Hello there, and thanks for stopping by! I was inspired by aelin-and-feyre's "Preferences" on Tumblr to create some of my own writings in this style. (Highly recommend, especially for the ToG fans out there too!)

I do not own anything that belongs to SJM or ACOTAR.

Prompt: Comforting S.O. on her period
Character: Azriel
This is emotional. You have been warned.

You can't help the groan that escapes from your lips, but your body seems to think it needs to rip itself into shreds before this cycle is finished. As another unbearably strong wave of pain erupts from your lower body, you ever so slowly—for fear of inadvertently sending another bout of pain through you—roll your face into the pillow, banding your arms around your abdomen tighter. Out of habit, as a few tears escape, you completely bury your face into the pillow. It doesn't matter that this isn't anything to be ashamed of, you hate crying, especially because of this. All you want, besides this pain that makes you feel like you're being stabbed and burned simultaneously to stop, is your mate.

Who is currently off on another mission. You don't know how far away he is or what he's doing this time. Your mind is too muddled to try and connect with him on your bond. It's not even that you're upset he's away because this is his job, as you have yours. But as more tears slide down your cheeks from this pain continuing to ravage you, you just really, desperately need his presence.

You would be there for another hour, though it felt like hours to you, until Cassian banged open your balcony doors. He was going on about how you were late and beginning to rattle off the laps he was going to make you do… that is until he saw your face.

"What happened? Who did this to you?" he demands. His wings expand, covering the sunlight coming from the doors. His hands are fists at his sides, and his Siphons are starting to gleam. Ever since the Inner Circle knew about you and Azriel being mates, and especially because Azriel was the last of the Inner Circle to find his mate, all of them had become overly protective, and each had their own quirky way of doing it. Cassian's behavior fit his personality well, so if anything, you are almost touched that he wants to destroy what is causing you to be in pain.

"It's my body," your voice croaks.

"Your body?" he repeats.

"My cycle," you clarify before biting down on your lip. At first, you're embarrassed to tell Cassian this. Cauldron knows you didn't want anyone besides your mate and a healer to know. However, you feel another wave coming, slowly building up its strength before it unleashes itself. You try to rock it away, but it doesn't seem to be working. The embarrassment goes away quickly.

Cassian, to say the least, looks perturbed. "I didn't think that a woman's cycle could do this." He shakes his head and comes closer, his posture relaxing. "What do you need?"

"Az, and a healer," you barely manage to get out. You cry out as it spears through you, and you clutch your body as tightly as you can, naively hoping your grip will cancel out some of the pain.

"I'm on it," Cassian growls before running out the open balcony doors.

You don't know how much time has passed now because you had to roll over on your other side to alleviate the pain. You don't dare move, now that it seems to have calmed. You close your eyes and breathe slowly. The next time you open your eyes, it is because of a familiar and welcome tug in your mind. Your mate, wreathed in shadows, stalks to your bedside. He is furious, his seven Siphons pulsating and glowing as if they will explode out of their encasement, and the shadows extend to you, roaming over your body through the bed covers.

"I'm here," Az says, quietly.

"I'm sorry," you say, though you don't know why you say it.

"There is nothing to be sorry for," he assures, sending a burst of love through the bond to soothe your thoughts. It makes you breathe a bit better. He kneels down and cups your face in his hands, wiping away the dried tear tracks. "I'm sorry I wasn't here." He kisses your temple before searching your eyes. "What can I do?"

"Hold me," you say, and you hate that it comes out like a whimper.

He is about to when the healer comes in. You know the healer well; this isn't the first time he's seen you in this state.

"How bad is it this time?" the healer asks you. "Worse than the last time I saw you?"

You go to respond, but a gasp comes out of you instead as a completely unexpected eruption of burning pain takes over the right side of your body. Azriel's hands tighten their grip on your cheeks, and he leans his forehead against yours as he shushes you, stroking his thumbs over your cheekbones. He lets you rock and whispers to you as the pain subsides. Azriel kisses your forehead again when you nod, letting him know that the pain has gone, before he stands and talks to the healer.

The healer explains the problem, why this is more severe than a normal cycle due to the cysts, how there is nothing yet that medicine can do to fix or eradicate the problem, and prescribed some tonics and remedies that would help the pain to subside. As your mate nods and asks a few more questions, his shadows and their phantom hands massage your back. This causes more tears to escape because as much as you love the shadows and what they are doing, you want the male that comes with them.

When the healer leaves, Azriel is beside you, gently easing himself onto the bed behind you in an attempt to not jostle you. He strokes your hair as his other arm joins yours around your abdomen. He entwines his scarred fingers between yours and squeezes them. The warmth of his body and that of the shadows seeps into you, and you lean fully back into him. How were you so lucky to deserve him?

"It'll be all right," he whispers as he rocks you slowly. He kisses your neck before continuing, "I won't leave, unless you need or want me to."

You move the hand you have grasped in yours to your lips and kiss it. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Favorites, follows, and reviews are much appreciated! I already have planned several prompts, but if there is a prompt you want me to do with a character in mind or just an idea, let me know in a review!

Lots of love ~ mysterious victoria

Next prompt: Dancing for seemingly no reason