Azriel
Lying in bed next to her, Azriel was sure it all had to be a dream, all a cruel never ending dream that he would eventually have to wake up from him. But it wasn't. She had held him all night, held him in a way no one had ever held him before. He had settled into her arms so easily and slept like a dream with her wrapped around him.
When he had fantasized about it he had imagined her small body curled into his strong arms, he never imagined that she would insist on holding him. Her delicate arms had wrapped tightly over one shoulder and under the other arm, her hands resting lightly on the inked skin between his wings. Azriel had tensed slightly when she first pulled him towards her but he quickly sunk into her embrace. He rested his head on her chest and felt her chin rest lightly on the top of his head, with a few kisses being pressed into his ruffled hair he fell into a deep sleep.
Yesterday had been unlike any other. Possibly the best in his immortal existence. He had forced himself to go to her garden to see her, not wanting to intrude but needing to be there with her and look at how it had ended. Azriel felt the need to pinch himself to know it was all real. They had laughed and gardened together, explored Velaris together, shared dinner, shared his sanctuary, kissed, flew together and slept in each other's arms. All in one day. One day. It would take a miracle for him to have another day as perfect as that one. He had approached her, rather nervously, in the morning and had ended the night with her declaring she was his. His. There had never been anyone he could call his, not really anyone he had wanted to call his as much as he did with her. She made his heart sing, made him feel like he could leap out of his skin with joy.
He waited for the dread to overtake him, for the fear to come plummeting in at full force. He could lose her, he probably would lose her. But the terrible feelings that usually plagued his mind would not come. She had scared them away, had chased away his fears and his nightmares, if just for a night.
At some point he must have drifted back to sleep, lulled by the sounds of her rhythmic breathing and the feel of her chest rising up and down. A complete sense of comfort cocooned his body and his soul and rest found him quickly.
The sky was still dark but had started to lighten up as the morning approached. Elain stirred in bed, waking him in the process. She opened a heavy eye and glanced out the balcony at the sky beyond. She was absolutely stunning, soft golden brown locks strewn across the pillow, long eyelashes fluttering as she blinked away her sleepiness. She slipped from the bed, pulling her arms from beneath him and padded over to where a few long nightgowns were hanging off of unlit sconces. His wings felt like they were on fire, a streak of electric feeling lingered where her hand had grazed them lightly when she pulled away.
Elain grabbed two of the plush robes, sliding her arms into the shorter of the two and padded back over to the bed where he lay watching her. She thrust the other robe in his direction and quirked an eyebrow. She didn't mean for him to wear that, did she?
"Come on," She sang, her sweet voice cleaving straight for his heart and sending it galloping. "We have somewhere to be!"
Azriel stopped the streamline of questions that fought to escape his lips as she threw the robe at him with a giggle. He slipped into it, surprised at how comfortable the soft material was and how easily it slid onto his rather large arms. His wings were pressed against his back by the warm fabric but it actually felt nice, like a soft hug from behind.
He sheepishly tied the waistband around his middle and met her delighted stare. Azriel's cheeks flamed in embarrassment but the feeling was tamped down by the utter look of adoration that filled Elain's gaze. She was radiant, cast in the same blue glow that she had been in the dark nighttime garden. The sun wasn't even up yet but Azriel could care less, hardly even wondering where they were going at this early hour.
She held her hand out towards him and looked overjoyed when his own scarred ones stretched out to meet hers. He didn't deserve her, didn't deserve the shining light that she was, but she made him feel worthy. She made him feel like he did deserve her, like them being together was the most natural and perfect thing.
They swept down the hallway and down the stairs until they stood in the deserted kitchen below. Elain filled a kettle with water and placed it on top of the still burning hearth.
She gathered two cups and rifled through a drawer before she emerged with a tin can that held some tea.
Azriel held back by the door, watching her dart around the kitchen with precision. Did she do this every morning? Don a robe and make herself a cup of tea before the first slices of sun even reached the horizon. She was beautiful and ethereal and moved around the kitchen with such ease it took his breath away. He was here with her, waking up and starting a day together like they had done it a thousand times before, and he hoped they would be doing it a thousand times more.
When the water had boiled and she had finished filling both cups with the steaming liquid, she turned towards him with a smile on her face. Her smile faltered as she looked down at his scarred hands before offering him his own cup. His gut dropped at the glance, she was hesitant and probably was imagining the horror that accompanied the scars on his hands and arms. She hadn't balked from his destroyed forearms the night before, but he couldn't help the dread that pooled within him. He was damaged, mostly inside, but his scarred arms were there to show the world how truly damaged he really was.
A meek smile crossed Elain's face as she met his eyes, like she could see the war that raged inside his mind. She found a small tray in a cabinet and placed the two teacups on them before approaching him again. Elain looked up and into his eyes, capturing him with her gaze. She squeezed his arms lightly with her soft palms and ran her hands down his arms to grab his scarred fingers. She pulled his hands towards her mouth and kissed him lightly on the knuckles before pushing his fingers open to plant a kiss on each palm.
Azriel's heart started pounding in his chest and his breath got caught in his throat. She was so kind and delicate and strong and he could die from her loving looks and her sweet gestures.
"Let's go." Elain said, grabbing the tray with both hands and pushing the door open with her hip before Azriel followed her into the hall. He kept a few paces behind her, watching her robe billow behind her as his own green floral one flowed behind him. She kept turning her head towards him, stealing small glances and showering him with small loving smiles. Her cheeks heated a light pink every time their eyes met and he could drown in the image of it.
Silence fluttered around them like an old friend, and Azriel wondered if he had even said a word since they woke up. He felt so comfortable with her, only needing a look or a quick brush of the hand to let her know what was in his heart. Elain understood him like no one had before and it felt like his heart was connected right to hers.
She stopped in front of a large door in one of the corridors that held most of the guest rooms. Feyre and Rhys had built a manor big enough to hold them all plus a few more, dreaming of a future with kids and extended family and a life where they all kept close by.
"You showed me the garden at night, the place you escape to when you want to be alone. You shared a part of your beautiful life with me. This is mine." Elain said, gesturing towards the closed door with a nod of her head.
Azriel took the hint and pushed the doors open to reveal an empty bedroom. Elain pushed past him and made her way onto the balcony that led from the bedroom where a single chair and small table sat facing the Sidra.
The first sliver of sun had started to rise above the horizon and the sky was already painted a light orange. Elain placed the tray down on the table and grabbed a mug with both hands, gesturing for him to take the other.
"You come here every morning to watch the sunrise?" He asked, smiling down at her as her face was lit by the bright morning glow, the smell of oranges circling around them from the steam that wafted up from their mugs.
She looked at the single chair and frowned, "Sorry, I only have one chair, I didn't think I'd need another."
"It's okay, I don't mind standing." He replied, stepping forward to take the other cup of tea, nestling it in his hands as he set his elbows on the balcony ledge.
"Okay," she whispered, sliding up next to him and setting her own arms down to brush against his.
A small gasp exited her mouth and she looked over at him with wide eyes, as she looked between his hands and hers and the sky beyond.
"My vision!" She whispered, excitement and wonder filling her voice.
"The vision you had yesterday?" Azriel inquired, remembering her distant look in the garden the night before. Elain had left him for a second before she had returned to the present with bright red cheeks.
Elain nodded, turning to place her cup of tea down on the tray before bringing her hands to cover his. They stood facing each other, holding each other's hands and his cup of tea between them. She had foreseen this, had known that one day she would share this with him, that she would invite him into her most personal space and time. Was that why she had kissed him? Was that why she had been unable to stop touching him, grazing his hands with her fingertips, cupping his cheeks and staring into his eyes?
"I'm glad you're here." Elain said, looking back towards the glowing landscape. It was truly beautiful and he understood why she was gravitated towards this spot every day.
"I want you here, Azriel. I didn't do it just because of the vision."
He gulped down a sip of tea and nodded, unable to meet her eyes. She had guessed his insecurities and had put them to rest without him even having to say anything, without having to feel anything for her to know. It terrified him and exhilarated him how easily she knew him and how quick she was to ease his worries. He could grow used to being with her so quickly, could fall head over heels in a blink of an eye. She would be easy to love and hard to lose.
Azriel still couldn't figure out why, didn't understand how she could want to be with him. He didn't know what he had done to deserve her, to be here with her in her sanctuary. Things felt so right and so easy, could she be feeling the same way? Was it really that simple? Did she also feel unworthy of him? It couldn't be. She was perfect, she was everything.
A light kiss pressed to his cheek brought him out of his thoughts and he wrapped an arm around her back, pulling her closer to him.
"We both deserve to be happy."
She had said it as such a matter of fact that Azriel believed her. He believed her and held on to the idea, tucking it tight into his heart. He did deserve to be happy, didnt he?
Elain squeezed his hand and pulled him off the balcony, leaving their tea and the sunrise behind.
Azriel let her pull him through the house, basking in the feel of their hands twined together. A pulse of energy thrummed through them, connecting their hearts and souls.
Elain led them to her bedroom and grinned at him broadly before dropping his hand and disappearing into the bathing room. She appeared with a watering can and Azriel watched her move around the room, watering the various plants that littered her large bedroom. It was like a dance and he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. She moved with such grace and tenderly touched the flower buds as she passed.
Her energy was palpable and Azriel couldn't help but bask in it. This comfort and ease that he felt with her was like a balm on his burdened soul.
Elain turned to him suddenly and her mouth formed in a perfect "o". Azriel was taken aback for a second, turning to see if someone had entered the room behind him, even though he knew he would have sensed it.
"Your shadows!" She exclaimed, pulling his focus back to her face. "Where are they?"
As if she called them forth, his shadows swirled around him wildly. She asks for us, she craves our presence. Azriel startled at the realization, he had willed his shadows away all day without thinking about it. The thought of them never crossing his mind as they had spent a whirlwind morning together.
A small giggle escaped Elain's mouth and she threw a hand over it. She pulled her hand away and mouthed a Sorry as she watched the shadows swarm around him with a sheepish smile on her face. Azriel responded with a shy smile of his own.
Your souls call to each other. You are well matched.
He willed the shadows away, swatting at the ones by his ear playfully. Elain's eyes lit up as she watched him, pure adoration painting her features.
"Let's do something today!" Elain beamed, her cheeks blooming a bright red as he couldn't keep the smile off of his own face. What was she doing to him? So much had
changed in one day. Could it all be real?
"If you have nothing to do, of course. I don't want to get in the way of your duties to Rhys and Feyre." She added quickly, the red of her cheeks creeping down her neck.
"I will always make time for you, Elain." Azriel replied without hesitation, the conviction in his own voice surprising him. He meant it, he would prioritize her. She lit up his world and made his heart soar. He would never be used to the feeling of her eyes on him, the small smiles and affections she afforded him so freely.
Elain gathered up the clothes he shucked off the night before and playfully tossed them his way. Gods, she was so lovely and carefree, he could stare at her all day. Maybe he would.
She grabbed a dress from one of her drawers and pushed her way into her bathing chamber with a wink in his direction. He couldn't stop the blush that bloomed across his cheeks. Azriel always assumed her to be shy and meek and he couldn't keep the smile off his face as she shared this playful side with him. She was bashful but didn't balk from him, not anymore. She was beautiful and a treasure trove of surprises, never ceasing to send his heart galloping.
Azriel slipped on his flying leathers, making sure all the various clasps and buckles were secure before he fanned out his wings and pulled them in tightly. He twisted and stretched his wings, pulling the muscles in just the right spots to relieve the aches that had settled into them overnight.
Elain leaned against the door and watched him silently, her eyes tracking the movement of his wings. Azriel preened at the approval in her gaze, unable to stop the instincts that overtook his body in response to her watchful eyes.
Their eyes met and they shared a bashful smile as Azriel held out his hand silently. He loved this, this ease that hung between them. He felt so confident with her, like he didn't need words to express himself. She just seemed to get him and it warmed him from head to toes.
"Why the sunrise? Why choose that as your escape?" Azriel asked, their hands swinging lightly between them as they made their way down the wide hallway towards the dining room.
"It's so beautiful," she breathed, "It's the one constant I can depend on. No matter what changes, no matter where life takes me there will always be a sunrise to see. No matter the pain, the happiness, the fear, no matter what, the sun will always rise."
It would, he would make damn sure that the sun always rose for her. And when it wouldn't, he would be her sun. He would make the sun shine for her, Azriel would tear apart the world to make sure the sun shone for her for the rest of her long life.
The Dawn Court. The thought hit Azriel like a punch to the gut. Someday he would take her there, find a quiet place to stay with beautiful views where they could bask in the morning sun together. If Elain thought the sunrises in the Night Court were breathtaking, Azriel could only imagine the look on her face in the brilliance of a Dawn Court sunrise, lit in reds oranges and golds. He could picture it as vividly as one of her visions.
It took his breath away. He could picture it so easily that he could hardly swallow around the lump that formed in his throat. There it was. A future. With her. And he would do everything he could to make it real.