian grinned, understanding the game and more than willing to play along.

-Well, you see, I have a habit of getting distracted by a certain female warrior with mesmerizing eyes - He replied, winking at Nesta, who rolled her eyes and tried to hide her smile.

-And what about you, Az? Have you ever been so captivated by someone that left you breathless? - Azriel met your gaze with an intensity that sent shivers down your spine.

-Every time I look at you - He answered, his voice soft and sincere. Feyre quickly interrupted the moment to get Nyx who started to cry in his bedroom, cutting out the atmosphere that was building up.

The next day you had to keep working as if nothing changed, even if you and Azriel were becoming more and more shameless at each encounter. The library in the Night Court was always a sanctuary of knowledge, and you found solace amidst the ancient texts and dusty books. The spymaster often changed his plans to find you there, absorbed in the magic of the written word, only to engage in another one of the flirtatious conversations you always lead each other, even if this wasn't exactly the original plan.

In this particular afternoon, you were stretching on your tiptoes, trying to reach a book on the highest shelf. As you strained to grasp it, you felt a familiar presence behind you. A soft, warm breath grazed the back of your neck, sending shivers down your spine. Azriel's velvety voice caressed your ear,

-Need some help? - You turned to find Azriel standing so close that you could feel the heat emanating from his body. Your heart fluttered, but you masked your flustered state with a playful smirk.

-Oh, so you're finally offering to be useful, Shadowsinger? - You teased, your eyes locking with his. A mischievous glint danced in Azriel's eyes as he reached for the book, effortlessly retrieving it from the shelf. Instead of handing it to you, he held it just out of your reach, enjoying the proximity between your bodies.

-I always knew you'd come to appreciate my usefulness - He replied, his voice low and teasing.

You refused to back down, your competitive spirit coming to the surface. You leaned in, closing the distance between you, and attempted to snatch the book from his grasp. But Azriel was too quick, tilting his hand just enough to evade you. Your faces were now mere inches apart, and the tension between you crackled like electricity. With a smoldering look, Azriel brought the book down slightly, just teasingly close to your fingers.

-If you want it, you'll have to work for it - He challenged, his lips quirking into a seductive smile.

Your breath hitched at the playful yet alluring demeanor of the warrior. Determined to match his boldness, you leaned in even closer, allowing your lips to brush against his.

-I don't mind a little challenge - A low growl rumbled in Azriel's throat, and he gave up, handing you the book. But he didn't step back, instead, he closed the remaining distance between you, pressing his body against yours, creating an intoxicating blend of heat and desire.

Your eyes locked once more, and the air around you crackled with tension. Without thinking, Azriel's fingers grazed your cheek, tracing a path along your jawline. Yourheart pounded wildly, the sensation of his touch igniting a fire within you.

-You have no idea what you do to me - Azriel admitted huskily, his voice thick with desire.

-Show me - You whispered, unable to resist the pull you felt towards him any longer.

In that moment, the world around you ceased to exist. The library faded away, leaving only the two of you enveloped in a haze of passion and longing. With an intensity you had both kept bottled up for too long, you surrendered to each other's embrace, your lips meeting in a fiery kiss that ignited a love that had been simmering beneath the surface.

Your whispered affections and tender touches among the books unveiled the truth you had both been hiding – that you were more than friends, that your souls had found your match. Your lips couldn't seem to snap away from his, the book long forgotten in the ground as you entangled your hands in his hair and pulled him closer.

-... Are you somewheEAHHH - Gwyn's scream made you separate from Azriel in a flash, her eyes almost popping out of her head as she took in the scene in front of her, all the priestess around stepping closer to understand the commotion - Clotho is asking if you found the book - She pointed behind her, a smile playing in her as the Shadowsinger quickly bid you goodbye and ran away. You threw the book at your friend when she started to laugh - I just want to see how the training is going to be tomorrow.

And honestly? You wanted to know too.

Training sessions in the House of the Wind were usually filled with a lot of matches between the girls and intense training, but today was different. You and Azriel found yourselves paired together as a matter of destiny, the air around you charged with an electric tension that couldn't be ignored. As you sparred, the other Valkyries couldn't help but watch, completely shocked by the intense flirtation that unfolded before them. Gwyneth being the one pinpointing the looks you threw to him.

Your eyes locked with Azriel's as you circled each other, each movement purposeful and tantalizing. He could see the fire burning in your eyes, and it only fueled his desire to provoke you further . With a smirk, he raised an eyebrow, a silent challenge, inviting you to make the first move.

You didn't disappoint. In a swift motion, you lunged, your blades dancing gracefully through the air. Azriel effortlessly parried your strikes, your weapons clashing with a resounding echo. But beneath the fierce combat, there was an undercurrent of something more, a seductive dance of pure desire from the last day. Azriel leaned in close, his breath ghosting over your ear as you defended his attack.

-You are fighting with such passion today, what happened? - He laughed when you pushed him far from you with a kick - It's almost intoxicating - A shiver ran down the reader's spine as you met his gaze, unyielding.

-I'm just getting started - You replied, your voice dripping with provocation - Someone started something and couldn't finish. Let's see if you can end this fight at least.

Your banter continued as you moved in sync, each anticipating the other's moves. The sexual tension between you was palpable, and the other Valkyries couldn't tear their eyes away, their training momentarily forgotten. Azriel's wings unfurled slightly, showcasing his strength and power.

-You know - He suddenly said, his voice deep and alluring, but not low enough to not let your public hear, ever the exhibitionist he was - I could show you a few moves that aren't part of the regular training regimen - Your cheeks flushed when you heard the gasps from the other females, but you didn't back down. Instead, you leaned in even closer, your body inches from his.

-And what kind of moves are those, Shadowsinger? - You purred, your tone daring him to reveal his thoughts.

-The kind that leaves you breathless - He teased, the double entendre not lost on the watching Valkyries when some of them let out small screams of excitement.

- I bet you could teach me something new, anyway - A wicked grin tugged at the corners of your mouth when he growled after your words, trying to strike you down.

The training session continued with a fervor, the intensity between you and Azriel growing with each exchange. Your bodies moved in harmony, pushing each other to new limits. At one point, you managed to disarm Azriel and pin him to the ground, and for a brief moment, you had the upper hand. But Azriel didn't seem bothered by it; instead, he wore an approving smile.

-Impressive - He murmured, his voice dripping with admiration.

Your closeness was almost suffocating, the desire between you reaching a breaking point. The other Valkyries exchanged glances, unsure if they should intervene or let the fiery tension run its course.

As the training session came to an end, you and Azriel stood face to face, breathing heavily from the exertion. The intensity in your eyes was undeniable, and you both knew that this was just the beginning of something. The Valkyries couldn't help but gasp as Azriel leaned in, his lips dangerously close to yours.

-You have no idea of what you've done to me, the hunger you awake - He whispered, his voice dark and alluring.

-If it's any closer to what I'm feeling then you better be prepared to satisfy it, Shadowsinger - With a playful smile, you replied before you stepped away from the training grounds, leaving the other Valkyries in a state of awe and disbelief. Your flirtatious dance had left a remarkable message between you and Azriel, one that you would try to ignore as best as you could, even against your will.

Weeks of tension and flirting had passed between you and Azriel. The subtle glances, teasing words, lingering touches, and sometimes a kiss or other had kept both of your hearts racing. Yet, neither of you dared to take the leap beyond your friendship. One evening, after a gathering at the Town House, you found yourself seeking solace and guidance from Feyre, always the good listener High Lady. She smiled knowingly as you spilled your heart out, admitting your crush on Azriel and detailing the last few weeks of encounters with him, not knowing when to point out the sudden change in your friendship with him.

-You know, I don't think he's disinterested in you. Azriel is just cautious, especially with matters of the heart - Feyre reassured you, caressing your head that was in her lap.

-I mean, he's obviously not disinterested in me. The thing is, does he want a relationship or just this weird kissing friendship we are doing? I think he knows I like him, it's impossible to not know. Even Nyx confirmed, he called me auntie, it's because I'm gonna marry his uncle, right? - She laughed at you, and you playfully smack her arm - I'm being serious. Solve this problem, you are the High Lady, you're supposed to be serious when one of your subjects needs help.

-Do you want a relationship with him, darling? - You stopped to think about her question, the moments you spent with Azriel popping in your head, before and after the mess you created, a smile growing in your face at the memories.

-Yes. Definitely - You whispered, receiving a smile from Feyre as well, her eyes shining with some suspicious glint behind them.

-Then tell him. He might be waiting for your confession too - You quickly nodded, giving her a kiss on the cheek before getting up from your spot.

Feeling a bit more encouraged, you returned to your quarters, unaware that Azriel had overheard the entire conversation from the shadows. His heart pounded in his chest as he realized the depth of your feelings for him, and he knew it was time to act over his own.

Before you could even close the door behind you, Azriel stepped out of the darkness and into your room. Startled, you turned to face him, but before you could speak, he gently closed the door and pinned you against the wood with a mixture of intensity and tenderness. His hazel eyes bore into yours, searching for any sign of hesitation.

-I've known about your feelings - He admitted in a husky whisper - And I've been a fool for not making a move sooner - A shiver ran down your spine as his warm breath caressed your skin.

-Azriel - You managed to say, your heart racing with anticipation. He cupped your face with his hand, his thumb stroking your cheek softly.

-I've been in love with you too, but I was scared. Scared of losing our friendship, scared of hurting you, of making something wrong, of you changing your mind, I don't know - He confessed. You placed your hand over his heart, feeling it race beneath your touch.

-I don't want to lose you either - You could only admit, your voice filled with vulnerability as you couldn't say anything else.

-You won't - Azriel assured you, his voice steady but full of emotion - I promise to cherish and protect what we have, and I'll prove my devotion to you everyday from now on, if you let me - You could only agree under his eyes, your body heating at each word.

With that, he leaned in, closing the distance between you and capturing your lips in a tender, passionate kiss. The world around you melted away once again as you fully surrendered to the feelings you had kept hidden for so long.

Your hands explored each other's bodies gently, reveling in the newfound intimacy between you. Azriel's touch was both passionate and cautious, showing his care for you. As you deepened the kiss, you knew that this moment would mean the world from now on.

Hi! this is my first time asking but maybe you could do a co-workers and a one night stand for the Acotar bingo with azzy?? like they are both spies for rhys and something happens on a mission orrrr…. idk fluff please :))))

feel free to ignore - i love ur work btw <33

Oh my dear I definitely can

Thanks so much for the reassurance, I'm a people pleaser KEEP COMMENTING COMMENTS THEY ARE MY BIGGEST FUEELLLLLL

Me writing a normal fanfic: 😃

Me 5 seconds after I start creating a whole trauma, past story and a lot of facts that are not exactly necessary to the story: 🥰😍🤩😚💕💖💟💞🤗✨️

When I was writing this I thought: Omg maybe I'm finally ready to write smut (I'm not, the need completely disappeared from me the moment I opened the document)

Pillowtalk

As you and Azriel prepare for yet another mission together to watch the suspect camplords in the Illyrian mountains, you go over your plans meticulously, ensuring you are ready for whatever challenges lie ahead. You and Azriel have created a unique bond over the years, having worked together on numerous missions for the High Lord. Both of you knew how to work together and where your boundaries were laid. It was precisely that that made working with him so easy, no matter the amount of time you spent together, he never ever asked you to take off the mask that usually covered your face.

The journey to the Illyrian mountains is always filled with tension since you know how much Azriel hates his old home. You know you must be discreet to avoid detection. You and Azriel move silently, utilizing your stealth and his powers to blend into the shadows. You keep your senses sharp, alert to any potential danger.

However, even the most carefully laid plans can go awry. During your surveillance, you encounter an unexpected group of hostile Illyrian males who happened to be patrolling in that area. Azriel fights valiantly, but he is fighting against five of the seven that attacked you, and even if he defeats three of them, the other two remaining aim for his wings and cause a serious injury during the wings' leather, leaving him vulnerable and unable to defend himself adequately.

In a split second, you take your decision, and you know you must act swiftly to protect your partner. Without hesitation, you remove your mask, it helps you to maintain silence and prevents the enemies from hearing your breathing. But right now it is only making it difficult for vision to be clear, the fighting usually being Azriel's work.

As you take off the mask it reveals the burn mark that runs from your neck to a portion of your face. It serves as a reminder of a past event that you try to keep hidden from prying eyes. Also, it would work as an easy way for your enemies to recognize you anywhere you went. Even if they didn't remember your face, they would remember the scars, this being the only reason to keep your face a mystery during your missions.

Despite your reservations, you know very well that your identity is a small price to pay to save Azriel. Drawing upon all your strength, you fiercely fight off your remaining attackers, using your skills to ensure you both survive the ordeal.

After the dust settles and the danger has passed, Azriel looks at you with a mixture of awe and concern. He finally sees the face that you had kept concealed for so long. His gaze lingers on the burn mark, but he doesn't pry or ask questions. He knows that you have your reasons for keeping your identity a secret, and he respects your privacy in everything.

You quickly winnow yourself and him to a nearby cabin, paying an offensive amount of gold to the keeper for her to remain silent about your state there. She only nods once and takes you to the main room, running to take medical supplies for your partner.

-Do you need help? - She asks softly, but you can see her nervousness as she looks at the blood.

-No, I can take it from here. Thank you for everything - You dismiss her and she happily gets out of the room and closes the door behind her, leaving you to take care of Azriel's wings, which are already closing their wounds.

As Azriel recovers from his injuries, you stay by his side, tending to his wounds with care and cleaning them at one time or another. As you spend time together during his recuperation, he senses there is more to your burn mark than meets the eye. You can sense his eyes floating to your neck sometimes, but you let him be fully healed before saying anything.

-You know you can just ask, right? - You say as Azriel sits beside you as you look out the window.

-I hope I'm not prying or making you uncomfortable, but I couldn't help but notice your burn mark. It must have been a difficult experience - You take a deep breath, your fingers tracing the edge of the scar absentmindedly - You don't have to share if you don't want to-

-Yes, it was - You replied, your voice carrying a mix of pain and vulnerability - My parents... they weren't the kindest people. They made it clear that they didn't want me and that I was a burden to them - You notice Azriel tracing his own scars, you didn't even notice the moment he took off his gloves.

-I'm so sorry you had to go through that - He says sincerely, a mixture of sympathy and understanding in his eyes.

-When I was young, I believed that if I stayed close to them or if I tried harder, they might change their minds, and start loving me or something. But one day... One day, I was talking to my mother while she was cooking. I didn't realize I was annoying her until she got angry. The next thing I knew, the hot oil spilled on me, and she didn't even try to help, not her, not my father. I was left with this scar after that - You took a deep breath as you felt Azriel's gentle touch tracing the contours of the burn in your neck, a silent gesture of support as he listened intently - I was probably six, maybe seven. It didn't take me long to run away until I found a mercenary. He took me in and trained me. I was supposed to be a mercenary too if Rhysand didn't find me. He hired me after some time and gave my tutor a place to live in Velaris. That's my sad story - You said with a dry laugh, trying to keep the tears that threatened to escape from your eyes. Azriel's heart aches for the pain you endured, and he reaches out to gently touch your face, mirroring the care you showed him during his recovery.

-You are incredibly strong - He says sincerely - To survive such a difficult past and become the person you are now, it takes immense courage.

-And what about yours? We are basically burn buddies - He laughs at that, supporting his back on the window, looking deeply at you as you take his hand from your face and start to trace them - You don't have to tell me if you're not ready, too.

-No, I want to tell you - He replies, his voice steady - You've shared your pain with me, and it's only fair that I do the same. I was the bastard son of an Illyrian lord. For eleven years, I lived with my father, stepmother, and two older half-brothers. They were cruel and treated me like an outcast. They kept me in a cell with no windows or light, letting me out only for an hour a day to see my mother. I was forbidden to train or fly, even though my Illyrian instincts urged me to do so.

You bring your hand up to his arm, bringing him closer to your body as you circle him in a hug, feeling the tension disappearing from his body as he is visibly relaxed in your arms, embracing the warmth and comfort.

-One day, my half-brothers thought it would be fun to see what would happen if they mixed an Illyrian's quick healing gifts with fire. They poured oil on my hands and lit them on fire - Your eyes widened in surprise, not in a million years you would have imagined his story to be like this - The warriors heard my screams and rescued me, but it was too late to save my hands. I was left with these scars, a constant reminder of the cruelty I endured.

-I hope they are all dead - You said suddenly, your voice mixed with a tone you reserve for the ones you torture in the prison.

-One of them. And no, I won't tell you who they are just for you to kill them - He laughs when you ruff in annoyance - If so you would have to tell me who are your parents, so we can have a tie.

-Really? I would gladly do so - He laughs once again, the sound making your heart flutter in happiness. He takes a moment to compose himself before speaking again.

-At eleven, I was dumped in the Illyrian training camp, Windhaven, where I wasn't exactly well received due to my shadowsinging gifts. That's where I met Rhysand and Cassian. Rhysand's mother took me in, just as she did for Cassian. And when Rhysand became the High Lord of the Night Court, I became his spymaster, part of the Inner Circle.

-I'm so sorry for what you went through. But know that you are not defined by your past, it was a lesson it took me some time to understand. You are strong, compassionate, and resilient, a testament to the person you've become. And your scars, just like mine, tell a story of resilience and survival. We should be proud of the people we've become despite our pasts.

-Yes, we should. And I couldn't be prouder of what we've become - He gets out of your embrace, taking your hand in his, reveling in the feel.

-You're right. We make a great team, burn buddies, if so - You hear a chuckle and let your own laugh fill the room - I'm grateful for every mission we've shared, you know.

-I'm grateful too, more than words can say. You've shown me kindness, trust, and loyalty. You've helped me heal in ways I didn't think were possible - Azriel's other hand moved from his side to cup your cheek tenderly, his thumb brushing away a stray tear.

-And you've done the same for me. Your strength and understanding have been my anchor through it all - At that moment, you felt an unspoken connection that went beyond your shared experiences as spies. It was a bond forged through trust, support, and compassion.

As you trace gentle patterns on Azriel's hand, he gazes at you with affection and admiration. He can't help but be captivated by your strength and resilience, your ability to face your past head-on and still maintain a kind and caring heart. Something he couldn't do. His past hunted him as a monster, the shame he felt on his hands growing every time he looked at them. But you?

-You're incredible - He whispers, his voice barely above a breath. You looked up at him, shocked by his sudden words, but your eyes were shimmering with gratitude.

-And you're just as incredible - You reply with a smile playing on your lips - I always admired you. It was nice knowing you always chose me to go with you, it's also nice spending time with you.

-I always chose you because we make a great duo - You murmur "burn buddies" again, but he doesn't laugh this time, his eyes still admiring you. He turns his hand and entangles it with your - You're beautiful. You always told me that, and now I can say it back.

At that moment, the air around you feels charged with an undeniable attraction. You both sense it, the magnetic pull that draws you closer. Without another word, Azriel leans in, capturing your lips in a kiss. Your lips move together in a dance of longing and desire, your emotions pouring into the embrace. The weight of your shared experiences, the understanding of each other's pain, and the warmth of your feelings culminate in this moment.

The kiss deepens, and you lose yourselves in each other, forgetting the world outside as you explore the depths of your needs. Azriel's hand gently cradles your face, his thumb caressing your scarred cheek, while your fingers find their way into his hair, pulling him closer.

Your bodies move closer in the window seat, the space between you disappearing as you seek comfort and intimacy in each other's arms. The tension that had been building between you for years finds its release, and you become lost in the sensation of being with someone who understands you on a level you never thought possible.

As you pull away, your breaths mingling, you meet each other's eyes, the intensity of the moment shining brightly. Without words, you share an unspoken understanding as he starts undoing the stripes and buttons of your armor and you start to take off the layers of his. Your lips connect again as he pulls you to his lap and walks you towards the bed, taking off the rest of your clothes as well as his.

Your heated make-out session evolves into a night filled with passion while you share your bodies, as you find the solace and belonging you've been searching for, a love that heals your wounds and ignites a fire within your hearts. When he looked at the rest of your scars, that went down until your shoulder and took a bit of your collarbone his eyes became feral with lust. From the moment he bent down and kissed each piece of skin that was covered with burn wounds, you knew that you are completely fucked.

After your initial heated encounter, you and Azriel decide that your night together was a product of vulnerability and a need for comfort in the moment. You both acknowledge the dangers of getting involved romantically, especially as spies working in a world filled with secrets and risks.

-We can't afford distractions - Azriel had once said, his voice tinged with concern - Our focus needs to be on the missions and keeping each other safe.

-You're right. We can't let our emotions get in the way of what we do - In that moment you had nodded in agreement, understanding the practicality of his words.

Both of you agree to keep your relationship strictly professional, even though your hearts yearn for more. However, as the days pass, you find it increasingly challenging to resist the pull you feel toward each other. Your missions become more dangerous, and the stakes are higher than ever. During chaos and uncertainty, you find comfort and solace in each other's arms.

It starts with small moments, a touch on the arm here, a lingering glance there. You become each other's safe haven, the one constant in a world filled with unpredictability. And despite your resolve, once you go back to your normal life in Velaris, you find yourselves in each other's bed again, seeking solace in the connection you share. The passion and intimacy between you intensifies with each encounter, and you start to realize that they can't deny the love that has grown between you.

As the days turn into weeks, you find yourselves entangled in each other more times than you could count, each encounter pulling you closer together. You've become inseparable in your free time, if it's you in his studio while he practices his painting, or if it's him in your house while you practice dancing, your lives become intertwined both on and off the field.

The morning sun gently filters through the curtains, casting a warm glow on the room as Azriel stirs awake. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, he finds himself lying beside you in your room once again, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

He traces his fingers gently along the curves of your body, admiring the lines that define your form. The faint light reveals the outline of your burn mark, a testament to your strength and resilience. Azriel's heart swells with affection for you, knowing the hardships you have endured and the courage you carry within.

As his fingers gently explore, you stir from your slumber, your eyes slowly opening to meet his gaze. You see the adoration in his eyes and the reverence with which he touches you. A blush tinges on your cheeks, but you don't look away, instead, you pull him closer, wanting to feel his touch even more.

-You're awake - You murmur, your voice soft but still rough from the slumber. Azriel leans in, his lips brushing against your forehead before he meets your eyes again.

-Yes, I am. And I can't help but marvel at the sight before me - Your heart flutters at his words, and you intertwine your fingers with him, pulling his hand to your lips to leave a tender kiss.

-You have a way with words, Shadowsinger. But actions speak louder - With a soft chuckle, Azriel leans in, capturing your lips in a deep and loving kiss. Your mouths move in perfect harmony, conveying all the unspoken emotions between you. When you finally break apart, your foreheads rest gently against each other's, your breaths mingling.

-I never expected this - You admit, your voice tinged with wonder - But I'm grateful for every moment we shared.

-As am I. You've brought light into my life, and I can't imagine a future without you - You stay entwined, basking in each other's presence, knowing that you've found something rare and precious.

-What if we sleep in today? I don't think we need to get out of bed - He laughs and leans closer to you, the skin contact makes you shiver - I don't know, it's cold today, maybe we can help each other and warm ourselves up.

-I don't think Rhysand will appreciate it if his two best spies disappeared from his view - But he doesn't make a movement to get out of bed, instead, he starts kissing the back of your neck, slowly going under the covers. That way you know you win the discussion, the same way you did many times before.

Every time you find yourself in Azriel's arms, you feel like you can face the world, one day at a time, knowing that you have his heart to hold onto and a love that burns brighter than any shadow you've ever known. Years of shared missions, trust, and understanding have led you to this moment of realization. You are not just good together as partners, but you have discovered a deeper connection, a love born from empathy and shared experiences.

-Thank you - He comes up suddenly, interrupting his path to your legs - For being here, for understanding - With a soft smile, Azriel brushes a strand of hair away from your face, his voice tender as he speaks - I think we've found something extraordinary in each other.

-I believe you're right, shadow boy - You reply, before the smile completely disappears from your face - But this is not time to be sentimental. First, you eat your snack, and then we can talk about how much we love each other - You push his head under the covers again, hearing his laugh before his mouth finds its way to you.

That stupid promise of a one-time thing was nothing more than a futile attempt to deny the love that had grown between you. You couldn't fight it any longer, your hearts made the decision for yourselves a long time ago. You were partners - mates - in every sense of the word, bound not just by the missions, but by a love that has proven to be stronger than any obstacle in your path.