Disclaimer: I'm sure I don't need so say it every time, but it's my thing, so SJM owns all, y'all.
A/N: Here it is! The much awaited Girl's Night chapter! I probably could have done more with it than I did, but I wanted to get it up. Enjoy!
Chapter Thirteen
Gwyn walked down the hallway dressed in an oversized sweater and some comfy black leggings. She walked into the private library and found Nesta and Emerie already seated on one of the couches before the fire. They looked up at her and smiled.
Em waved her over. "How was your day with Azriel?"
She smiled, coming to sit in one of the armchairs, folding her legs up underneath of her. "Wonderful. You were right. I really needed that."
Nesta chuckled. "So what did the two of you do all day? You weren't at lunch. Or dinner."
Gwyn's smile widened a fraction. "We just sat up on the balcony and talked."
Emerie's eyes widened. "All day?!"
She chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, we sat in one of the lounge chairs up there and just…spent time together. It was really nice. I got some things off my chest that I really needed to and I feel like he might have as well. After that, we just talked and laughed, got to know each other better."
Nesta raised a brow. "Hold up, you sat in one of the lounge chairs?"
She rolled her eyes. "Yes, we sat together cuddled up on one of the chairs. Are you happy now?"
Emerie squealed right as Feyre and Mor walked into the room. Mor looked between them. "Whoa! What gossip did we miss? Please by the Cauldron tell me it was not about Az and Gwyn! Because I want to know everything!"
Feyre seconded that as they joined the group. Nesta smiled and nodded. "It was, in fact, about Az and Gwyn, I'm sorry to say. They spent the whole day together today. Cuddled up on a lounge chair on the balcony. The whole day."
Mor's head whipped to Gwyn. Her face was beginning to deepen into a very dark blush at all the attention. Feyre smiled, clasping her hands together. "Well, I do believe we need wine for this conversation. I think our poor Gwyn might need to get a couple glasses in her before we really grill her for more details."
Nesta nodded, agreeing with her sister. "I arranged with the House to provide for snacks and lots and lots of wine. I figured with Mor here, we would need the extra supply."
Mor snorted, but didn't argue. "So, where are these snacks? I could use something to munch on while we chat."
As she was finishing speaking, an entire table appeared behind the couch covered in chips, cookies, cupcakes, chocolates, you name it. Mor squealed this time and jumped up, rushing over to the table. "Gods, I love this House."
Emerie giggled and followed Mor's movement with her eyes, the action not going unnoticed by Nesta or Gwyn. The two Valkyries shared a look with each other before turning back to Emerie to watch her some more. They had never heard her giggle before. Gwyn was the only one of the three of them that actually did that, Nesta on occasion if she had too much to drink, but never Em.
It was only moments later when they heard another squeal from Mor. They looked back at her to see that the large amounts of wine had arrived as well. She looked like a little kid as she bounced on the balls of feet, trying to choose her snacks and what type of wine to start with.
When Gwyn turned back to Emerie, there was a blush rising on her cheeks as the female watched Mor select her sweets from the table. She made a mental note to grill her about it later after Mor and Feyre had left.
They spent the next few hours drinking wine, eating way too many sweets, and laughing. Gwyn knew she was at the very least tipsy, well on her way to be drunk. She hadn't stood up in a while, so she knew it'd get worse once she did. She was finally starting to think that they had forgotten to grill her for details when Emerie turned towards her, wicked smile on her face.
"Gwyn! Your time has come. We've heard from Feyre about Rhys's likes and dislikes in the bedroom, we've heard from Nesta about Cass's insane kinks, and who doesn't love hearing Mor's stories about her lovers? Now, though, it's your turn. You escaped this morning, but no longer. Spill!"
Her eyes widened as they all turned to her, wine glasses in hand, excited smiles on their faces. Mor popped a chocolate into her mouth. "I definitely need to know this as the one in the room who's known him the longest. He's been dark and broody for centuries. For him to suddenly have flipped a switch and be all smiley all the time and actually talking to people? Yep, I need to know. Spill, Gwynnie."
"Gwynnie?" She cocked her head to the side, not sure if she really liked the nickname.
Mor shrugged. "It just popped into my head. I'll think of something better. Now quit stalling!"
Gwyn sighed and waved her hand towards them. "Fine. What do you want to know?"
Nesta took a sip of wine. "Well, when we spoke this morning, you were just telling us about how the bond snapped into place for you. Start there."
Mor held up a hand, head snapping to Gwyn. "I'm sorry, did she say the bond snapped into place?! As in…you and Azriel are mates?!"
Gwyn nodded sheepishly. Mor's head snapped to Feyre. "You're not acting surprised. I'm the only one in this room acting surprised. Why am I the only one here who doesn't know this already?! Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?"
Feyre patted Mor's thigh and smiled at her. "Gwyn and Az weren't telling everyone right away. They were trying to keep it under wraps for a bit. I know because Rhys figured it out and I was in the room when he did. Nesta knows because Rhys didn't know he wasn't supposed to tell anyone and said it in front of her and Cass at the River House one night. As for Emerie, I'm sure one of them told her. You also haven't exactly been around too much lately to tell you."
Mor threw her hands into the air. "Well, looks like I'm coming over for dinner, like every night for a while on the off chance there's some big revelation that needs shared."
Feyre chuckled, turning her attention back to Gwyn and waving her hand as if to say, "Carry on."
Gwyn took a long pull from her wine glass and then looked at her friends. "Well, as I was saying this morning, we were lying in his bed after he'd regained consciousness. He wanted to talk and he didn't want me looking down on him, so he asked if I would feel comfortable lying next to him since he couldn't sit up yet."
Em bounced in her seat. "He actually asked if you'd feel comfortable with it?"
Gwyn nodded, smiling at the memory. "He did. He was very polite and patient. He just wanted to make sure I was comfortable the whole time even though he was the one in pain. It was very sweet."
Mor nodded, eating more chocolate. "That sounds like Az, always thinking of others."
They all nodded in agreement before she continued. "Well, obviously I laid next to him and we talked. We had 'the talk'. That's when we admitted our feelings for each other and decided to see if we could make things work between us. He apologized to me for how he'd left things before that mission, saying he'd been an arrogant jackass."
She threw a look at Nesta, making sure she knew damn well that she knew Nesta had confronted him. Nesta shrugged. "It needed to be done."
Feyre looked between the two. "What needed to be done? What did you do, Nesta?"
She shrugged again. "Azriel was acting like a jackass, so I went to his room and set him straight. I told him to get his head out of his ass and just tell Gwyn how he felt before he lost her. At first he didn't think she felt the same way, that he'd just lose her if he did that, but…I was persuasive. The last time I saw him before that mission, he was on his way to find her and fix things. I'm assuming Rhys called him away right before he got there though."
Gwyn nodded. "After he apologized to me, he…he told me that I was the only thing that got him through being in that cell. He said he knew I was here trying to find him and he wouldn't let himself give up because he needed to come home. To me."
Feyre had tears in her eyes. Nesta was grinning like crazy and Emerie and Mor were squealing with excitement. Feyre fanned her face. "Who knew our Azriel was such a sap?"
Mor chuckled, "You're that surprised? It's the quiet ones you have to watch out for. I wouldn't be surprised if he has some huge kink hidden away. Oh! I bet he has a thing with knives. He never parts with Truth-Teller. I bet that's it."
Nesta burst out laughing. "That has to be true! I mean, Cassian is kinkier than some of the books I've read, but I bet you anything Azriel is the worst of the three males."
Gwyn blushed, hiding her face in her hands. She had no idea how this conversation had turned so rapidly. Em barked a laugh at her reaction. "So, what's your response to that, Gwyn? Do you have any insight on Az's kinks yet?"
She lifted her head, her blush having deepened. "Um, no…I don't. We actually haven't made it that far."
Nesta narrowed her eyes slightly, sitting up a little straighter. "Okay, keep going with your story. You confessed your feelings for each other, he apologized for being a dipshit, he said he wouldn't have survived without you, yada yada. What happened next?"
Gwyn rolled her eyes, but was thankful for her sister for diverting the conversation away from their sexual relationship for now. Or lack of one.
"Well…we decided to take things slow for now. He said he just wants me to feel safe with him…which meant everything to me. I already feel safest with him. And then…well, I kissed him."
Mor's eyes bugged out of her head. "You kissed him? Way to go, Gwyn! You're my kind of female! Keep going! I am loving hearing about this side of Az."
Feyre nodded enthusiastically as Gwyn laughed, getting more wine. She drank some more from her glass before she continued. "Well…we were right in the middle of a pretty heated kiss when…it snapped into place."
Emerie threw her hands into the air, almost spilling her wine everywhere. "Hah! I called it! I knew they were doing something frisky when it snapped into place! Pay up!"
Nesta grumbled and pulled out some money, slapping it into Emerie's outstretched hand. Gwyn's jaw dropped. She shook her head, looking between the two of them. "I cannot believe the two of you! You were betting on how my bond snapped into place?"
Nesta shrugged, finishing her glass. "We had to do something with the details you gave us this morning. You barely gave us anything to go on."
Gwyn rolled her eyes, leaning back into her chair. "You two are ridiculous. I never placed any bets on your bond with Cassian!"
Nesta rolled her eyes grabbing a cupcake from the table. "I wouldn't care if you had. It's fun. You should try it sometime!"
Mor clapped her hands together. "Okay, I need to know what happens next! The bond snaps into place and then what?"
Feyre laughed. "I feel like we're at story time."
Gwyn laughed with her, taking the extra cupcake Nesta was handing her. "Well, we talked about it a bit. We're both happy about it."
Emerie leaned forward, her face turning more serious. "Are you going to accept it then? Since you're both happy."
Gwyn bit the inside of her lip, staring down into her glass. The room was silent save for the popping of the wood in the fireplace. They gave her the space and the time to think over her words, the air in the room suddenly turning somber. "I think…I think that I would like to…someday. I'm not ready to right now. I've heard all these stories about the craze mated couples go through once their mated. I've read all about it, I've heard stories from Nesta. I've even heard stories about when Feyre and Rhys mated…I just…I don't know…I'm not…"
Nesta leaned forward and placed a hand on her knee comfortingly. "You don't have to explain to us, Gwyn. We understand. We all know what happened to you. You have been through more than anyone should ever be put through. But you're here, you're alive, and you're overcoming your fears more and more every day. I watch it happen. You've moved out of the library, you no longer need it as a sanctuary, you're a kickass Valkyrie-Carynthian warrior. You don't need to explain yourself to anyone. I am so unbelievably proud of the progress you've made since we've met. And now…you're in a relationship with the male who saved your life that day. You have a mating bond with him and are thinking about accepting it someday. You are truly amazing, Gwyneth Berdara, to be able to go through so much and still see so much happiness in this world. I know that we've been begging for all these details, but never feel that you need to explain yourself to us."
Emerie nodded, smiling at her. "We want the details because we're so incredibly happy for you. And so, so proud of you. We don't need you to explain. Just…share with us your happiness, your concerns, your…whatever you need to share. We'll always be here to listen."
Feyre nodded towards them. "I know that Mor and I don't typically join you three in girl's night or anything, but the same goes for us. I do believe I can speak for Mor when I say that. You're a part of this family, Gwyn. Every one of us will always be here for you. Also, if you get into a fight with Az, don't feel like you can only go to Nesta or Emerie. We'll kick his ass too, it doesn't matter that we've known him longer. Mor has kicked Rhys's ass for me and he's her cousin. And I do believe the same could be said for Cass and Rhys. They both love you dearly. Neither one of them cares if Azriel is their brother. If he's done something to upset you, his ass is grass in their book."
Gwyn couldn't help the laugh that escaped as tears were falling down her cheeks at their words. They all meant the world to her, even Feyre and Mor even though she didn't know them as well. "Thank you guys. That all means a lot, believe me."
Nesta squeezed her knee reassuringly before sitting back into the couch cushions. Mor waved a hand in the air. "I do have one question, if you don't mind answering."
Gwyn nodded, silently telling her to go ahead. Mor tapped a finger against her chin a few times, thinking. "That night you came over to the River House with Nesta and Cassian, there was a comment made about you two sharing a night together…don't feel like you need to answer that, but, uh, hello? Shared a night together?"
Gwyn's blush was back as Nesta's head whipped towards her. "I forgot about that! I told you I'd get the details out of you! All you said is that you slept in his bed wearing a nighty while he was half-naked!"
Emerie spit out the wine she'd just taken a sip of, spraying it all over Nesta. "I'm sorry, what?!"
Feyre's jaw dropped. "How do these things keep happening in my own house and I don't even know about them?"
Gwyn hid her face in her hands, embarrassed. "It's not as bad as you think! We didn't…do anything."
Nesta snorted, wiping off the wine from her face with a cloth the House had provided her. "Then why were you two practically naked?"
She dropped her hands into her lap, sighing in defeat. "Well, his Shadows came and got me from my room that night. He was having a really bad nightmare. So…I went to him. I was worried and I forgot my robe in my room. When I got to his room, I could see he was having a bad dream, so I woke him up and calmed him down. After a few minutes, he realized what I was wearing, which made me realize what I was wearing. I was going to just go back to my room, but…he asked me to stay. Nothing happened. We just curled up together and went to sleep. Then the next morning and I got up early so that no one would see me going back to my room."
Mor looked at Feyre. They shared a long look, which usually meant they were communicating in their minds. Feyre turned back to Gwyn. "You said that his Shadows…came and got you? From his room to yours?"
She nodded, taking a sip of wine. "They led me right to his room. I could tell something was wrong."
Feyre nodded, thinking. "That's very interesting. His Shadows usually don't like anyone else. If the bond hadn't already snapped into place, it would make me wonder if it would."
She shrugged. "They've always seemed to like me. I play with them all the time."
Mor smiled softly at her before catching Feyre's eye. Gwyn saw them share a knowing look before the topic, finally, changed to something other than her and Azriel. Of course, things just got dirtier as the night went on. The more drunk they all got, the smuttier the talk.
It was nearing midnight when they decided to call it a night. Emerie walked Nesta up to her room and said she'd find a guest room up on that floor to crash in for the night, while Feyre walked Gwyn back to her room. Mor, surprisingly, said followed after Emerie, saying she needed to make sure they didn't get lost on their way up there.
Feyre and Gwyn staggered their way down the hall, laughing and leaning on each other. The High Lady had already told her that she had planned hitching a ride home from Rhys. She'd sent a thought down their bond for him to come get her, not trusting herself to winnow herself home. The image of Rhys swooping in to pick up his drunk mate sent Gwyn into a fit of giggles.
They reached her door and stopped. Gwyn leaned against her door and smiled at her. "Well, this is me. Will you be able to get to the balcony okay?"
Feyre nodded. "He's already here. If I don't make it all the way up there, he'll find me. No worries. Do you need anything before I go?"
She shook her head, giving her friend a brief hug before she turned towards her door. She opened the door, but didn't go in. She waited until Feyre was down another hallway before closing her door and moving over to Azriel's. She giggled as quietly as she could before opening it.
The lights were off, but that wasn't surprising to her given the time. She walked, or staggered, through the room as quietly as she could. She froze when she heard him chuckle. "You know, you're not as quiet as you think."
Gwyn sighed loudly. "I was trying not to wake you."
He chuckled again and she could hear him moving around as he got out of bed. The next thing she knew, the room was lit up by a candle and a fire started back up in the fireplace thanks to the House. He stepped up towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Did you have a good time?"
She nodded, swaying slightly as she tried her best to stand still. "I did! I really needed that. Though, I did learn some things about Cass and Rhys that I don't think I'll ever forget."
He laughed loudly, pulling her closer to him. "That's not at all surprising. And I'm sure they got you to talk about what's happened between us."
She froze again. She buried her face in his shoulder, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. I know how much you like your privacy."
Az pulled away from her enough so that he could look down at her face. "Gwyn, I don't care if you talk to your friends about us. I know that's what females do, believe me. Just…do me a favor and if the time ever comes…don't tell them anything too…personal."
She tilted her head to the side, not understanding what he was referring to. "I don't understand. What's too personal?"
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Um…Well, I know we decided to take things slow for now and sex is off the table, I know that. But if you ever wanted to put it on the table…"
She just stood there staring at him, her drunk-adled mind not picking up on any of his attempts of subtlety.
He chuckled. "I can see you've had a lot to drink. Let's try this again. In the future when you're talking with the others, I would only ask you keep talk of the activities from our bedroom to a minimum. If there are any."
"Like if you have a knife kink."
He choked on his own spit at her words. He stared down at her in shock. "I'm sorry, what? Who said I have a knife kink?"
She shrugged. "Well, Mor assumed you'd be really kinky in the bedroom and have a thing for knives since you never part with Truth-Teller and Nesta made the comment that you're probably kinkier than the other two males even though Cassian is as kinky as a lot of the males in the books she reads."
He just stared at her for a long minute, taking in her words. "You females really talked about whether or not I have a knife kink?"
She shrugged again, straight-faced. "If it helps, I didn't really join into the conversation except to say I wouldn't know whether or not you do because we haven't really done anything yet."
She could hear his heart pick up speed slightly. "Yet?"
She swallowed, her eyes flicking down to his lips. "Yes, yet. I don't think…that sex is completely off the table, Shadowsinger. Besides, there are other things we could do besides sex in the meantime. You know…to help me get ready for that step."
She watched him swallow, taking a breath to calm himself. He kept himself very still as she ran her hands up his arms and placed them on his chest. She leaned up and pressed her lips to his in a gentle kiss. "You never know, Shadowsinger, it could happen sooner than you expect."
He placed his hands on her waist and pushed back a little. "Gwyn, sweetheart, as much as I love the way this is going, maybe we should continue this another time."
She frowned up at him, but knew in the back of her mind that he was right. She was about to object, but a big yawn escaped when she opened her mouth. He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Come on, let's get you back to your room and get you in bed."
She shook her head. "Can I…Az, can I just stay here? I want to be with you."
He paused and looked down at her, considering. She wrapped her hands around his neck. "I won't try anything. Just sleep, I promise."
He chuckled at the role reversal. It was only a couple of weeks ago he'd been saying the same thing to her. He nodded, pulling her towards the bed. Right before she climbed in, she halted. "Wait, I need to get comfy."
Az climbed into the bed first and turned in time to see her start undressing. He completely froze at the site of her undressing in front of him. She took off her sweater and then pulled off her leggings, leaving her standing there in nothing but a tank top and panties. His eyes drifted down and back up before he forced himself to look away, scooting over so she could get in. He was taking deep breaths with his eyes closed when she slid into the bed next to him, curling against his side.
"Good night, Azriel. Thank you for making me have a girl's night."
He chuckled softly, pressing a kiss into her hair and pulling her close. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she heard him ask, "Why does my bed smell like you…?"
A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed their girl's night. I had some fun writing it. I have some thoughts on where I want to take the next chapter, I'm just not 100% how it'll play out yet. There are certain things I want to happen, but I'm still debating how I want them to happen. I'll give you a hint: the next chapter will have an Elain feature. Thoughts on where I'm going with this? I'm interested to see what you guys think. Until next time! :)
