#fawnandshadows writing
Text
How You Get The Girl
Chapter 24
Ao3 ~ Masterlist
Word Count: 2.2k
Warnings: Smut, Language
Elain was an expert in quick changes, but slipping into the lacy lingerie that she had bought specifically for Azriel was by far the most important of them all. She was just browsing online when she saw the dusty lilac babydoll. As soon as she laid eyes on it she wanted to see Azriel’s reaction to her wearing it. It was feminine and romantic and she just knew he’d like it.
Her suitcase was unzipped and her clothes were falling out of it and moved into the far corner of the room, hastily shoved to the side, and her travel clothes were on the floor next to it. Hopefully Azriel would be too focused on her to notice the mess she made.
She heard his footsteps in the hall and her heart jumped into her throat. His footsteps were quiet, so quiet that everyone else thought he was silent, but she was so deeply in tune with him that she heard him no matter what.
The doorknob to her room turned, and Elain found herself falling back onto one elbow and she positioned her legs in a way that she knew was sultry and showed off her full hips.
Damn, she silently cursed herself, she should have packed heels.
Elain watched as Azriel walked into the room and stop in his tracks when he saw her splayed out on the bed. Her golden curls tossed behind her shoulders. He looked like he was hit by an invisible truck, his body completely stopping short.
“Hi.” Elain breathed, smiling at him. She had planned to stay sultry and seductive, but his reaction caused the biggest smile to overtake her face.
“Fuck.”
She couldn’t help but throw her head back and laugh as he dropped his suitcase on the floor. And not even a sexy laugh, but one that was full-bodied and had her gasping for air.
“I’m supposed to be seducing you.” Elain said through her laughter, which caused her body to shake. His hazel eyes slid along the curve of her body before latching onto her heavy breasts.
“It’s fucking working.” Azriel growled and started towards bed.
“Uh-uh-uh!” Elain stopped him with a pointed finger and extended a leg towards him. “Condom.”
Azriel cursed under his breath and riffled through his suitcase for his box of condoms, and when he found them he tossed the package onto the bed next to her.
He pulled off his shirt and let it drop to the floor, and Elain felt her pussy clench at the sight of his muscled torso. His brown skin beautiful, tattooed, and scarred. Her hands balled into fists to stop herself from reaching for him. She wanted those hard muscles under the pads of her fingers. Wanted to feel his body react to her touch.
“I can’t believe this is happening.” Elain said, staring up at him and he unbuckled his belt.
Her toes curled at the sound of his zipper coming undone.
Azriel was silent as he shucked off his jeans, taking his briefs with him, and then he was naked standing before her.
Her chest rose and fell as she took heavy breathes.
She squirmed as he walked closer to her, and as soon as he was close enough Elain placed her hands on his bare hips. Her thumbs grazing the sharp edges of his hip bones before moving her hands up and over his abs.
“I’ve wanted to do this for a while.” Elain admitted, and before Azriel could question her she moved forward and ran her tongue up along the ridges of his six-pack. His muscles quaking underneath her.
“Fuck,” Azriel groaned, his hands digging into her hair. “How long, exactly, have you wanted to lick my abs?”
“Too long.” Elain said and pressed a kiss into his navel, her humid breath ghosting over his skin.
Azriel let out a pained groan as Elain slid from his grasp and fell to her back.
“This,” His hand landed flat on her stomach, and her muscles clenched under his touch. “This is beautiful, Elain,” His fingers worked the silky fabric. “And one day I’ll fuck you while you wear it, but not today.”
Azriel lifted the scrap of fabric over her head and threw it over his shoulder, and then he slowly pulled the matching panties down her legs.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” Azriel said, pressing kisses into her soft belly. He brought one hand between her thighs and groaned into her skin. “And wet.”
“It’s the anticipation.” Elain said, sighing as Azriel clasped one of her nipples between his teeth. Gently teasing the hardened bud.
His fingers started working between her legs, brushing over her clit before plunging one finger inside of her warmth. And then another. Thrusting in and out while his thumb pressed on her swollen bud.
“Azriel.” Elain gasped, arching as she clenched around his fingers.
He propped himself onto his elbow and stared down at her, taking in the way her eyes screwed shut and the way her mouth hung open in pleasure.
“More,” Elain whispered, opening her eyes slightly to look at him. “Please.”
Azriel didn’t say anything. He slowly retracted his hand and then reached across the bed to grab one of the condoms that had fallen out of the box.
The tearing of foil sounded through the room.
Elain watched as he slid the condom over his cock and bit down on her bottom lip as her stomach tumbled with excitement. She pushed herself to her elbows, her hair falling messily behind her, and looked as Azriel positioned himself at her entrance.
With one hand on her hip, Azriel sank into her. Slow and steady and one of Elain’s hands came up to grip Azriel’s bicep, her nails sinking into his muscle.
“Fuck,” Azriel said, dropping down onto one hand next to her. His black hair falling into his face. “You’re so tight. And so fucking wet. You feel like a fucking dream.”
Elain took deep breaths, getting used to the size and feel of him. How he stretched her so deliciously to the point of almost pain.
It had been so long since Elain last had sex that it felt like the first time all over again. Well, not exactly. There was no awkward fumbling. No discomfort. Just pleasure.
“You,” Elain gasped as Azriel sank in another inch. “Feel even bigger than you look.”
Slowly, Azriel pushed forward into her until Elain was completely full.
Elain gasped as she felt the press of his piercing deep inside of her, in a place that no one had ever reached before.
By pure reflex, one of Elain’s hands reached for his tight ass cheek, her nails digging into his flesh.
Her hips shifted up as his pelvis ground against her clit, and the walls of sex clenched around him, causing Azriel’s breath to turn jagged.
“I pictured fucking you for hours and hours the first time,” Azriel said heavily, his breath against his damp breath gasping against her neck. “Until we were both seeing stars, but fuck you feel better than I imagined.”
“We can,” Elain’s breath jolted as he pulled out, his piercing pressing against her clit before thrusting back into her, her wetness sounding through the room. “Still do that.”
Azriel started to move his hips faster, more erratic as his control started slipping further and further away from him.
The sound of his pounding into her filled the room, causing Elain to buck her hips.
“Fuck.” Azriel breathed, thrusting harder.
Hot pleasure was mounting within Elain, and with one last push Elain hit her breaking point. The walls of her cunt clenching his dick as her orgasm cratered through her.
Azriel grabbed her hips, making sure he was as deep seated as possible, before coming inside of her.
“That was…” Elain drifted off breathlessly, loving the feel of his muscle-hardened, sweaty body against hers.
“I agree.” Azriel said, breathing heavily through his nose before pulling her in for a sloppy kiss.
Elain reached down to pull off the used condom, and she tossed it on the floor without a second thought.
“Thank you.” Elain said as Azriel dropped next to her. She wasted no time before snuggling into his side, wanting every inch of their skin to touch.
“For what?” Azriel asked, his breath slowly turning back to normal. His hands felt her entire body. Running up the length of her back and lush bottom.
“It was perfect.” Elain sighed, kissing his strong neck.
Azriel held her closer.
— —
When Azriel woke, it was slowly.
This wasn’t the first time that Elain had recognized it, but it was different. Maybe it was because she still felt sore from their day (and night) together, but the way Azriel was clinging to her and burrowing his face into her neck made it seem as if there was nowhere else he wanted to be.
“Good morning,” Elain said, turning and wrapping her arms around his neck. Their lips came together in a leisurely kiss. “Would you like to explain to me why I smell coffee?” Elain asked against his lips.
“I set it up last night when I got us dinner,” Azriel said in a sleep ridden voice. One that made Elain’s bones melt. He cracked open one hazel eye. “I figured we’d be a bit busy last night and wouldn’t want to get up and brew it this morning.”
“You think of everything,” Elain sighed and pressed a kiss into his hard peck. “I love that about you.”
Azriel placed a kiss on top of her head.
Elain moved to get out of bed and right when she was about to plant her feet on the wooden floor, she squealed and jerked back. Almost tumbling into Azriel.
“What the fuck?” Azriel asked, worry pulling at his brows, and his hands grabbing Elain to pull her away from the edge of the bed. “Is there a mouse?”
“No,” Elain shook her head and looked at him with wide eyes. “How many times did we do it last night?”
She blinked at him, her face flushing.
Azriel tried to stop the smile from forming fully on his lips.
“Quite a few.” Azriel responded.
Elain jerked her head, urging Azriel to peek over the edge of the bed.
“Did we go through the entire box?” Elain whisper-yelled, and then fought the embarrassment that rose within her. There was nobody here to hear her. And she certainly wasn’t whispering last night.
Azriel rubbed his lips with his finger as he looked at the used condoms they had discarded on the floor.
It was a bit of a concerning sight to see first thing in the morning.
Elain crawled across the bed, her bum in the air, and reached for the box at the foot of the bed.
“That is a much better sight.” Azriel said, tilting his head to take in Elain’s rounded bottom.
She looked over her shoulder at him, her cheeks still pink, and shook the empty box at him.
“We should make a run to the store,” Elain said, watching as Azriel moved towards her, and not stopping him as he grasped her hips to twist her so that she laid on her back. “To get some more.”
Azriel nodded in agreement and pressed his morning erection into her wet, swollen pussy.
Elain moaned and moved against him.
“I’m going on the pill, or something. Whatever the doctor recommends.” Elain gasped as his piercing flicked over her clit.
Azriel stilled above her.
“You don’t have to.” Azriel said, pulling back.
“I want to feel you inside me… with no barriers. And I trust you.”
Azriel placed one large hand on her neck and pulled her in for a passionately slow kiss. Their hips still moving against each other.
If Elain was with anybody else, then she might have been embarrassed by her body’s reaction to him. How wet she got just from his kiss and the feel of his cock moving against her sex — but she felt too good, and Azriel was just as turned on by her body as she was by his.
He moved again, pressing her deeper into the mattress.
Elain’s body pulsed as an orgasm rushed through her, and she felt Azriel coming all over her pussy and stomach. The warm liquid landing on her sensitive skin.
“That was,” Elain took a deep breath. “Hot.”
“The things I want to do to you, Elain.” Azriel groaned against her lips. A sinful promise in his voice.
Elain swallowed.
“We’ll go to the store after breakfast?” Elain asked and Azriel nodded in agreement.
Before anything else could happen, Elain crawled out of bed and grabbed the tshirt Azriel had discarded on the floor.
“Maybe we should have coffee in the kitchen,” Elain said, biting her lip as a naked Azriel lounged in twisted sheets. Sheets that they had twisted the night before. And that morning. “That way we might behave?” Elain ignored the condom graveyard that littered on the floor.
“I don’t think location matters for us, beautiful.” Azriel said, his eyes warm as they looked at his girlfriend.
Elain nodded.
“But,” He continued. “I’ll clean up our mess and meet you in the kitchen. The sooner we leave, the sooner I can fuck you again.”
A blush coated Elain’s cheeks and she looked at the mess they had made on her and said, “I need a washcloth first.”
-------
tagging: @123moiaussi @fuckmelifesucks @thefangirlofhp @sakurakittypeach @nikethestatue @tswaney17 @impossiblescissorspeachpaper @feyredarlinq @duskwhisperer @nyxreads @rinadragomir @secretpuppyflower @captainbrucebanner @ultadverb @irisesforelain @shedoessoshedoes @magnolia-blossom87 @sheenabeene @nivem565 @casuallivi @rhysiedarling @elain99-blog @athena-85 @swankii-art-teacher @reverie-tales @jujugirlfrombookstore @shadowflorecita @shy-violet-soul @thisloveseternal
#elriel#elain x azriel#elain archeron#pro elriel#azriel#elriel fanfiction#elriel fanfic#fawnandshadows writing#how you get the girl#how you get the girl chapter 24
75 notes
·
View notes
Text
Happy Elain Week!
So it’s been a little difficult for me to write much else outside of my THOAW universe and subsequently I don’t have much for @elainarcheronweek prepared. My brain has been a bit mushy and it pains me to not contribute in the way I usually would but I’ll try to put out a few things throughout the week.
For Day 1: Seer, I have this humble little drabble. Thank you to @ultadverb for the prompt idea. Have the best week y’all! I can’t wait to dig into all the goodies 😊🩷
***
Since the time she was a young child, Elain could always remember having the most vivid dreams.
Dreams of dark caverns, of great winged beasts swooping down upon her, of bone white hands grasping her sleeves and tugging at her skirts. They frightened her, as a little girl. She would sneak into her parents’ room; tears streaming down her full cheeks to seek her mother for comfort.
It’s just a silly dream, Elain! There is no need to cry! It is simply your imagination. Go back to bed.
Often, her father wouldn’t even rouse at her interruptions or mothers berating, but when he did, he would carry her back to the room she shared with Nesta and tuck her into her bed. He wouldn’t wait for her to fall asleep again.
The dreams carried on sporadically for most her life. Some time around the beginning of her teenage years, she learnt to not seek comfort from others anymore. It was often fruitless anyway, at least when she turned to her parents. Her sisters were more sympathetic. And when her mother died and their fortune squandered, everyone seemed too lost to their own despair to care about anyone else but themselves. She willed herself to cast the dreams from memory, push them aside and instead plaster on the pleasant smile she wore to appease those around her.
So, when she had been roused from sleep the night Feyre had returned once again from above the wall, her sister turned into Fae herself and the High Lord of Night along with his most trusted warriors in tow, she hadn’t thought much of it. The dream had come to her like they always did. Flashes of strange scenes she had never witnessed in her waking hours.
But she lay awake for hours afterwards, wondering what the swirling black waters meant, so deep and dark they appeared to repel light itself. Obsidian in both appearance and menace. She had heard the sobs and pleas of her sisters echoing off stone walls. Cruel laughter. A male grunt of pain. Beautiful, scared fingers twitching toward her.
And then the scene had gone dark, utterly silent. There was nothing but her subconscious thought for what felt like a small eternity…
But then, after the endless dark came light. Sunshine. As she had never seen it before. It was warm and buttery, peeking through the shadows of the darkness that had seemed to swallow her.
But the light was familiar and warm, gentle. Unassuming. It felt, comforting. Unlike anything she had felt before. She liked it. It felt peaceful yet exciting, as if some playful little creature was beckoning her closer, to look harder, to see beyond the shadows.
Others may have been weary, afraid. But she didn’t balk.
For whatever reason, she knew it would be ok. That whatever she found beyond that shadow would be worth it.
********
tag list:
@fawnandshadows
@ultadverb
@nightcourtseer
@wingedblooms
@tswaney17
@jasmineandshadows
@azrielslight
@shadowflorecita
@curiositywoman
@tealeaves-and-rosepetals
@theanonymousopossum
@elrielbaby
@reverie-tales
@jmoonjones
@nikethestatue
@biimbocore
@duskwhisperer
@emely01
@lyncheffield
@dottielovegood
@supernaturallynerdy
@darthpheonix
@glaucocomora
@glasscupsss
@dreamsandwings
@liliput2203
@justreallybored
@chaoticesthete
@elainsweetcobalt
@evanescsent
@mis-lil-red
@emilyondemand
@draguta
@shedoessoshedoes
@lesolehabitantdelalune
@123moiaussi
@edanmaia
@fancysludgeshoelamp
@elriellover
@serendipity-by-chance
@britishwings
73 notes
·
View notes
Text
@nikethestatue and I chatted about this prompt and decided we both were going to write a fic of Elain using Truthteller to butter her bread. Clearly, the title of this fic is literal. 😂 But I had so much fun writing this and I hope you like it too! 💜
@elriel-month
Prompt: Words Unspoken. 💙
I will not be posting full fics for Elriel Month on Tumblr this year. Check out the beginning snippet and link to read more below.
Azriel took his designated seat at the River Manor dining room table. It was “family night” as Feyre had declared. Since Nyx’s birth, she had insisted on gathering everyone at least once a month for quality time.
It was easier said than done.
With Cassian and Nesta recently mated, getting them to drag themselves from the House of Wind was a chore that nobody particularly loved to handle. Then there was Amren who spent an equal amount of time in the Summer Court with Varien as she did in Velaris. Mor was caught between traveling to Vallahan and training the Valkyries with Cassian.
And then there was him.
The male who avoided family dinners because of her. Who tried to deny his longing for her until he became too much to bear.
But there was no denying Elain Archeron’s hold on him. His entire being, his existence, revolved around her. Her happiness. Her generosity. Her kindness. Her beauty. Azriel claimed he didn’t need to resort to poetry when it came to females but he could wax ballads about the middle Archeron sister as easily as breathing.
Read More
~~~~~
Remember, sharing is caring! Please reblog if you liked the fic. It helps spread my work and I truly appreciate it. 💕
While I have moved these fics to AO3 only, I am still going to utilize a tag list here on Tumblr. This as a permanent solution and may change in the future. For notifications, you can follow and subscribe to my fanfic account where I will be reblogging updates and snippets only. You can also find me on ao3. If you would like to be added to my tag list, please leave a comment on this post.
My fanfic account: @tswaney17fics
My ao3 account: tswaney17
Taglist: @nikethestatue @reverie-tales @123moiaussi @duskwhisperer @zdenkah @nyxreads @shedoessoshedoes @athena-85 @jasmineandshadows @nightcourtseer @nivem565 @debramclaren @illyrianvalkyriecarynthian @secretpuppyflower @justreallybored @ultadverb @the-regal-warrior @roseandshadows @tcursebreaker @kingravinger @mis-lil-red @eloeloeheheh @fawnandshadows @swankii-art-teacher @miss-bee-cat @bookhhrelaz @impossiblescissorspeachpaper @elrielbaby @lesolehabitantdelalune @thoughtsaboutshows @britishwings @aelin21galathynius @saz-griffin
Some tags seem to not want to link, which could be related to your visibility settings. Sorry about that!
#bread & butter#elriel#elriel month#elrielmonth#elriel month 2023#elrielmonth23#elain#elain archeron#azriel#azriel shadowsinger#elain x az#elain x azriel#azriel x elain#elain and azriel#azriel and elain#elriel fic#elriel fanfic#elriel fanfiction#tswaney17#tswaney17fics#tay writes#my writing#fanfic#fanfiction#acotar#acomaf#acowar#acofas#acosf
88 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hey I love your new fic and literally everything you write!!! ❤️ I was just wondering if you had any fic recs of elriel with babies or pregnant elain? I’m obsessed now lol xx
Thank you so much!
@tswaney17 has a bunch of pregnant Elain/Elriel with babies fics
So do @theladyofdeath and @snelbz
@thefangirlofhp has a bunch of kids fics, her biggie fic is about single mom Elain meeting babysitter/crime fighter/tortured soul Azriel
@fawnandshadows has pregnant Elain fics
28 notes
·
View notes
Text
I posted 1,895 times in 2022
That's 1,792 more posts than 2021!
135 posts created (7%)
1,760 posts reblogged (93%)
Blogs I reblogged the most:
@nikethestatue
@fawnandshadows
@thefangirlofhp
@sydneymack
@impossiblescissorspeachpaper
I tagged 1,461 of my posts in 2022
Only 23% of my posts had no tags
#elain archeron - 188 posts
#elriel - 137 posts
#elriel fanfic - 130 posts
#elrielmonth22 - 117 posts
#azriel - 63 posts
#elriel fanart - 59 posts
#elriel month 22 - 45 posts
#lol - 44 posts
#elain x azriel - 32 posts
#my writing - 27 posts
Longest Tag: 124 characters
#🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀😀😀😀
My Top Posts in 2022:
#5
Remember when back in ACOMAF Feyre thought Azriel was the safest to strike a conversation with, even if he probably wasn’t??! (reminds you of another archeron?😏)
Yet, Azriel didn’t answer her, silently urging Cassian to talk about it.
Rhys and Cassian go on telling Feyre the story of how they’ve met, but Az is silent, tense, entering in a loop caused by the mention of his past, illyria, even Mor is worried with his frozen state.
See the full post
150 notes - Posted April 10, 2022
#4
Them: Azriel needs a chalenge! A fucking-strong-extrovert-warrior to teach his ass to be better!
Azriel: *crushing on Mor but perfectly content in letting golden-retriever-Cass entertain her loud-and-sexy-blond-ass for 500+ years*
Azriel: *takes four centuries to go clubbing with her*
Azriel: *meets lovely friendly flower girl*
Azriel: I like this one
Azriel: *glues his ass to hers for the next three years*
Everyone: 👁️👄👁️
Azriel: what?
155 notes - Posted May 23, 2022
#3
See the full post
156 notes - Posted May 22, 2022
#2
See the full post
206 notes - Posted April 5, 2022
My #1 post of 2022
Rhys: agrees to be Feyre's distraction and give her body release, not offering anything else for fear she will shut down.
Readers: omg, that's so romantic! 😍 So hot 🥵
Cass: offers to be Nesta fuck buddy because he knows how she is pushing away from her feelings.
Readers: omg, he loves her so much! 😍 So hot 🥵
Az: gifts Elain with a especial necklace made for her, softly caresses her neck because he can't help it, ventures to kiss Elain after she gives him offer and permission, doesn't allow himself to think what comes next because she has a mate (who happens to be upstairs during said attempt!), but still dares to question the gods, implying he feels a connection so strong he can't understand why she is mated to another.
Some Readers: ew, fucking pervert! 😠 He clearly doesn't care for her 🙄 he wants to use her for perverted sex 😑 he's just saying that because she is the third sister 🙄 he doesn't even like her, who do this without a plan? How dare him not plan their next 500 years before that kiss?! 😒 Lazy bitch 😒
236 notes - Posted August 2, 2022
Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →
#tumblr2022#year in review#my 2022 tumblr year in review#your tumblr year in review#would you look at that#elriel fic writers: exist#me: and you get a reblog! and you get a reblog! and you get a reblog!#is this what a pyramid scheme looks like?#lol#the year was fun!#I should start posting about other books too#since elain's book will leave me hanging till I'm a granny...#😅😩😭
4 notes
·
View notes
Text
A love letter to our Elriel fic writers, but my love language is memes... sorry
My hope is to spread some much needed positivity, and send a bit of love to some of the amazing Elriel fic writers who bless us with their talent; there are obviously many, many more than those named here - and all are worthy of our awe and gratitude - but I can only add ten images (thanks, Tumblr).
Feel free to share the love with others and add to this post! 💜
@nikethestatue I don't think I can ever top the "miss fluff and smut" meme in terms of a laugh, but fluff and spice aren't the only hats you wear. You mix plot and world building and lore, then break down our emotions before rebuilding them. Your characters are like an extension of canon, and each time I see an update, I want to drop everything.
@tswaney17 you have the variety, the talent, the everything... and I'm in awe. Modern AU or canon compliant, fluff or angst or plot, you truly have something - and then some - for everyone. Plus Shadow the kitten, who deserves his own spin-off.
@fawnandshadows you are the complete package! I don't know how you do it all, and work in all of the plot, too! Your... creativity 😉... knows no bounds, you absolute gift to the fandom. Thank you for sharing your talent with us, we love you.
@impossiblescissorspeachpaper is your destination for a one stop shop of emotional highs or lows - or highs and lows - complete with some of the loveliest prose you'll ever read. I am honestly amazed at your ability to capture everything so well, each and every time.
@thefangirlofhp - is the queen of "angst rules"; this is canon, lads... don't let her tell you otherwise. 😅 But honestly, this doesn't do justice to the exquisite content she creates. You don't read a thefangirlofhp fic so much as you live one, and you will never be the same again. Please let me move into your vault?
@rhysanoodle is currently tearing our guts out with Between Light and Shadow, so I'll continue the 'The IT Crowd' theme I appear to have going for her (if it ain't broke don't fix it, hey). Thank you for being around for so long, and sharing all of your wonderful Elriel stories with us.
* I'm a couple of chapters behind, so this meme may be out of date
@gripefroot blesses us with a fix of A Court of Dusk and Shadows every Wednesday, and it's a fic that's so stunning I don't even know how to begin to describe it. What will I do when it's finally over? Who knows. Maybe throw myself into Mount Doom to avoid an existence without it.
@dottielovegood the worlds you create, and the characters you write - whether canon universe or modern AU - are practically perfect in every way. Your spice metre is off the charts hot, but your fluff is also perfect, as are your characterisations. Run, don't walk, to a DottieLovegood fic near you.
@gopeachllama, the way you can craft a sentence in which all the words are pulling double duty for both meaning and beauty is a wonder. Please teach me your ways! Thank you for the honour of being your occasional beta, getting to see your genius in action, and discuss the depth of thought you put into your fics, is humbling in the best way. 💜
@danydragons21 - perfect plot, exquisite drama... aaaand the cliffhanger. Gets me each time. Every time I see a new chapter alert, I come running. 😌 Thank you so much for sharing your talent and genius with the fandom.
All of these memes and messages are intended with the greatest of love and appreciation for these writers, and their dedication to their craft. Each and every fic writer in the fandom makes the wait between books more bearable, and I think I speak for all of us when I say we cannot thank you enough. 🥔🦇🌸
#elriel#elriel fic writers#elriel fam#i love all of you#sorry if the timing of this post is off#i have had it in my drafts since valentine's day but got distracted by hosab#so today is either the best or worst time to spread some love#i hope it's the former#elriel positivity#elriel love letter
106 notes
·
View notes
Text
I know Elriel Month is coming up, which means plenty of new fics and everything, but!! I want to read Elriel fics now, lol.
I've only read Feysand fics, and I loved quakeriders' stuff a TON. I know a few people write who I have on my list to check out (rhysanoodle, nikethestatute, fawnandshadows). But I know I'm missing a ton!
So, what are your favorite Elriel fics, who are your favorite Elriel writers? 🌸🦇💖 I'm a sucker for a modern AU, but I'll read pretty much anything.
18 notes
·
View notes
Text
Happy New Year ♡
I don't really know what to say here since I've never done this before but here goes...
I've been on Tumblr for barely a year and I have made some really amazing friends here. I know this is cheesy and everyone does this but these people mean a lot to me and I'm so glad I have the pleasure of knowing them.
@morganofthewildfire, you were my very first friend on here. I have been reading your fics since you posted your very first one and I've been obsessed with every single thing you've written since. You're awesome! Thank you! ❤
@tswaney17 Taylor!!! I loved obsessing over elriel and talking theories with you. And don't even get me started with your phenomenal writing. You're an amazing person and I'm so glad to know you. Thank you!
@tomtenadia your writing makes me so so happy. And you are literally the sweetest person ever (...except when you make me cry with your stories lol) but still, thank you so much!!
@themoonthestarsthesuriel, @live-the-fangirl-life, @writtenonreceipts, @shyvioletcat - your writing has gotten me through this year and these past few months especially. I love reading about the characters we all love so much and I'm so glad I decided to join these fandoms because it led me to you guys- the most amazing people I know!
Some other writers I would like to thank for making this year wonderful: @perseusannabeth (thank you SO much for teaching me how to post a fic on this hellsite super easily. You are a life saver), @seasonofthewicth Kate!! you are awesome and I love you dearly. @westofmoon, @punkassbookjockey26, @rowaelinrambling, @story-scribbler, @rowanaelinn, @heirofflowers, @manonblaqkbeak, @whimsicallyreading, @imaginedhaven, @acciowests, @charincharge - you guys are all awesome.
@hellasblessed, @llyncooljones, @schattensaenger, @the-regal-warrior, @swankii-art-teacher, @mardereads19, @starswhogaze, @bookologist, @fawnandshadows, @thewayshedreamed, @thefangirlofhp, @lemonade-coolattas, @rreputatiions and anyone I may have accidentally forgotten, thank you for making 2021 suck less. I hope you all have a wonderful new year! ❤❤❤
49 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hey, this is fawnandshadows, I didn't know that you smut wasn't really your thing otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned my kinktober piece on your post!! I just posted a flufftober one shot last night called Grow Old With You if you want to check it out (:
Also, I want to say thank you for basically keeping me alive for the past month with all of your flufftober writings!! They are absolutely beautiful and they make me feel warm and fuzzy. Dadzriel is my new obsession... especially dadzriel with a cigarette 🌝. Seriously, I get so excited whenever your work comes across my dash that I literally light up like Azriel's shadows around Elain. You're such a talented writer and one of my favorite blogs 😘
Hey no worries! It’s all good— and of course I’m checking that piece out ASAP. Also, listen. Listen, right? You can’t keep saying shit like that to me like it means nothing. ‘I want to thank you for keeping me alive for the past month’??? Bro are you responsible enough to take credit for my failing heart? This pressure overload is your fault. You can’t say sweet shit like all that and not expect me to think about it for literally ever. Forever. Also, I too am obsessed with Dadzriel. Think black jeans, a loose linen shirt, rich cologne which i can only describe as warm rich attractiveness, and an out-grown undercut that he hasn’t touched up in a few months, add to that mental image a little infant in a onesie on his arm. Bonus points if you can see Winnie hiding behind his leg and him teasing her about having missing teeth fallen out.
15 notes
·
View notes
Text
20 Questions Writer’s Edition
Thank you for tagging me @fawnandshadows
Sorry that it took me a small eternity to answer these questions.
1) How many works on AO3?
5
I am quite new to writing fanfiction. I started writing this April.
2) AO3 total word count?
195,774
Wow. That's a lot.
For reference, here's the word count for the Harry Potter books:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – 76,944 words
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – 85,141 words
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – 107,253 words
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – 190,637 words
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – 257,045 words
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – 168,923 words
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – 198,227 words
(I love being able to say that I've written something that is longer than some of the HP books)
3) How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?
Only ACOTAR so far. And only Elriel. But I would like to write for some other fandoms at some point.
4) Top five works by kudos?
1. Pretty Little Angel
2. Please
3. ASMR
4. Happy Halloween
5. The bet
5) Do you respond to comments, why or why not?
I try to!
At first when I started writing, I didn't reply to most comments because I didn't know that people usually replied to comments. I mainly replied if someone asked something or commented on something specific in the chapter. However, I do try to answer all/most comments now because I have realized how much I like it when people reply to my comments :)
I do know that I suck at replying, and sometimes I just forget (or it can take WEEKS).
I am, unfortunately, the same with messages from like friends and family, so just be happy that you have never tried to text me. I am the absolute worst when it comes to texting (and replying to comments.)
But I read every single one of them and they really make my days <3
6) Fic with angstiest ending?
None. I like happy endings. And honestly, I am a bit afraid of receiving hate if I wrote something with an angsty ending.
7) Happiest Ending?
All of them. (I haven't finished Pretty Little Angel yet, but I think it will have a happy ending too)
8) Do you write crossovers? What is the craziest one?
No, not really. Unless my Halloween fic where Azriel and Elain dress up as Rey and Kylo can be considered a crossover? But I don't think so. So no.
9) Ever received hate on a fic?
No, thank god. I don't deal with criticism (or hate/drama) very well.
10) Do you write smut? If so, what kind?
Yes. All of my fics are more or less smutty.
What kind? I guess the kinky kind with a lot of praise.
11) Ever had a fanfic stolen?
Nope!
12) Ever had a fic translated?
No. I didn't know that people translated fics? That's kind of cool! But I don't think I would want someone else to translate my work. I'm too much of a control freak, and I have a hard time trusting translations. (Probably because I have studied language and translation and KNOW how difficult it is to translate correctly.)
13) Ever co-written a fic?
No.
Or actually. Yes! I took a creative writing course at Uni where we had to write collaborative fanfiction (Yes. It's true!). But apart from that, no. I have not. And I don't think I will.
14) All time favorite ship?
Reylo! (I mainly read reylo fanfics actually)
I also like Elriel and Dramione.
15) What is a WIP you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?
I don't have very many WIPs. If I start something, I will try to finish it! However I did start writing a Nesta/Amren fic once, but I only wrote like half a page before giving up. So maybe that's my WIP that I will never finish?
16) Writing Strengths?
Smut?
and I think I'm pretty good at writing dialogue, and I get a lot of positive comments about my characterization, so I guess I'm good at that too?
(I've always been very bad at seeing my own strengths...)
17) Writing weaknesses?
I find it very difficult to write kissing scenes (hence why it took like 24 chapter for them to kiss in PLA, hehe).
But my biggest weakness is probably the fact that English is a foreign language to me. I don't speak it daily (but I do speak it a few times a week for work), and even though most people speak English quite well in my country, we don't really speak English to each other in our every day life. I did study English at university, but I still feel that I am lacking. And since I tend to compare myself to English writers, it's very easy for me to criticize my own language skills (even though I know that my English is very good). I feel that I repeat the same phrases quite often, and that I use the same words over and over again, even though I try to be mindful of repetitions and synonyms and such.
18) what are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in fic?
Hmm... I only like it if the author translates the dialogue. (I also think that the author should know the language to some degree and not use google translate). I prefer it if the translation is given naturally in the context of the fic, but I'm okay with providing the translation in the end notes.
19) What was the first fandom you wrote for?
If I told you, I would have to kill you.
No, but honestly. That information goes with me to my grave. It's too embarrassing. But I can say that it was for a band I liked when I was like 16.
It was not a cool band.
20) What is your favorite fic you’ve written?
Pretty Little Angel.
Even though it's like 80% smut, I'm quite proud of it. Especially since people seem to like it. When I first started writing it, I didn't think people would read it since I wasn't a part of this fandom or anything at the time. I think that I've written Elain and Azriel very well in this fic, and I have tried to stay true to their characters, so that's why PLA is my favorite.
I also think that some of the smutty chapters are very sexy :)
---
I tag anyone who has ever wanted to be tagged in one of these lists.
10 notes
·
View notes
Text
I'll Be Home For Christmas ~ Part One
Word Count: 8.8k
Warnings: Smut, language
AO3
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
“I’ve never been on a train before.” Elain admitted, her eyes trained on the snow-covered pine trees through the moving window.
The strong body beside her shifted, careful to maintain a small amount of space between them.
“Really?” Azriel asked curiously, turning the page in his worn book, A Christmas Carol, that he snagged from her bookshelf.
“Usually someone drives me to and from school,” Elain turned to him with a smile. “Someone being you.”
Hazel eyes met hers over the brim of a fraying book.
“Sorry my car broke down.” Azriel said, almost playfully. Well, Elain could recognize the playfulness in his voice. Anyone else would have heard a droll deliverance.
“‘Broke down’ seems excessive,” Elain turned towards him, her hands pressed between her cheek and the cloth seat in a praying gesture. “You need a new battery and the shop is closed.”
“The perils of traveling on Christmas Eve.” Azriel said, and though the book was covering half of his face, Elain knew he was smiling.
She looked around the carriage of the train, over the empty seats, and silently wondered if they always ran the train with next to no one on it. A few passengers rose in other carts, but Elain was grateful for the privacy. Somehow they had managed to hop on the train all of three minutes before it left — the bus that they tried left five minutes early, and the car rental place was completely sold out.
“I think you did it on purpose,” Elain yawned, her eyelids suddenly feeling heavy. It must have been the excitement and anxiety of this morning getting to her — all the last minute changes, and it wasn’t until her butt sat firmly in her train seat that she felt exhausted. It all crashed into her at once. “So you could see more of my ugly face.”
An ugly sound caught in Azriel’s throat, and she saw the corner of his eyes crease as he smiled.
“Of all the words I would use to describe you, sweetheart, ugly isn’t one of them.”
She smiled softly at that, and then they weren’t talking. She became startlingly aware of the fact that they were just looking into each other’s eyes and the weight of his gaze became the center of her universe.
With flushing cheeks she blurted out, “Read to me?”
“Marley was dead to begin with…”
Elain shut her eyes and hunkered down in her seat, listening to his deep, dark, relaxing voice. She focused more on the luxurious sound of his voice than the actual content of what he was saying, but she had read the tale multiple times and saw enough movies to be able to follow along, a picture forming in her mind as she felt lighter and drifted off.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Elain awoke when she felt as if she was no longer in motion. Her neck was bent at an awkward angle, and somehow her cheek no longer pressed against her hands, but had migrated to Azriel’s chest. One arm smooshed between her side and the seat while her other arm came up and clutched Azriel’s shoulder. Her sleeping form clinging to his strength and warmth.
The book was laid open on his chest, and Elain gazed up at him to find that he had fallen asleep as well — one hand resting on his stomach to keep the book in place, and the other stretched over her seat, allowing her to snuggle and burrow into his side.
He looked devastatingly handsome.
His black hair curled out from under his navy knit cap on his thick locks, and she could see a few freckles on his brown skin — Elain wanted to touch each and everyone of them, to map them out as if they were her own constellations. Soft snores passed through his parted lips, and it somehow endeared him more towards her. Which she didn’t think was possible.
With more strength than she had, Elain turned her head away from him and looked out the window. The entirety of the glass was frosted over and Elain nearly had to shield her eyes from the blinding snow swirling around outside. She quickly looked away, but after growing up in New England she only needed two seconds to register what the whiteout meant.
A blizzard.
Begrudgingly, Elain pushed herself away from Azriel, leaving her hand on his shoulder to gently shake him awake.
She watched as his eyes blinked awake, slowly gaining consciousness.
“Are we there?” Azriel asked, his voice heavy with sleep.
Elain shook her head in response.
“I don’t think so,” Elain started, ignoring the way his arm fell so that it no longer rested on her seat but rather on her back. “There’s a blizzard.”
His eyes fluttered behind her to look at the window and then drifted back to her face, understanding dawning in his expression.
“I fell asleep.” Azriel stated, slight disbelief coloring his voice. Elain bit her lip and nodded her head — Azriel was notorious for his insomnia. Whenever she couldn’t sleep Elain would find herself scrolling through tumblr or Instagram, and Azriel was always on. She’d wake and find messages from him timestamped 3:00, 4:00, or 5:00 am…and whenever she and her sisters would spend the night at the place Az shared with his brothers, she would always wake to hear him quietly playing videos. Sometimes she would go and join him, either having him show her how to play, or if she was too tired she would just sit by him to keep him company.
“Well, it’s a good thing cause you didn’t sleep much last night.”
She woke up at seven and saw a text dated three hours before.
Azriel was in grad school at the same university where Elain was pursuing her bachelors — about seven hours southwest from where their family lived. It was only Elain’s second year, but she loved traveling with Azriel to and from campus. She always had a small, school-girl crush on her sister’s boyfriend's brother, but somehow she had fallen hopelessly in love with him from the passenger side of his car. He was kind…funny…attentive…and there was nothing she could have done to stop the casual affection she felt for Azriel from blossoming into something beautiful.
And Azriel…Elain thought he felt something similar. When she first started college, he went out of his way to make her comfortable, and he was her only friend until she met Nuala and Cerridwen. But he went on dates and had casual hook ups — on more than one occasion she went to his apartment early enough to see half-dressed girls try to sneak out. Elain would simply paint on a fake smile and avert her eyes, not saying anything to Azriel when she saw him…but his dates and hook ups became few and far between. He spent most of his days texting her, and in all of their free time they would go to the library or their favorite diner — studying together, sharing their favorite meals, or even having Netflix marathons at his apartment.
Azriel sought her company just as much as she sought his.
“What are the chances we actually made it to Velaris?” Azriel asked in a gravelly voice, sitting up slightly from his slouched position — his discarded coat halfway off his seat.
Elain pulled her phone out of her backpack on the ground and checked the time. Somehow only two hours had passed since they left.
“It’s only 3:00.” Elain showed him her phone.
“Well, fuck,” Azriel said, rubbing his clean shaven chin. “You should text Feyre, let her know what happened. You know your dad will worry.”
Elain nodded, sending a quick text to her sister, downplaying what happened to make it seem as if her and Azriel weren’t somehow stranded in the middle of a blizzard — even if they were stranded in the middle of a blizzard.
“My dad likes you,” Elain said softly, her eyes not looking up from her screen. “I have no service. You?”
Azriel jostled in his seat to pull his phone out of his back pocket, tapped the screen, and shook his head.
His eyes met hers and a sarcastic look took over his expression as he said, “Your dad hates me.”
There was one time last winter break where Azriel came over to her house and they watched all the Christmas episodes of The Office in her room — the rest of their family went bar-hopping and Azriel stayed home with her — and they both fell asleep on her bed. Fully clothed. On top of the covers. Somehow in the middle of the night she had ended up in Azriel’s arms. And when her father knocked on her door the next evening he wasn’t thrilled to see her and Azriel sleeping next to each other. Ever since then her father would make off handed remarks about their relationship and would give Azriel the stink eye whenever he saw him — Even if they were huddled over her phone or sitting too close together her dad would yell, “Save room for the Holy Spirit!” which would cause Elain to turn bright red and roll her eyes.
“That’s not true.” Elain said, tucking her phone back into her backpack.
“He certainly doesn’t want me dating you.” Azriel raised a dark eyebrow at her and adjusted his beanie.
A flushed ran through her cheeks as she mumbled, “He doesn’t want me dating anyone. It’s nothing against you in particular. He just knows that we spend so much time together.”
“And you told him you spent the night in my bed.” Azriel groaned and rubbed the heel of his hand into his eye.
Elain cringed at the memory. For some reason she thought it would placate her father to know that it was a common occurrence — she would go over to his place and accidentally fall asleep while watching tv. Nothing ever happened, but her fathers face turned red with anger before pointing to her doorway and saying “Out.” between clenched teeth. Azriel tried to apologize, but her father wouldn’t let him, so Azriel left and sent her a sad look over his shoulder.
“I thought it would make it better. Give him a better understanding of our friendship.” Elain explained, crossing her arms across her chest as she leaned back into her seat.
His eyes fell to her chest, not in a sexual way, but to take note of the sweatshirt she was wearing. His sweatshirt that she had stolen months ago.
“No one understands our friendship.” Azriel stated, mimicking her posture and crossing his arms, but he did it with arrogance. As if he has somehow checkmated her in this conversation.
He was correct.
There were whispers around campus that they were friends with benefits — Even though Elain liked to stick to herself, she had the twins and Azriel and it was enough. Too many bad friends burned her in high school that she learned the value of just having a few good friends. Most people weren’t even interested in her, they just wanted to know the girl who got Azriel to stop sleeping around. For the most part, they just ignored the whispers.
There was, however, one person that really didn’t love or understand their relationship. Rhysand. Azriel’s closest friend.
Rhys shrugged off the entire incident of Azriel spending the night in her room. At that point, Elain was still basically his little sister and Azriel was his brother, and as far as Rhys knew Azriel was still fucking around on campus and wouldn’t look twice at her. However, two days later he held a party at his house, where Elain could drink with her entire family and not have to worry about anything, and somehow she ended up on Azriel’s lap. They were both drunk. One of Azriel’s hands on her bare thigh, her skirt was bunched and hiked up higher than she would have liked if she was sober, and his other hand was on her knee — holding her close to his chest so she wouldn’t slip off. Elain was playfully adjusting the Santa Cap on his head, her fingers touching his hair a little more than was necessary, but Azriel let her. He just smiled up at her. And there was a teeny, tiny part of Elain that was hoping he would kiss her.
He didn’t.
Feyre came over and kindly pulled Elain off of his lap, offering to dance with her and Elain eagerly agreed.
Elain had no idea anything was even wrong. It wasn’t until later when she heard Rhys and Azriel arguing upstairs on her way to the bathroom that she realized there was an issue.
“She’s 18!” Rhys whispered angrily. “You’re 23!”
“You didn’t have a problem with that a few months ago, when you kept pushing me to hang out with her.” Azriel replied in an icy voice. One that Elain almost never heard.
“To be her friend! To make her feel comfortable and help her settle in! Not to drool over her tits while she’s giving you a lap dance,” Elain looked down at her chest from the opposite side of the door. “Not to make her fall in love with you.”
“We are friends.” Azriel responded glibly.
“A friend you don’t want to fuck?”
Silence.
“Don’t you fucking hurt her,” Rhys started, and for some reason Elain thought he was probably poking Azriel in the chest. “I know how you are, Az, you’ve never been with someone longer than a week. You get bored and you leave them. Fucking A — that girl looks at you with fucking stars in her eyes. She obviously likes you. Just be her friend. And keep your dick to yourself.”
Elain quickly scampered to the bathroom. She sat on the toilet and ran her hands under cold water, wanting to cool herself off as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. And when she went back downstairs Azriel was standing next to Cassian — who was playing against Nesta at beer pong — and Az intentionally didn’t meet her gaze as she reached the bottom of the steps. So, she walked over to the makeshift dance floor with Feyre and Mor. Thankful they never noticed the confusion hidden behind her smile.
Neither of them spoke for a few moments and then the blurry, distorted voice of the conductor came from the overheard speaker.
Elain and Azriel looked at each other, silently imploring whether or not they could hear what the conductor was saying.
They couldn’t.
It wasn’t until one of the workers walked into their car a few moments later that they realized they had managed to dock at a small station, but the tracks were completely snowed over ahead of them and there was no way for them to be going anywhere.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
The small diner located just down the street from the train station was cozy, to say the least.
Small with a few locals sitting in the booths, and as soon the bell jangled to alert the patrons of their arrival, Elain felt all eyes land on her and Azriel.
It was the type of place where people recognized a new face.
Elain smiled politely and quickly sat in the booth toward the end of the restaurant, where there was enough room for Azriel to lay down their bags without being in the way.
She expected him to sit on the opposite side of the table, but he surprised her by scooting into the booth next to her — his thigh pressed against hers as he leaned his head close to hers.
“What are the chances we get out of this town tonight?” Azriel asked, his voice low and close to her ear.
Elain forced herself to turn her head and look out the window, taking great effort to appear unaffected by his closeness, and saw the white flurries falling down and obscuring the entire view. Nothing but a veil of white.
“I’m thinking it’s pretty low,” Elain said, turning back to him. “The roads aren’t even plowed yet.”
Azriel nodded his head.
“Looks like you’ll be spending Christmas Eve with me,” Azriel said, nudging his shoulder into hers. “Hope you aren’t disappointed.”
“Never,” Elain smiled, suddenly feeling shy. “You don’t have anyone back home waiting for you? Heartbroken that you aren’t showing up?”
Elain meant the words as a joke, but as soon as the words left her mouth it felt as if the entire world was resting on a pin. Ready to topple with what he said next.
“No,” Azriel said, his eyes darkening. He brought one hand up to rest behind her shoulders, on the back of the booth. Just like how he sat in the train. “I don’t have anyone pining over me.”
“Are you sure about that?” Elain asked, leaning into his side.
Azriel tucked one of her curls behind her ear. He opened his mouth to respond, but the waitress sidled up to their table and handed them the menus.
“Can I get you lovebirds anything to drink?” She asked, smiling at them. Elain could see the fine lines in her face made from smiling over the years. Her dark curls were piled on top of her head and her name tag read ‘Alis’.
“Two hot coffees with cream, no sugar.” Azriel said, giving Alis a polite smile.
“Do you know what you want? Or do you want to look at the menu?” Alis asked.
Azriel turned to Elain, not even opening the menu before saying, “Waffles and bacon?”
Elain nodded her head upon hearing her favorite breakfast. Not the healthiest. Or one she had very often. But her favorite.
Elain tapped her finger on her nose three times, thinking. And as she spoke her finger slowly turned and pointed at his amused expression.
“Denver omelet,” Elain said thoughtfully. “Rye toast, hash browns, aaaaaaand,” She drew out the last word, thinking about what Az would like to complete his meal. “A side of fruit.”
“Perfect.” Azriel said with a grin that showed off his dimples and handed the unopened menus back to Alis.
“You two are sweet,” Alis said, tucking the menus under her arm. “How long have you been together?”
Elain felt her cheeks blush at the words, but Azriel didn’t miss a beat.
“About a year now.”
His arm dropped down from the seat and settled around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. For the second time today.
His hand curled around her shoulder.
“But we’ve known each other for years.” Elain added, and Azriel looked at her in surprise as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Underneath his coat.
“Awww, childhood sweethearts,” Alis said with affection. “I’ll put your order in.”
She walked away, but neither Azriel or Elain moved. They didn’t shift or pull away.
They leaned closer together.
“This isn’t a horrible place to be.” Elain admitted, slightly nuzzling closer to him.
“Even on Christmas Eve?”
“Especially on Christmas Eve.”
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
After their meal Elain and Azriel finally decided to check their phones and see if their service finally returned — they both hid their disappointment as they saw the full signal bars on their screens.
“I’ll call hotels and you call Feyre?” Azriel suggested and Elain nodded along, looking at all the unread messages on her phone. Sighing, she called her sister.
“Elain?” Feyre answered, worried. “Are you ok?”
“We're fine,” Elain reassured her sister, watching Az dial from the corner of her eye. “We just finished lunch, but I don’t think we can make it home tonight — Our train stopped at the first station it could. We only rode for about two hours.”
“Where are you?”
“My phone said Winter Court — wherever that is,” Elain replied, noting how Azriel hung up the phone to call someone else. “Are you guys still doing cookies tonight?”
“Yes,” Feyre said, and Elain could hear the shuffling cookware over the phone and multiple people speaking at once. “Though, I’m sure they’ll be burned without you.”
Azriel sighed, hung up, and called someone new.
“They’ll be delicious,” Elain said with a soft smile. She was about to remind her sister to set the oven five degrees less than what the recipe recommends, but she heard her fathers voice on the other end.
“Is that Lainy?”
“Yeah, papa.”
“Let me talk to her,” Static shuffled through the phone, and like clockwork Azriel called someone new. “Are you being safe, sweetheart?” Her fathers voice became crystal clear and for the first time she felt a pang of homesickness.
“Of course, papa,” Elain said. “But we’re not gonna make it home tonight. Az is calling hotels to book a room for us. I miss you guys.”
A beat of silence.
Azriel hung up his phone, but didn’t call anyone else.
“A room?”
Her eyes met Azriels, and he must have heard her father because he nodded in confirmation.
“Is was all they had?” Elain meant to say with confidence, but her voice lilted into a question.
Azriel nodded in confirmation even though his lips curled into a smile as he mouthed,
“Honeymoon Suite.”
She blushed.
“Hopefully it has a couch for the boy.” Her father grumbled.
Before Elain could stop herself she said, “I’m not going to make Azriel sleep on the couch, dad.”
Azriel raised a dark brow at her.
“Let me speak to him.” Her father said with a sigh.
Elain held the phone out to Az, their fingers touching as he took it from her.
The bastard turned the volume down so she couldn’t hear what her father was saying.
“Mmmhm,” Azriel’s eyes never left hers. “Don’t worry sir, I’ll protect her,” His hazel eyes darkened. “Mmhhmm. Goodbye.”
Azriel handed her phone back to her and said, “He hung up.”
“Honeymoon Suite?” Elain asked, pocketing the phone.
“This town has a surprising amount of hotels and motels and somehow they’re all booked. Apparently, this is a really popular Christmas destination for tourism, and hotels get booked years in advance. Somehow I found this small B&B and the only room they had was the honeymoon suite on a special reserve. If anyone asks, we eloped at the courthouse on a whim and haven’t had time to buy rings yet,” At her silence he continued. “I’m thinking we take a cue from Alis. Childhood sweethearts?”
“Az?”
“Yes?”
“We’ve been good friends for over a year now, yes? And we’ve known each other for a while — but I’ve never heard you talk for so long.”
A face-splitting grin stretched across his lips.
“Maybe I talk when I get nervous.” Azriel said, his cheeks pinkening.
“You’re nervous?” Elain asked softly, her heart speeding.
“It’s not every day that I propose.”
Her stomach felt hollow.
“Well, if it’s any consolation, this is the best proposal I’ve ever received.”
Their bodies were still pressed together, so Elain could feel him tense just a bit.
“I’m not your first?”
“Lucien Vanserra in the fourth grade and then again in eighth.” Elain explained and watched as
Azriel’s expression became carefully guarded.
“The prick in your American Lit class?”
“He’s not that bad, and he was very gracious considering the fact I shot down his proposal twice.”
His jaw worked.
“And what about mine?”
Elain leaned forward and adjusted his knit cap, tucking a piece of hair behind his ear.
“How would you like to be my first husband, Az?”
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Their B&B was a fifteen minute walk from the diner, but it took them almost 40 minutes since they couldn’t see more than a foot in front of them.
Azriel held Elain’s hand tightly as they wadded through the snow — neither of them in the proper footwear. At one point Azriel’s beanie almost blew off and Elain practically had to jump on top of him to keep it from flying away.
Their coats were wet and heavy by the time they arrived, and as soon as they stepped through the door they dropped their duffle bags on the ground and Azriel immediately wrapped his arms around Elain. Her wet hair in his face. His hands aggressively rubbing her arms over her wool coat.
“You must be the newly weds!” A friendly voice called over to them and Elain heard the clicking of heels over the wooden floor.
Elain poked her head out from Azriel's chest and saw a stunningly beautiful blonde — eyes a bright blue and hair almost white as snow and creamy, bright skin.
“That’s us.” Azriel said in an even voice, one that made it seem like they just took a stroll on a lovely fall day and not through a blizzard mars.
“I’m Viviane,” She introduced herself and held out her hand. Elain stayed wrapped around Azriel for warmth, but he managed to find enough manners in her to shake her hand. “My husband and I own this place. I’ll get you checked in and have someone show you to your room.”
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
“You can shower first.” Azriel said as soon as they stepped into their room.
Elain toed off her boots and walked across the hardwood floor to place her duffel bag at the base of the bed.
“Are you sure?” Elain asked, ignoring how her teeth harshly chattered together.
“Lainy,” Azriel said, his feet silently padding across the floor as he came up behind her. “You’re a human popsicle. I’m pretty sure you’re so cold that my tongue would stick to you if I licked you,” He placed his hands on her shoulders and spun her so that she would face him. Her white socks twisting beneath her feet. “Go take a hot shower.”
Her wide eyes met his.
“Do you plan on licking me?” Elain asked, slightly breathless and a flash of heat swept through his hazel eyes. He didn’t say anything. “There’s a rumor I’ve heard about you on campus.” Her tongue came out to wet her lips.
“And what’s that?” Azriel challenged. His voice was rough and Elain could vaguely feel his fingers tightening on her shoulders.
“That you like…”
“That I like…?”
“That you like using your tongue.” Elain rushed out and her face was so hot she thought that her skin would start to peel off. Her cheeks were at odds with the rest of her body.
“Yes, I like using my tongue,” Azriel said as he narrowed his eyes. One of his hands fell away from her shoulder and he brought it up to rub at his lips. “I need it for speaking. For eating. I find my life would be quite difficult without it.”
It was Elain’s turn to narrow her eyes.
“That’s not what I meant.”
Azriel tilted his face down to hers.
“Say what you mean, Elain.”
“I heard around campus, from a few girls,” Elain started and she fought the urge to turn and climb under the covers to find her flushing face, but she wanted to finish what she started. “That you like to go down on them. With your tongue. In their vaginas.”
Elain puffed out her chest a bit like she won some sort of battle.
“I do.”
Her chest faltered.
“Oh.”
Elain scrambled for something to say — for some reason she never thought he would actually admit it. And she couldn’t stop the onslaught of images that cascaded through her brain, of all the girls that taunted her about it. She could picture them with Azriel's dark head between their thighs.
“I like giving blow jobs,” Elain admitted, her voice deceptively innocent. His face didn’t change. He didn’t so much as blink at her words. “If you were curious.”
“I wasn’t,” Azriel said blandly, his voice carefully even toned. “Take your damn shower Elain.”
She scampered to the bathroom without looking back.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Azriel wanted to hit someone.
Mainly himself.
“I like giving blow jobs,”
And whoever the fuck Elain was giving blowjobs to.
He shucked off his soaked coat and sunk into a froofy chair by the window as the shower turned on.
His scarred hands came up to grip his hair as he tired hard not to picture Elain’s naked body glistening with water as she showered, and he tried fucking hard not picture her blowing her exboyfriends. None of them fucking deserve it. They didn’t deserve her.
Maybe he wanted to hit Rhys.
For getting in the way last year.
If Azriel thought hard enough, then he could still feel her plush thigh beneath his palm. Her fingers gently tugging at his hair. He could remember the feel of her on his lap, and how his eyes kept drifting from her lips to her flushed cheeks to the ample cleavage on display — and he kept fighting the little urge to kiss her. It wasn’t even an urge. It was a beck and call.
Elain was the type of girl he could kiss forever and never get bored. She was soft. Luscious. He could hold her in his arms and kiss her until he was blue in the face — his hands lazily exploring her body as their lips moved together. Slowly. Gently. Playfully.
There were a few times before she plunked herself down on his lap last year that he thought about kissing her. Her lips pursed whenever she was concentrating really hard ( her nose scrunched as well, but that’s besides the point) and he recalled one night they were studying late in the library when he thought that kissing would be a much better use of their time.
And when she would bake for him. Sometimes a little frosting would linger on her mouth, and Azriel wondered if it would be sweeter on her lips than out of the bowl.
Elain had the perfect fucking lips for kissing.
And blowing.
Apparently.
“I like giving blow jobs,”
Azriel wasn’t stupid. Or blind.
He’s always known Elain was incredibly beautiful — it was a fact. Saying Elain is beautiful was like saying Cassian is incredibly fit. Or that Rhysand is smart. It just is.
He knew that Rhysand didn’t push Elain at him just to help her settle in on campus, but the more time Elain spent with Azriel, then the less time horny frat boys and jocks would be sniffing around her. Azriel was aware of his reputation, and he didn’t care that Rhys wanted to use it to protect Elain. Hell, Azriel even agreed with it. And he liked Elain. So he went along with it.
But he didn’t realize just how much he fucking liked Elain.
He found himself seeking her out. Calling her. Texting her. He would send her all the tiktoks that he thought she would like, or even just a random one with his thoughts like, “This is fucking weird.” He didn’t realize how much he craved her until he was in bed with some blonde, and after they were finished fucking Azriel immediately checked his phone and smiled when he saw the notifications from Elain. The blonde girl he was with wanted to talk. Or cuddle or something. And he cared more about replying to Elain’s tiktok messages than he did about going for round two. Eventually, he started thinking about Elain as he was fucking some random girl and he couldn’t wash away the oily feeling that lingered for days afterward.
Azriel sighed deeply as he sank further into the chair, the heels of his palms rubbing his eyes as he tried to ignore the images of a wet, showering Elain that were pilfering through his mind – her pale skin glistening and beads of water dripped down her curves, lathered soap slipping down her back—
His cock hardened at the image, and Azriel shifted himself in his jeans.
The squeaking sound of Elain turning the knob of the shower off rankled his nerves.
“Az?” Elain called out, and Azriel lifted his eyes to peek at the bathroom door that was cracked open ever so slightly, steam floated out like shadows from behind her.
“Yes?”
A beat of silence.
“I forgot my clothes.” Elain said hesitantly.
Azriel felt his skin flush and overheat, but he pushed himself up and walked over to where he plunked their luggage down.
“Do you want your entire bag?” He asked in an even voice, his eyes dropped to her lips as she took her bottom one between her teeth.
“Just my toiletry bag and pajamas, please.” Elain said in a high voice. And Azriel nodded, slowly unzipping her bag and carefully moved her clothes out of the way to fund her pjs.
“You didn’t pack any.” Azriel called out, forcing a teasing tone to his voice as he ignored the scraps of lace panties that kept jumping out at him.
“Yes I did,” Elain responded, huffing in slight annoyance. “Those plaid shorts,” Azriel had thought they were underwear, but grabbed them at her words. “And your old AC/DC shirt.” Azriel’s fought from grinding his teeth together — he knew Elain stole his clothes, knew that she slept and lounged in them, but knowing that he packed his old tshirt and was going to sleep beside him in it made his skin flame.
Azriel carefully grabbed the first underwear he could find and placed it between her pajamas so that they weren’t on display. He placed her clothes underneath her toiletry bag, and tried not to stare down at her damp cleavage as he handed them to her.
A tiny white towel was wrapped around her body, and Azriel knew that with one tug the knot would be undone and the towel would be on the floor.
“Thanks.” Elain breathed, opening the door to accept the pile Azriel stuck out for her.
“Need anything else?” Azriel asked, his voice unnecessarily husky.
Her cheeks turned pink, but she shook her head and said, “No, thank you,” and closed the door.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Her damp feet pattered over the wood floors, her body still damp and humid from her shower, and sunk onto the bed, her eyes trained on Azriel who looked at her from the overly stuffed chair by the window. She still couldn’t see past the snow coming down outside.
“What now?” Elain asked, tucking her feet underneath herself.
“Well,” Azriel teased. “By the looks of it, you’re ready for bed.”
Elain rolled her eyes.
“I think that after your shower,” She smiled at him. “You should start reading to me again since this place doesn’t have a television, and then we order down for room service for dinner.”
“Hungry already?” Azriel asked, his eyebrow tilting upwards.
“No,” She said firmly “But I will be. Eventually. And I bet they have amazing desserts here.” Elain smiled at her, knowing his weakness for sweets.
Azriel didn’t bother to hide the smile playing on his mouth and pushed himself to his feet.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Somehow they ended up under the covers. Elain’s soft body pressed into his warm one as they were both sitting propped up against the headboard, pillows cushioning their backs, and the soft glow of the lamp illuminating the room, along with the moonlight reflecting off of the white snow outside their window.
Azriel’s dark, silky voice carried through the quiet of the night.
He didn’t even startle when her cold feet tucked into his for warmth. Azriel just shifted so that they were more comfortable.
“...During the whole of this time Scrooge had acted like a man out of his wits. His heart and soul were in the scene, and with his former self…” Azriel wet his lips and shut the book, causing Elain to furrow her brow and raise her eyes at him.
“What is it?” Elain asked.
“Silly as it may be,” Azriel started. “After a few hours of reading I need some water.”
Elain felt her eyes widen at his words and said, “Hours?” in disbelief. She pulled herself away from his warmth and checked her phone, ignoring the messages from her family and focusing on the fact that it was closing in on eight. Well past dinner time.
“You must be starving,” Elain said, crawling closer to him with her phone still tucked into her hand. “Should we call down for dinner?”
Azriel nodded in agreement, and leaned over to grab the antique phone from the nightstand next to him.
“Think this works?” Azriel asked, eyeing the delicate brass machine.
“For sure,” Elain nodded. “It was probably just made to fit the aesthetic of the place,” She snuggled into his side. “Order me something good.”
Azriel dialed one, and Elain could hear a feminine voice answering his call.
Her mouth watered as Azriel ordered two pot roast dinners, a bottle of wine, bread, chocolate cake, and, most importantly, water.
“I think you’re officially the best orderer,” Elain said, slinking into his side as he took up his initial position, his arm coming out to wrap around her as he picked up the book. “Let me,” She took it from between his fingers. “Until the water comes.”
It only took 30 minutes until a knock interrupted them.
“Already?” Elain asked, setting the book down. Azriel smirked at her before getting up and walking towards the door. Elain found herself sinking into the warmth he left behind on the sheets.
The door was out of her line of sight, but Elain heard Azriel open the door and the brief conversation he had with the woman who brought their food for them — the oddly long conversation that didn’t seem to have an end in sight.
Elain pushed herself out of the bed, the chilled air nipping at her toasty skin, and walked over to the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest.
Azriel was standing at the door, incredibly still in a way that told Elain he was hiding his annoyance, and out in the hallway was a redhead holding their service cart in a deathgrip.
“Is this everything?” Elain asked, sliding up next to Azriel and threading her fingers through his. Azriel relaxed at her touch.
The girl’s teal eyes flashed towards Elain and said, “Hello,” with a strained smile.
“My husband and I are … eager … to continue our night,” Elain said in a too kind voice. “So, I was wondering if this was everything?”
Azriel’s body vibrated with suppressed humor.
“This is everything,” The girl said, pushing the cart to them. They’d have to take her word for it, considering everything was covered in silver domes, but Elain wasn’t going to reach out if anything was forgotten - she didn’t want any more interruptions. She just wanted time with Azriel completely uninterrupted. Luckily, she could see the bottle of wine and water on the bottom shelf of the cart. “Please don’t hesitate to call if you need anything else.”
“Thank you.” Elain said as Azriel pushed the cart further into the room, and shut the door after bidding the girl farewell.
The savory smell of the potroast was mouthwatering, but Elain couldn’t shake the irked feeling of the redhead so obviously lusting after Azriel — and they were in the honeymoon suite.
Elain grumbled as she lifted the silver covers and took in the food. Everything appeared to be in place, and Azriel looked down at her in amusement as she inspected their dinner.
“Everything to your satisfaction?” He asked and Elain felt her cheeks flush at the way he looked at her, knowingly.
“Yes, husband.” Elain grumbled and Azriel threw his head back in laughter, her body prickling at the sound.
His large hands clamped onto her hips and Azriel drew her back into his chest.
“Jealous?” He asked, his lips absurdly close to her ear.
“I don’t see why I should be,” Elain said, shifting on her feet. “I know who’ll you’ll be sleeping with tonight.”
Azriel groaned and buried his head into the crook of her neck.
“You can’t say things like that, Elain.” He spoke into her neck, and Elain could feel his lips moving against her skin.
“And why’s that?” She asked breathlessly.
“We’re trapped in the honeymoon suite with spotty cell phone service and a bottle of wine.” Azriel replied.
“Planning to take advantage of me?”
His fingers tightened on her hips.
“I think it’s the other way around,” Azriel muttered, tearing himself away from her body. “Now, do you want to eat in bed, or should we try to be civilized and eat at the table?” His chin nodding in different directions as he spoke.
“Bed?” Elain asked and watched as Azriel’s eyes darken just a hair.
It was something that that had done time and time again — having dinner in bed together. Usually while watching television, but the honeymoon suite didn’t have one, and from the second they stepped foot into the room they had an unspoken rule about not touching their phones, so as soon as they crawled back into bed (Azriel wheeled the the cart next to his side of the mattress, so he could serve them as he pleased) their conversation ebbed and flowed so that no tension lingered between them.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Most people would have been surprised at how easily and freely Azriel spoke around Elain. And at that the wicked sense of humor Elain let loose around Azriel, and Azriel only. Every once in a while it would slip out around her sisters or his friends, but most of the time it was just reserved for Azriel.
A Christmas Carol was tossed onto the nightstand, far away from any damage it could incur from their food and drink, and Elain and Azriel hunkered back into their original positions. Volleying back hypothetical questions and would you rathers.
“Bullshit!” Elain exclaimed, jerking up right, and narrowing her eyes at Azriel’s amused expression - his eyes gleaming as they crinkled with his hidden laughter. “In no world is Jason Todd a better Robin than Dick Grayson! You’re just saying that to annoy me.”
“Am I?” Azriel laughed, using his fork to steal a potato from her plate, and he stared at her as he chewed smugly.
“Yes,” Elain said, shoving at her shoulder. “You know I have a crush on Nightwing.”
“You don’t have to be so obvious about it.” Azriel said, his dimple indenting his cheek.
“Not everyone tucks away their feelings like you do.” Elain mumbled, settling back into her position by his side.
“Is that what I do?” Azriel asked, his eyes bright with a challenge as he looked at her.
Elain glumly stabbed a carrot and brought it up to her mouth, chewing slowly.
“You tell me.”
After a short pause Azriel asked, “Wine?”
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
“I really don’t see how that’s any of your business.” Elain said, taking a sip from her second glass of wine.
“You don’t?” Azriel asked, his eyes intently peering at her face and she carefully avoided his eyes.
“No, I don’t.” Elain shook her head, careful not to slosh her drink over the edge of the glass.
“You don’t think it’s any of my business how many of my shirts you steal? Do you have any idea how expensive it is to be your friend? You’re lucky I’m not naked right now.”
Elain’s eyes flashed to his at his words, her eyes falling to his torso and made the mental note to start taking even more of his clothes.
“It’s not my fault,” Elain defended herself. “Your clothes are just comfier than mine.”
“Are they?” Azriel asked, his fingers sliding underneath his shirt that hung off of her frame and over the soft skin of her belly.
Elain silently nodded her head, her breath caught in her throat.
“Do you want to know a secret?” Azriel asked, and Elain gave him another slow nod. “I think my shirts look better on you.” He whispered conspiratorially and Elain couldn’t stop the smile taking over her face.
“Do you want to know a secret?” Elain asked, pushing her face closer to his, and Azriel jerked in head in confirmation. “I get sad when your shirts lose their scent. That’s why I always have to steal more.”
“You like how I smell?” Azriel asked darkly, pushing their bodies closer together.
“Mmmmhmm.” Elain confirmed, holding her wineglass close to her chest.
“I love it when you sleep over,” Azriel admitted, his eyes smoldering. “You make my bed smell like jasmine.”
Elain took one more sip of her wine before handing him the glass, silently asked him to put it back on the cart, and Azriel took his cue and placed his glass down next to hers.
“There’s something I’ve been curious about.” Elain admitted quietly as soon as Azriel faced her again.
“What’s that?” He asked curiously.
“Ever since I heard those rumors,” Elain wet her dry lips as she forced the words out. “About you being good with your tongue…I’ve been curious.”
Azriel’s body stilled next to hers.
“Curious about what, Elain?”
“About what it’s like - with you. Guys have gone down on me in the past,” Elain shared, her cheeks burning. “But it was always awkward. It felt like a fish was down there.”
A choking sound ripped through his throat at her words.
“A fish?” Azriel exclaimed, and Elain shoved at his chest.
“You can’t make fun of me!” Elain shrieked before hiding underneath the covers. “Just forget I said anything. I want to go to bed.” Her voice was muffled from the layers of blankets and sheets.
Azriel slowly moved the covers off of her and she looked up at him with wide brown eyes, her face red and flushed, and her golden hair messily tousled over her face and pillow.
“You want me to go down on you, sweetheart?” Azriel asked softly, and Elain nodded her head. He shifted so that he was caging her in with his arms. “Are you wet for me?” She nodded again slowly.
Heat gathered in Azriel’s groin at her admission.
Azriel lifted one hand to slowly tug down her bottoms, so that she was only left in his shirt and her white lace panties. Elain kicked her shorts to the bottom of the bed, silently hoping she didn’t appear too eager.
His large, warm hands cupped her over the lace and Elain shivered at the groan Azriel let out. His eyes shut as if he was savoring this moment and the feel of her. Elain hips moved against his finger, which was rubbing her through the lace, the tip of his finger almost touching her swollen clit.
Needy mewling sounds started escaping from Elain’s lips.
“I can feel how hot and wet your pussy is,” Azriel said, looking at her through half-open, heavy lids. “I bet it tastes fucking delicious.”
“I-I never get this wet.” Elain said, her cheeks burning.
Azriel couldn’t stop the male pride that threatened to tear him apart.
“You only get this wet for me?” Azriel asked, his voice laced with possessiveness and his fingers working overtime.
“Yes.” Elain said, feeling her orgasm mounting, and didn’t even try to hide her disappointment as Azriel stopped his movements.
“Would you rather have my fingers or my mouth?” Azriel asked, his eyes dark.
“Mouth.” Elain mutters, flushing harder as Azriel pulled away her panties, at the wetness that was coming out of her and clung to the lace.
Azriel tossed the scrap of fabric over his shoulders and moved under the covers, and Elain could feel his humid breath dance across her wet center - could feel the shadow of his mouth against her lips.
“Wait!” Elain called out, and Azriel immediately popped up, the blankets over his head as he looked at her with a blank, slightly worried expression.
“Did you change your mind?” He asked evenly, and Elain knew that if she asked, then he would move on and act as if this never happened.
“No,” Elain shook her head. “I just want to see you. Us. This.”
Something shuttered over Azriel’s face, but he nodded and the two of them tossed aside the bedding so that Elain had an unobstructed view.
She leaned back onto her elbow, her chin forward as she looked down.
Azriel spread her legs wide, his large hands on both of her thighs, as his eyes feasted on her dripping core.
His eyes met hers from his position between her legs - his eyes gleaming from lust - and he deliberately ran his tongue up her slit. His eyelids nearly shut in pleasure.
“Ohh.” Elain moaned, her hips arching off the bed, but Azriel kept her in place with his hands.
His tongue repeated the motion and Elain felt herself panting.
Her hands snaked into Azriel’s dark curls, pulling slightly, needing something to grab onto.
Azriel’s eyes darkened at the movement, and coaxed a moan out of Elain and he slowly slid his tongue into her channel.
“Yes.” Elain sighed, her heart pounding as his tongue thrust in and out of her. “Yes.”
He groaned against her, sending vibrations through her core and causing Elain’s hips to jerk.
Azriel pulled back, his lips wet and plump, and brought one hand up to work her with his long fingers.
“You taste so fucking good.” Azriel said breathlessly before diving back to between her legs. Using both his tongue and fingers to tease her into a frenzy - and eventually Azriel stopped trying to control her hips and let Elain ride his face. Her fingers pushing his face deeper into her pussy.
“Fuck,” Elain cursed, as Azriel fingers hit the sensitive spot deep within her. “Right there - yes!” She screamed and his fingers fucked her faster.
Her eyes were clenched as pleasure seeped through her, only to go wide as Azriel took her clit between his lips and sucked hard.
Her toes curled as she came undone.
Her body went limp as her breathing turned harsh as the last of her orgasm rushed through her.
“I - that - thank you, Azriel.” Elain panted, forcing her heavy lids to open as she looked at him.
Azriel licked his lips and he made his way up the bed. His breathing was heavy and there was a noticeably large tent in his pajama pants.
“Don’t thank me,” Azriel said as he laid next to her. His hair stuck in every which way thanks to Elain’s fingers, and he wrapped one hand around her body to press them close together. “I enjoyed that way too fucking much.”
Elain bit down on her lip, her eyes dropping to his pants.
“May I?” She asked in a soft voice.
“Only if you want to.” Azriel said, and Elain met his eyes briefly before cupping him through the flannel of his pants.
He groaned deeply and pressed himself into her hands.
Elain moved her hand to slide beneath the waistband of his pants and exposed his erection - and nearly came again at the sight of it. Its purple head had a bead of pre-cum seeping out of it and she could see veins extending along the shaft before disappearing underneath the fabric.
She licked her lips and ran her hand slowly up and down his length. She knew her fingers couldn’t wrap around it even if she tried, so she slowly stroked him.
Her eyes met his as she worked his erection, and he stared at her so intently, as if he couldn’t believe that Elain’s hands were on him. His breath warmed her face and she could feel his chest moving up and down, but Elain kept her pace steady - squeezing gently every once in a while - but not wanting this moment to end.
“Do you like this?” Elain asked.
“Too fucking much,” Azriel said in a heavy voice. “You’re going to ruin me, sweetheart.”
Elain gasped at his words, her thumb smearing the liquid at the tip of his cock - and that one tiny movement pushed him over the edge. He came, coating her hand as she worked him.
Spent, Azriel tugged her closer to his side, pulling the discarded blankets over their bodies.
Elain held her hand out, his orgasm sliding down her skin, and Azriel was about to apologize but stopped as she brought her hand to her mouth and licked. Her pink tongue collecting his seed, and it took everything in Azriel not to take her right there.
She licked at her hand again, and met his eyes.
“Next time you’ll come in my mouth.”
“If you’re not careful,” Azriel said, leaning to grab a napkin from the cart next to the bed and then took her hand to clean it off. “That’s going to be sooner than you think.”
Elain squirmed next to him.
He tossed the napkin away and turned back to Elain.
“That was magical.” She said quietly, almost sheepishly.
“Better than…fish?” Azriel couldn’t stop himself from asking, and Elain rolled her eyes.
“Much better,” She said, her face bright red. “I’ve never come like that before.”
An arrogant smirk appeared on his face and Elain hid her face in his chest.
“Goodnight.” She murmured, bringing a leg up to wrap around his hips.
Azriel stretched to turn the lamp off, the glow of moonlight on a bed of snow snuck through the curtains, but he soon found himself back to Elain - his hand resting on her soft thigh.
“Good night, sweetheart.” He whispered into her hair.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Hehe, I couldn't not post something for the holiday season! You guys know I love Christmas and winter too much not to write something seasonal :) . It's been so long since I've posted that I'm not going to be tagging anyone! Please share if you enjoyed this and let me know your thoughts! I'm wishing all of you a Merry Christmas <3
#elriel#elain x azriel#elain archeron#pro elriel#elriel fanfiction#elriel fanfic#fawnandshadows writing
78 notes
·
View notes
Text
I posted 1,972 times in 2022
That's 1,767 more posts than 2021!
108 posts created (5%)
1,864 posts reblogged (95%)
Blogs I reblogged the most:
@nikethestatue
@offtorivendell
@tswaney17
@fawnandshadows
@ultadverb
I tagged 951 of my posts in 2022
#elriel - 100 posts
#elain archeron - 93 posts
#azriel - 89 posts
#acotar - 52 posts
#t writes - 49 posts
#elain - 43 posts
#elain x azriel - 43 posts
#azriel shadowsinger - 42 posts
#elriel fanfiction - 39 posts
#elriel art - 38 posts
Longest Tag: 127 characters
#reading harry potter 7 as a teen and my tiny mind being blown by all the threads woven throughout the series coming to fruition
My Top Posts in 2022:
#5
Elriel Month Week 1. “Always”
NSFW
Elain dozed peacefully in Azriel’s arms as he carefully attempted to pry himself away from her soft curves. Her hair was a mess and lay tangled over half of her face, her full, pink lips were parted as her breath puffed out evenly, and her supple body was safely tucked into his chest. He didn’t want to leave the warmth of her bed, her embrace. But he was being summoned by a meddling High Lord. Mind to mind. He scowled and fortified his mental shields, shutting out Rhys for just a little longer, not yet ready to leave the little slice of heaven he found himself in this morning.
Apparently, dealing with an unruly prisoner in the Hewn City dungeons was a more pressing matter than residing between Elain’s legs for the fourth time this morning. He had snuck in from his month long mission well past midnight, finding her awake and waiting for him, and proceeded to attentively, and thoroughly, worship her. The memories of the night before made his cock twitch. The sweet taste of her, her sinful curves, her soft flesh.
His eyes raked down her gloriously naked body, pressed up against his, and smiled. She clung to him— as if even in her sleep, she couldn’t stand to be away from him. They hadn’t bothered to put any clothes back on throughout the night, they’d only be torn off moments later.
Gods. The sight of her, the scent of her.
He groaned longingly, pawing at her ample behind, his attempts at trying not to rouse her from sleep flung out the window along with his sanity, apparently.
Elain stirred in his arms and inhaled a deep breath as her eyes fluttered open and focused on Azriel’s face above her. His hazel eyes churned with heat. His hand was still kneading her ass. She smiled softly.
“Good morning.”
He returned her smile, pressing a tender kiss to the tip of her pert nose and shuffling himself free from their tangle of limbs. He hitched himself up on an elbow to gaze down at her, his other hand resting on the curve of her waist.
“You don’t have to go, do you?” her voice was small, still croaky from sleep.
“Soon.” He responded. The light in her eyes stuttered.
“You only just came back.” She didn’t want to sound like a petulant child, but she missed him. Whenever he wasn’t there, she missed him.
“I’m not going far, my love. Rhys just needs me to deal with something in the Court of Nightmares. I’ll be back in the evening.”
“You mean you have to deal with someone,” she corrected, her eyes full of worry for him. Always for him.
He nodded his head in ascent, just once, and reached out a scarred knuckle, trailing it down her smooth cheek. “You needn’t worry about me, Elain. I’ve been doing this for centuries.”
“I will always worry. You’re mi—” she stopped herself from saying that last word.
She would always worry for him, worry about the effect his work had on his well-being. She was well aware he had been the Night Court Spymaster for centuries, longer than Rhys had been High Lord even. But she was also aware that he did not find joy in torturing, did not relish in the game of defiance and mental gambit. If she could spare him from this encumbrance, she would. In a heartbeat…
She nuzzled back into his embrace, hiding her face from his gaze. Casting her eyes down she whispered into his chest, as if uttering the words directly into his heart, “I just... I wish we were both somebody else.”
His brow furrowed slightly in confusion. He didn’t quite follow, but he remained silent and let her finish her thought. He let his thumb trace soothing circles across the smooth skin of her waist.
“Only so… so we wouldn’t be somebody else’s…” she finished shyly, as if weary he might mock or chastise her for sharing her inner most thoughts. She knew he never would, but the feelings of doubt cruelly engrained from years of neglect and mistreatment by her mother had done their job well.
Understanding bloomed across his face. He knew what she was saying; they were always being pulled apart, their actions monitored by those who laid claim to their autonomy. By his High Lord. By her mate.
So, he shared her sentiment. He really did. And he didn’t want to claim her aloud, didn’t want to come off as a typical territorial fae male but, in his heart, she was his. Just as he was hers. His whole heart belonged to her. No other option made sense. And he hated that they had to sneak around. That they had to hide. That their love, although pure - a thing of secret, lovely beauty - remained ultimately forbidden.
“Elain,” he tugged her chin up with deft fingers so she could peer at him, so she could see the sincerity he hoped to convey in his expression. “I am no one else’s, but yours. I’m yours.”
She swallowed thickly, her delicate throat bobbing with the motion. “I want to call you mine. So that everyone knows. And I only want to be yours.”
“We will have that time; I promise you this Elain. But until certain… issues are dealt with, we must remain discreet. More than anything for your safety, as well as the tenuous political alliances of Prythian’s Courts and its’ High Lords.”
He rattled off the last line almost absentmindedly, his voice flat and emotionless. The words tasted like ash in his mouth, regurgitated from his lips mindlessly as he had listened to Rhys spout the same argument to him time and time again— whenever he challenged his High Lord on the matter, which was often.
But her safety was his number one priority. He would never forgive himself if Beron saw fit to lay claim on her in his son’s honour. If he believed it was within his rights to drag her to the Autumn Court and crown her a bride within the amber territory. A growl threatened to rip from his throat at the mere thought.
Her brown eyes bore into his as he spoke those monotonous words. Like she was peering through a window directly into his soul, she understood him. She always had. She recognised his weakness; her safety. Even if it sacrificed her happiness, if only for a little while, Azriel would always ensure her safety. He had gone on suicide missions for her safety, and she didn't doubt he would do so again without hesitation.
Her face softened, letting the thought go in favour of enjoying Azriel’s company for a little while longer. She settled back into the mattress before she whispered, “Lay with me, for a little while?”
See the full post
247 notes - Posted May 1, 2022
#4
Not In My Wildest Dreams
This is a continuation of my fic Not Possible, which you can find here, but can definitely still be read as a stand-alone.
Warning: If you’re familiar with my brand of smut you know this will be very explicit. Read: lots of sexually explicit detail, lots of dirty talk, lots of language, lots of kink. Absolutely not safe for work or young readers.
Happy V Day, lovers! 💙
Elriel. 6k words. Total smutfest.
He was going to burst into flames. Absolutely combust at the seams and burn the entire River House to the ground.
An hour and fifty-seven fucking minutes. That’s how long he had been made to sit here watching Elain eat. Watch her lips wrap around her fork as she took delicate bites of the meal laid out in front of the Inner Circle at their monthly family dinner. Watch her mouth split into an adorable smile as Cassian said something ridiculous. Watch her throat bob as she swallowed her wine. Watch her creamy, elegant neck twitch when she threw back her head in laughter.
The large double doors of the dining room had been flung wide open, allowing the balmy, summer night air to breeze loftily through the space, but it did little to quell the burning of his taut skin. Mercifully, they were finally up to dessert—an enormous platter of cakes and tarts replacing the grilled chicken, bread, fresh scallops and bright salads that were there a moment before.
Elain hovered off her seat to reach over Nesta and select a strawberry custard tart, the front of her low-back gown draping at the bust slightly as she did so. Pausing on her way back to her seat, she gave Azriel seated across from her a clandestine little smile when she noticed his gaze zeroed in on her chest. That little minx. His hands flexed around his utensils with such force that he thought he may warp his fork, rendering it useless.
“Feyre, pass the cream, please?”
Azriel almost groaned. She was doing this on purpose. She knew. She knew it was taking every fibre of his control, every ounce of his training-- expertly honed over the past 500 years-- to not leap over the dining table and tackle her into the air, spiriting her far away. Or simply shattering completely and ravishing her on the fucking table itself, audience be damned.
She dolloped a generous amount of the whipped cream onto her tart, a rogue droplet landing on her chest just where the swell of her breast begun to curve out. She looked down in feigned dismay and delicately swiped it off with a finger, promptly popping it into her mouth to clean the pad of her digit, her full lips wrapping around the tip.
Azriel’s knee slammed into the underside of the table, the crockery clattering on impact.
His family all turned to him, expressions ranging from curious perplexment to baffled amusement. Amren smirked over the rim of her wineglass at him from the head of the table.
Morrigan tsked. “You Illyrians are so large,” Mor groused from beside him, righting the toppled water goblet before her. “Even with Feyre’s custom furniture, you always seem to bumble your way around.” He saw it for what it was; an innocent excuse to keep everyone ignorant of what was transpiring under his skin. “Here Az, have some carrot cake,” Mor continued, lumping a generous slice on the plate in front of him.
He threw Mor a grateful smile. Whether she had simply guessed, or explicitly knew about he and Elain, he knew he could trust her to keep this secret. Elain and Azriel hadn’t confided to anyone about their secret relationship yet. But Mor had always been astutely observant, she needed to be, in order to survive her years in the Court of Nightmares before her escape. Lately, she had become a sort of buffer between Azriel and Elain and the rest of their family, a scapegoat-- as Cassian had often done between them previously.
“Funny, I’ve never had any complaints about my largeness,” Cassian quipped. Nesta threw him a look and promptly elbowed him in the ribs.
“Swine,” Mor jabbed, laughter lacing her words.
Everyone eased into conversation again and Azriel faded back into the periphery, where he was most comfortable. He dared flick his eyes over to Elain, and was met with her warm brown eyes, sparkling with mischievous delight. She raised her spoon to her lips, piled high with cream and strawberries and her eyes fluttered shut at the taste, a delicate moan escaping her throat. A little cream caught on the corner of her mouth.
He inhaled deeply, biting back a groan. She was going to kill him.
Another 40 minutes of blissful agony later, his family finally started to peel off, taking their leave to their various places of residence across Velaris.
“Elain, are you staying here tonight?” Feyre knew Elain had been increasingly spending more nights at the Town House if it were more convenient for her duties the following day.
“I have to be up early to help an elderly Fae with his garden in the morning, I’ll be staying at the Town House.” A pretty lie. “But, do you need anything?” She glanced toward Nyx, asleep in his fathers’ arms after spending most of the family dinner mashing potatoes into the cherrywood dining table with his chubby little hands.
“No not at all. Go. I can winnow you- “
“I can take her,” Azriel all but cut off his High Lady, having the good sense to look abashed at Feyre’s bemused raised eyebrows before continuing, “I am headed into the city proper to check in with a few of my charges before I retire, it will be on my way.”
Feyre hummed and smiled a little smile, waving her hand in polite dismissal. She turned to follow her mate up the stairs toward the wing containing their personal quarters, no doubt to put their sleeping son to bed.
Finally alone, he turned to Elain, a blazing look in his hazel eyes, and opened his arms. “Are you ready, my lady?”
“I’m always ready, Shadowsinger.” Her coy little smile was just for him. It made his skin feel too tight, stretched across his bones and ready to burst.
Two long strides of his powerful legs and he was in front of her, sweeping her up into his arms. He paced to the open doors of the dining room, leaping off the balcony, his mighty wings catching the breeze and launched them into the balmy night sky.
As soon as he had crossed over the sprawling grounds of the manor, Elain sighed deeply and he felt her body melt deliciously in his arms, as if she’d been holding her breath the entire time they were with the others. Their precious secret bundled up in her chest, tenderly wrapping it in her soft embrace and shrouding it, protecting it, from their loveable yet opinionated family.
See the full post
247 notes - Posted February 14, 2022
#3
Don’t Hold Back
Ok don’t come at me about this, I’ve only read the CC series once and I’m aware this isn’t perfectly in character. I didn’t have a whole heap to go on ok. But we desperately need more Nightbright content so I took matters into my own hands.
It’s very smutty, and ignores some things in HOSAB purely so I can get this to work but here we are.
Also, if you haven’t finished reading CC2 this is spoilery, scroll past NOW!
Ruhn x Daybright. 4.3k words. NSFW
Ruhn swung the front door of his home in The Old Square open and stilled, setting his face in a scowl at the triarii member that stood there.
“Prince,” the Hind sneered, her beautiful face set in a mask of contemptuousness. “I have matters to discuss. Members of your Aux said I could find you at your…home.” The last word dripped with disdain as she remained standing out in the street, her eyes flicking over the sad excuse for living quarters that the Prince of the Fae insisted on inhabiting.
“How gracious of them,” his voice exuded annoyance. “I’ll have to tell them that next time my whereabouts are queried, they keep their mouths shut.” The last word snapped from his mouth with a flash of his teeth. Ruhn schooled his face into a look of utter derision as he haughtily stepped aside and allowed the Hind to enter his home.
As soon as the worn door had snicked shut behind her, the cold mask was dropped and he took her small hand in his, cupping her cheek in his other palm as he gazed down into her exquisite face. “Did anyone follow you?” His voice was gentler now. The shadows of ire behind his bright eyes gone.
“Mordoc is prowling the streets in the CBD. Pollux remains behind at the Committium, standing guard of Celestina and Ephraim’s private quarters.” Ruhn winced at the forced mating of the two archangels.
Lidia too, had relinquished her cruel mask now. The voice of the Hind replaced in favour of that of Agent Daybright, the voice he had utterly fallen head over heels for and that filled his dreams. The voice that was truly her. The voice that so few even knew existed.
“Let’s make this time count, then.” The prince smirked conspiratorially, his lip ring glinting in the faded firstlights that dimly illuminated the foyer. He twisted toward the dilapidated staircase, her hand still firmly clasped in his as he led her past the living room where Declan, Flynn and Ithan were sprawled across the sagging, stained couch. Declan was hunched over typing furiously at his laptop, whilst Flynn and Ithan were jostling each other, engrossed in killing the others’ avatar in a videogame.
“Hey Lids,” Declan called after her, never lifting his gaze from the screen before him, at the same time as Flynn hollered “Whattup, Doe!” The three fire sprites draped around Flynn’s shoulders like a boa ooohed and giggled at the nickname.
She smiled back at them over her shoulder and allowed herself to be all but dragged by Ruhn as he impatiently bounded up the stairs toward his room. “Throw her over your shoulder, why don’t you,” Ithan muttered, followed by something that sounded suspiciously like territorial fae males.
No sooner had Ruhn closed the door behind her, he turned and cradled her face between his palms, kissing her soundly on her sensuous mouth, smearing her perfectly applied red lipstick. She sighed, her lips falling open, granting access for his tongue to sweep into her mouth to expertly stroke and lave at her. She clutched at his tattooed biceps as his plush lips slanted across hers, attempting to keep him close as began to pull away, lightly sucking her full bottom lip as he did so.
“How long do we have?” he whispered.
Her eyes flicked down, a glimmer of sadness crossing her features as she whispered back, “That depends on how long Ephraim keeps Celestina occupied for. Pollux will be asking for me not long after.”
Ruhn tried to reign in his sneer at the male’s name. It wasn’t often that Lidia joined her cadre and came to Valbara from her post in Forvos with Emphraim, and it had proven even more difficult for them to orchestrate this secret rendezvous. To see her privately, as Lidia, and not in public as the cruel farce that is the Hind— without the Hammer loitering around— was truly a rarity. Ruhn counted himself lucky for the time he could get, seldom as it was.
She had been pulling away from Pollux as much as she could without rousing too much suspicion. Either feigning covert missions or volunteering for additional assignments whilst in Lunathion, if she were required to travel with Ephraim whilst he visited. She would even often opt for night duties to avoid having to be alone with Pollux in the Committium barracks. But she had to keep up appearances, and she was no stranger to living a double life.
“I can’t wait to watch you rip him limb from limb,” Ruhn snarled savagely. A feral grimace bloomed across her face at the image, but she tucked away the violent thoughts. Time with Ruhn was preciously rare, she didn’t want to spend it growling and brooding.
“How about,” she started, a solitary, elegant finger tracing the whorls of tattoos down his muscular forearms, “Instead of talking about what I will one day do to destroy his body,” she continued coyly, now pressing a palm against his broad chest, the back of his legs hitting the mattress of his bed, “I show you precisely what I want to do with yours, now, Prince.”
He growled again, although an entirely different emotion was emanated this time, her toes curling in her boots at the sound. She grasped the hem of his black t-shirt in her hands and hefted it over his head. At the same time, Ruhn reached for the buttons of her white blouse and manically fumbled at them, the desperate need to get each other naked suddenly overwhelming.
Ridding each other of all offending clothing and hidden weapons between them, breathing coming in shallow pants, Ruhn grasped the back of her neck, hand tangled up in her long golden hair, and angled her face how he wanted it. His eyes softened when they beheld her open, regal face—her smooth pale skin, her large sparkling amber eyes, her truly intoxicating scent that had haunted him day and night.
Lidia’s red tinted lips parted, and, knowing Ruhn would always wait for her to make the first move— always wait for her consent— she reached up on her toes, bridging the gap between them, and pressed her lips to his. Her eyes fluttered closed and she kissed him so deeply he couldn’t help but melt into it.
She had missed him. It had been so long since she’d held him, and these stolen little moments were never enough. Always left her wanting more. Left her aching for the Fae Prince. She didn’t know she could harbour these types of feelings for anyone. She always thought of herself as incapable of being so…soft.
She pushes his chest again with a small palm and he reluctantly tears his lips away, wondering if he’s done something wrong. Before he can think too long on it however, he notes the mischief in her eyes and, so quickly that he barely has time to react, she’s shoved him again, causing him to flop heavily onto the bed behind him.
Lidia crawls up his gloriously naked body, straddling his strong legs, her fingers idly fiddling with the piercing through his nipple. She croons down at him, a teasing edge to her voice, “Why Agent Night, what would your superiors say if they saw you so readily subservient in the face of a foe?”
The corner of his mouth twitches into a crooked, sultry smile. “I’m secure enough in my masculinity to be submissive if my lady enjoys it, Agent Daybright.”
Sprawled out beneath her, he smirks, throwing her a flirty wink as his hands come up to brush the soft skin around her taut waist, thumbs sweeping across her ribcage. Her eyes turn molten at the scene.
“Yeah you are,” she mutters before she tips at the waist and kisses him hungrily now. She sweeps her tongue into his mouth — tasting him, savouring him — and sucks his bottom lip between hers, giving his lip ring a flick of her tongue for good measure. Ruhn feels his balls tighten, hips jerking off the bed into hers, granting him the cock-hardening knowledge of just how ready she is for him. He groans as she pulls away, shifting to tuck her face into the crook of his neck, her tongue laving at a particularly tender spot at the base of his throat.
See the full post
262 notes - Posted March 21, 2022
#2
Azriel Week Day 4: Bat Boys
Drunk Confessions. 950 words
Azriel sits on the floor of Rhys’ office in the River manor, his head lolling back onto the plush seat of the sofa at his back. Burying his scarred fingers into the warm rug beneath him, he watches the flames as the fire crackles in the hearth.
Cassian stretches forward from his perch atop the couch where he lounges, long fingers reaching for the ornate decanter of amber liquid they’ve been sipping on all evening. Refilling his crystal tumbler and Azriel’s, he then hands it off to Rhys who is sprawled on the velvet armchair opposite them. His long legs are stretched out before him, and wings spill out across the floor; a show of utter ease for the High Lord.
“I still don’t know why we couldn’t go,” Cassian grumbles for what feels like the hundredth time that evening.
“Let it go, Cass. It’s been hours. They just wanted a fun ladies’ night,” Azriel moans, truly exasperated, having repeated the mantra numerous times already.
“And what, I’m not fun?!”
Pure indignation laces Cassian’s voice as he squawks those words from behind him.
Azriel sighs heavily, angling his face towards the heavens, seeking the patience required to deal with his petulant brother from the Mother, or the Cauldron, or whoever is listening.
“No, you’re just not a lady.”
“Technicalities…” Cassian grumbles again, his toes digging into the arm of the couch where he kicks at it impatiently as he lays sprawled across the deep leather cushions.
Rhys chuckles before a wistful look crosses his features and utters, “They deserve it. A night out.”
Cassian and Azriel pause their bickering for a moment, both staring longingly toward the ceiling, lost in their own thoughts, before replying in unison, “Yeah.”
“They deserve it all.”
The three males all still, their minds filling with thoughts of the Archeron women, and what their lives would have consisted of if they had never crossed paths. If fate had never been so serendipitous to allow the three Illyrians the honour of knowing them, loving them.
Their little rabble-rousing trio had only had each other to depend on for so long; centuries, really. Even though they’d hated each other at first, they'd grown to be closer than brothers, truly proving its the family you choose rather than the one you are born into that defines you, lifts you up, and loves you. It was no wonder that these indomitable females had managed to ingrain themselves in their lives so thoroughly that they couldn’t imagine a life without them. They had always been destined to be here, with them.
Cassian clears his throat thickly before rasping, “Nesta, she does this thing in the bath—”
“Caaass,” Rhys groans, “We don’t want to hear about you and Nesta in the bath.”
“It’s not like that, you prick.” He throws a beaded cushion, Feyre’s pick no doubt, at the High Lord before continuing. “I have this damned spot, right between my wings that I can never properly reach. She always scratches it for me. Every day, whether its itchy or not. She saw me struggling one time… that’s all it took.”
Rhys smiles at his brother faintly, taking another sip from his glass and allowing the liquor to further warm his insides. The thought of Nesta being so soft was still a side of her he had yet to make acquaintance with, but he suspected she preferred it that way. All the same, he was glad his brother had found happiness with her.
“Feyre calls me best daddy—” Rhys murmurs before abruptly halting as Azriel splutters, choking on the sip of drink he had just taken, and Cassian sprays a mouthful of whiskey all over Azriel’s head through pursed lips at Rhys’ admission.
“Not like that, you assholes!” Rhys interjects, scowling at his brothers’ horror-struck faces, throwing the beaded pillow back at them.
“With Nyx. She knows the kind of father I had. None of us had good role models in that department. She knows, that it’s a point of…trepidation. That I’m terrified I’ll become like him, or my child will fear me, resent me. I always hear her talking to Nyx, calling me the best daddy. I love it. I— I hope she means it.”
“She does,” Azriel utters simply, having recovered from the asphyxiation he briefly suffered, his face conveying nothing but the truth of the words he had spoken. For out of all of them, it can be argued that Azriel’s father was the worst monster of them all.
Azriel tilts the glass between a thumb and finger, his eyes downcast as he murmurs, “Elain will always capture my attention from across the room and smile. Every time her eyes meet mine, she gifts me with that smile. No one has ever been as happy to see me as she is. Every damn time…” he trails off.
Rhys peers from Azriel’s love-struck face, to Cassian’s, who is sprawled behind the Shadowsinger in a tangle of long limbs and large wings. A look of quiet elation permeates across the General’s face, feelings of shared contentment for his own brother’s long-awaited bliss.
Silence fills the study for a beat of several moments before Rhys raises his glass in a toast. His voice is hoarse, thick with emotion, both for himself and the life his brothers have been granted through the twists of fate that some higher motion of power bestowed upon them. Their chosen females providing that last divine piece of the half-a-millennium old puzzle.
“Here’s to those strong, stubborn, stunning Archeron women. May they never figure out just how much better they could have done than our sorry asses.”
“Cheers to that,” Azriel quietly agrees, clinking his glass with Rhys and then Cass.
They all drink deeply, contemplating their incredibly good fortune, before a shadow passes Cassian’s face once more.
See the full post
274 notes - Posted August 4, 2022
My #1 post of 2022
Junior Spymaster
Azriel Week Day One: spymaster
Fluff. 1.2k words.
Azriel fought the smile that was threatening to curl his lips as he lay in bed, perfectly still, feigning sleep. The footsteps shuffling across the floorboards of his bedroom were short, hurried, a little too excited. The soft drag of fabric across the hardwood followed the footsteps like a shadow, and from the dim light he could sense shining behind his closed eyelids, he could tell that it was still early dawn.
Very early. The sun was most likely only just peeking over the horizon.
The footsteps halted at his bedside, and a stifled giggle was promptly muffled by a blanket that was surely being pressed across the bedroom creeper’s lips. Azriel braced his abdominals for what he knew was to come, just as he knew his daughters’ knees were bending, readying herself to push off the ground as she fluttered her little wings and landed feet first on his stomach, her bottom following soon after.
Umph! He heard the little puff of her breath leave her as she landed on his stomach, shuffling to straddle his torso. She was still working on her crash landings, or rather, learning how to try to avoid them.
“Wake up daddy! I got you!” Rune squealed, her little fingers poked at his face, giggling as she did so. The sound of her tinkling laughter filled his heart with unbridled joy. He never thought he’d be the reason for a youngling’s happiness.
Azriel made a display of acting surprised, exclaiming theatrically “Rue! You got me good today, baby.”
Rune giggled and wrapped her little arms around his neck, stretching herself over her father’s chest, pulling her blanket up with her. A broad hand came up to rest on her back, stroking her long, unruly mane. So much like his own but softer, finer in the delicate way only a child’s hair can be. He breathed in her honey and morning dew scent.
“I’m a good sneaker, you know.”
Azriel smiled down at his four-year-old. Her little feet were planted either side of his waist as she rested her chin on a fist, her elbows digging into his chest.
Azriel arched an eyebrow, regarding his daughter. “A sneaker? Or a spy?”
“Oh, a spy!” she corrected. “I’m gonna be Spymaster for Nyxie when we’re all grown up. Just like you and Uncle Rhysie.”
Azriel chuckled, “Oh really?”
She nodded matter of factly. “Ahuh! I’m good at finding secrets.”
He snorted, knowing very well how much of a snoop Rune was. He barely had a spare second with her mother alone.
“I know you are. But you see, what you also must understand is that you have to be good at keeping secrets, too.”
Azriel gave her a smirk as he bopped her on the nose pointedly. It was only just last week that Rune had announced to his brothers at family dinner that mama and daddy were doing yoga in bed again when Rhys had been ribbing Azriel about missing morning training sessions for three consecutive days. Cassian had looked like he was about to combust from laughter.
“I can keep ‘em!” Her bright eyes gazed back into his, the perfect portrait of righteous indignation painted across her features. She looked so much like him, big hazel eyes, raven black hair and golden-brown skin, thankfully still smooth and mostly unblemished. The only thing marring her perfect skin were the regular knicks and grazes a happy child would encounter. But her temperament, her way with people and her kindness, that was all her mother.
“Oh really? Didn’t you tell me just yesterday at bedtime that Benedict has been sneaking mama’s cookies from the kitchen?”
Rune blushed, fiddling with her blanket between her hands, her mind working to form a rebuttal to her father’s accusation.
“Yeah but… I’m just being a good spy for you daddy! You still the master now, so I tell you all the secrets. But when I’m the master, you gotta tell me when Beny steals the cookies!”
“Well in that case I guess you were just being a loyal subject then, is that right? It had nothing to do with tattling on your brother.”
“Yep! Mama said that the master is nothing without the network, daddy.” She waved her arms about as she spoke and that combined with the stern look on her little face had Azriel grimacing to contain his amusement.
“That’s very true, Rue. Mama is very smart; the Master is nothing without his network. That is why you have to all work together to protect the ones you love and the ones that trust you to protect them.”
Rune nodded solemnly; glimpses of such wisdom shown beyond her years already.
“Is that why you’re Spymaster daddy? So you can protect mama and Beny and me?”
Azriel smiled at his daughter. A whisper of sadness at the edge of his mind as he thought about the solitary reason he had been employed as Spymaster by Rhys’ cruel father centuries ago.
Shadowsinger.
See the full post
522 notes - Posted September 18, 2022
Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →
#tumblr2022#year in review#my 2022 tumblr year in review#your tumblr year in review#lots of smut in my top 5#but also a few of my faves#long post
6 notes
·
View notes
Text
Azriel creating chaos in the kitchen? Yes please! I got inspired by my commissioned artwork and wanted to write a short story around it. Hope you like it! 🦇🌸
🎨: @/luxury_banshee on IG, comm by me.
@elriel-month
Prompt: Peace and Quiet. 💙
I will not be posting full fics for Elriel Month on Tumblr this year. Check out the beginning snippet and link to read more below.
Azriel wanted to do something special for his Elain. She had been working long hours in an elderly fae couple’s garden the last few weeks, coming home bone-weary exhausted. Some days she’d get up with the morning light to bake bread and other delicacies for them to eat before dropping a kiss on his lips and heading out to do her rounds in the city. Others, she was gone at dawn. It was the largest project she’d undertaken since the River Manor.
While she would deny it, he could tell it was taking a toll on her. Azriel could see her moving slower around the house, the yawns that had her nearly falling asleep before the sunset, resting against his shoulder while they sat on the sofa in the evenings.
So, to show his love, Az decided to make dinner for the two of them to share.
Read More
~~~~~
Remember, sharing is caring! Please reblog if you liked the fic. It helps spread my work and I truly appreciate it. 💕
While I have moved these fics to AO3 only, I am still going to utilize a tag list here on Tumblr. This as a permanent solution and may change in the future. For notifications, you can follow and subscribe to my fanfic account where I will be reblogging updates and snippets only. You can also find me on ao3. If you would like to be added to my tag list, please leave a comment on this post.
My fanfic account: @tswaney17fics
My ao3 account: tswaney17
Taglist: @nikethestatue @reverie-tales @123moiaussi @duskwhisperer @zdenkah @nyxreads @shedoessoshedoes @athena-85 @jasmineandshadows @nightcourtseer @nivem565 @debramclaren @illyrianvalkyriecarynthian @secretpuppyflower @justreallybored @ultadverb @the-regal-warrior @roseandshadows @tcursebreaker @kingravinger @mis-lil-red @eloeloeheheh @fawnandshadows @swankii-art-teacher @miss-bee-cat @bookhhrelaz @impossiblescissorspeachpaper @elrielbaby @lesolehabitantdelalune @thoughtsaboutshows @britishwings @aelin21galathynius @saz-griffin
Some tags seem to not want to link, which could be related to your visibility settings. Sorry about that!
#elriel month#elriel month 2023#elrielmonth#elrielmonth23#elriel#elain#elain archeron#azriel#azriel shadowsinger#elain x azriel#elain x az#azriel x elain#elain and azriel#azriel and elain#elriel fic#elriel fanfic#elriel fanfiction#tswaney17#tswaney17fics#tay writes#my writing#fanfic#fanfiction#acotar#acomaf#acowar#acofas#acosf
55 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hi!
First of all, I love your writing. I love it.
Second of all, what are your favorite Elriel fics? I need some recommendations and names of fanfic writers.
I've never read fics before, but somehow I ended up in a rabbit hole of your fics and I am obsessed. Now I need more!
Hello sweet Anon! :)
Thank you!
Apaixonar by @thefangirlofhp (and everything else she wrote. She can copy a phone book and it would be riveting)
Pretty Little Angel by @dottielovegood (and really anything by her is amazing)
I Do Bad Things With You by @tswaney17 (ongoing and incredible and anything by her is excellent!)
Navy Suits, Chelsea Boots by @featherymalignancy (her writing is magnificent)
The Arrival by @theladyofdeath and @snelbz (not strictly Elriel, but a really fun ensemble cast of everyone. Also, they are very prolific writers, so there are a ton of great stories and one offs. But I always go back to The Arrival because it's my comfort fic)
You Painted Me Golden and all the Solstice fics which are fluffier than a bunny by @fawnandshadows
I think that's a good starting off point
(Just FYI, most of these are not in canon, because I prefer to read modern AUs, but some are--PLA and YPMG are canon)
Happy reading!
Also, this is not a comprehensive list by any means.
@impossiblescissorspeachpaper and @nightcourtseer write wonderful stories, but mostly one offs and @casuallivi has imagination like no one else
44 notes
·
View notes
Text
You Painted Me Golden - Chapter 13
King Of My Heart
Rating: M
Warnings: Language, soft smut
Chapter 12 - Masterlist - AO3
Word Count: 9k
And all at once, you are the one I have been waiting for
“I’ve never really done something like this before,” Elain said as she locked the door behind them. “It’s quite exciting.”
Azriel looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
“Sleeping in the first lodging available?” He asked and wrapped his arms around her, his hands resting on her soft belly.
She peered up over her shoulder at her husband, and with a soft smile she said, “Traveling,” She placed a kiss on the underside of his jaw, and the rough growth of hairs on his face tickled her skin. “I’ve always wanted to, you know.”
“The continent,” Azriel said, leaning forward to plant kisses along the length of her delicate neck. “You want to see the tulips. One day I’ll take you there. I’ll take you anywhere you would like to go.”
Elain shivered as his lips brushed against her sensitive skin. His mouth made its way up to her ear and teasingly tugged on her earlobe with his teeth.
“You’re going to spoil me.” Elain sighed as her head rolled back, exposing more of her neck to her husband.
“You deserve to be spoiled,” Azriel mumbled, his voice low and lush, and his hands traveled down her body to push her hips back into his. “And I take great pleasure in spoiling my wife,” His fingers curled into the heavy fabric of her traveling dress. “Especially when it comes to matters of the flesh…I take my duties very seriously.”
“Azriel,” Elain moaned as she relaxed into his touch. “We haven’t even had dinner yet. Or bathed. We’re still filthy from our travels.” Her words were teasing but laced with affection.
“Don’t you think we should get dirtier before we clean ourselves?” Azriel said lowly in her ear, his hot breath brushing over her neck. “Can I let you in on one of my fantasies, wife?” At Elain’s nod, Azriel continued. “Do you remember that Solstice where you gifted me the headache powder?” Elain nodded leisurely as if barely comprehending his words as he palmed her body. Taking his feel of her hips. “You looked so deliciously rumpled with your lovely hair falling out of your braid and flour on your cheek and apron. You smelled of freshly baked bread and potatoes and loveliness and something inside of me wanted to take you, make you smell like me, you know how much I love that,” Elain’s lips fell open as Azriel spoke, and he caught a whiff of her honeyed arousal in the winter air. “I wanted to follow you back to the kitchen, but before we got there I wanted to claim your lips. I wanted to fill your mouth and your delicious pussy and take you against the wall with your dress bunched at your hips. That was the present I wanted to give you that night, my love.”
“I would have let you,” Elain whispered, opening her warm brown eyes to gaze up at her male. “You had so much of me, even then. You could have snuck into my bedroom any night and I would have welcomed you.”
Azriel growled as he captured her lips.
He unfastened her cloak and let it fall to their feet and Elain’s hands nimbly followed suit.
Azriel walked them so that Elain’s back hit the wooden door of their cabin and lifted her so her legs wrapped around his waist, her dress gathered above her hips and Azriel used his shadows to undo his leathers and rid her of her undergarments.
“This is what I wanted to do to you, Elain.” Azriel said as he pushed the blunt head of his cock to her folds, a groan ripping through his throat as he felt how wet she was for him. “Would you have been this wet and ready for me?”
“Yes,” Elain moaned as Azriel moved deeper inside of her, his eyes screwing shut as she clenched around him. “I would have been just as eager. Would you have been rough with me? Or would you have held yourself back?” She asked, and Azriel let his head fall forward to the curve of her neck.
Azriel took a deep breath and said, “I would have tried to be a gentlemale, as you deserve,” He slowly started to pump in and out of her. “But it wouldn’t have lasted for long. You would have driven me mad with how perfect you feel. I would have been incapable of holding back.”
His hands slid up her bare thighs, the rough leather of his siphons scraping against her sensitive skin, and he didn’t stop until his fingers dug into the soft, full flesh of her cheeks.
Sweet pants came from Elain as Azriel thrusted in and out of her, her walls clenching around him. Even though he had taken her so many times, even though their bodies were so accustomed to each other, they touched and kissed and loved each other as if it was the first time — as if they’d never be able to do it again.
“Would you have been able to keep quiet?” Azriel asked, his voice harsh as his pace intensified, already knowing the answer. Sweat started beading on his brow from the force in which he thrusted into her.
“No,” Elain moaned, throwing her head back as her hips clumsily lifted to meet Azriel’s. “I’ve never been able to be quiet with you.”
Azriel growled in response, his skin flaming as he fucked her faster, the rough fabric of his clothing overwhelmed his senses. He wanted to be bare.
“You would have screamed my name,” Azriel panted, the sound of their skin meeting filling the air with their heavy breaths. “You would have bitten my shoulder to try and keep quiet, but you would have called out for me.”
“Azriel.” Elain moaned, sweat glittering on her forehead as orgasmed over his hot cock. Her golden hair turned into a tangled mess trapped against the wall, and desire burned in Azriel as he saw how Elain slowly came undone.
With one last thrust, hitting the sweet spot inside of her, Azriel groaned as he came. His hips shallowly pumping to fill her.
“I love you.” Azriel said, kissing her hungrily.
“I love you too.” Elain said breathlessly in between kisses.
Slowly, Azriel pulled out of her and delighted in the little moan that escaped Elain lips.
“You make the best sounds.” Azriel said, capturing her round face in his hands.
Elain blushed at his words, but reveled in the praise.
“I’m always worried that I’m too loud.” Elain admitted and Azriel shook his dark head.
“Never,” He nipped at her lips. “I want to hear every precious sigh and moan and even every sneeze.”
Elain laughed at that and said, “I’ll save all my sneezes for you then.” Her wide smile caused her nose to scrunch.
Azriel gazed down at his wife, remembering the exact shade of pink her cheeks were and how warm her eyes looked and how heavy and deep her breathing was.
“Go get yourself a hot shower or bath or whatever they have here,” Azriel said, taking a step back to put himself back into his leathers. “While I run down to the main lodge and get us dinner. I’ll leave some of my shadows here for you, their queen.”
Elain rolled her eyes at that name, bending over to pick up her cloak, but Azriel beat her to it. Placing her cloak on the rack by the door and putting his cloak back on to face the cold.
“They love you more than they love me,” Azriel said, placing a kiss on her plump cheek with one hand on the door. “And I can’t blame them.”
Elain gently nudged his shoulder.
“Maybe they just mimic the emotions of their master.”
His eyes glowed golden in the night.
“Then like I said, they love their queen.”
Elain’s broad smile stayed in place as her husband braved the winter cold to get them dinner, through her gloriously hot shower, and grew even wider when he came back carrying a large covered tray.
“It smells delicious,” Elain noted from her position on the bed, already having changed into the flannel nightgown she found. Azriel’s shadows had been nice enough to lay it out on the bed for her after her shower. “And the shower is divine. Sit by the fire,” Elain motioned to the large leather chair by the roaring fire. The shadows had been busy while Elain was cleaning herself. “And then after dinner you should enjoy the warm water,” She eyed his large body and larger wings. “Though it might be a bit small. Would you…would you like for me to bathe your wings?”
Azriel’s heated eyes gazed at her, having only taken a few steps into the room.
“Only if you’re prepared for the response.”
Warm delighted ran along the length of Elain’s spine at the thought, and she nodded her head.
King of my heart, body and soul, ooh whoa
And all at once, you are all I want, I'll never let you go
The warm glow of the fire mingled with the golden rays of light streaming in through the windows. For a brief moment she wondered how the fire had managed to thrive overnight, but the shadows that swirled by the hearth told her what she needed to know.
Elain snuggled into the warm body beside her, pure contentment filling her chest as she took a deep breath and inhaled his masculine scent. Her nose burrowed into the crook of his neck, and she pressed her lips into his sharp collar bone. She moved, the top of her nose trailing over his warm skin, and gently pressed her lips onto his chest — right above the beating of his heart.
Slowly, her fingers fanned out over the hard planes of his stomach. She could feel the corded muscle moving under her touch, slowly lifting up and down as he breathed.
Elain shifted slightly, so that her cheek was laid flat against his chest. The echo of his heart drumming against her cheek. And the cool breath of Azriel’s sleeping exhale caused the hairs on top of her head to twitch and tingle.
She closed her eyes and settled her mind and just tried to enjoy…Enjoy the way Azriel’s peaceful, sleeping body felt against her…Enjoy how the snow dusted the window and sky and everything in the world was quiet…Enjoy the fleeting seconds of a snowy morning with her husband.
“This is nice,” Azriel’s low, sleepy voice caused Elain’s eyes to flutter open. She peered up at him beneath her eyelashes and felt a smile grace her lips as her husband gazed at her. “I’ve decided that my favorite way to start the day is by your side.”
“I’ve decided my favorite way to start the day is first,” Elain said. “That way I can see you before anything else.”
Azriel’s large hands spanned almost the entire length of her back, and the tips of his fingers sunk into her soft flesh.
“Are you always this romantic in the morning?”
“Hmmm,” Elain pretended to think as she gazed up at her husband, slightly overwhelmed by how handsome he appeared in the light of early morning - the snow making him look almost angelic. “It must be being a wife. It’s made me dreadfully romantic — I’m having all of these thoughts of ‘forever’ and they all include you.”
A smile softened Azriel’s face and Elain suddenly felt a little lighter. Like one of the snowflakes floating outside their window.
Azriel pressed her closer into his side and underneath her cheek was the flat of her hand, she felt his heart change pace, as if it was skipping a beat.
“I like that.” Azriel said, his voice low. “I don’t have very many firsts left, but I want all of your forevers.” The pads of his fingers moving over the bare skin of her back.
“You’re my forever husband,” Elain smiled and planted a kiss on his chest. “My forever love.”
“Your forever lover,” Azriel said, leaning down to nip at her lips. His fingers sinking into her soft flesh. “As much as I love making lovemaking with my forever love,” Azriel smiled over the words. “We have quite a bit of distance to travel if we want to make it to the Day Court, and I promised to give you the best, most authentic travel experience possible. And that includes early mornings, late nights, and the unexpected in between.”
“I love the fact that I married a poet.” Elain smiled, her hand sliding up the length of his muscular chest, over his neck, and into his thick black hair.
Azriel raised a dark brow at her.
“It’s true,” Elain said. “You say the most lovely, poetic things I’ve ever heard.”
“I guess you bring it out of me,” Azriel leaned down to give her a slow, lingering kiss and pulled away before they lost themselves at the contact. “We really have to go if we're going to be on time.”
Elain watched the delicious expanse of brown skin as Azriel stood from the bed, her eyes going down his well defined back as he walked away and landing on his rounded buttocks.
Her head tilted and she bit her lip to stop herself from sighing.
“We’re on a schedule?” Elain asked, not bothering to pull the sheet up to cover herself as she sat up.
A sly smile overtook Azriel’s face as he looked over his shoulder at her, and Elain couldn’t stop the excited smile that burst onto her face.
“You married a spymaster, my love, I have a few tricks up my sleeve.” Azriel said, still looking over his shoulder at her.
“Impossible,” Elain said, raising a hand to point at him. “You aren’t wearing sleeves.”
Azriel blinked at her.
“I suppose I can’t argue with that,” Azriel rummaged through his pack to find the clothing his shadows had tucked away the night before. “But we still have to leave.”
With a nod of his head he sent his shadows towards his wife, and Elain didn’t even bother to protest as they peeled the bedding away from where it pooled at her waist.
“You just want to see me naked.”
Azriel smirked.
“I could see you naked from the bed, love. And I could do so much more than just look from there.”
Elain mock-pouted at his response and twisted a strand of golden hair around her finger.
“I thought you wanted to see the world, mo chroí.” Azriel raised his eyebrow at her.
“I do,” Elain said softly. “I just have so many fond memories here.” She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs, her hair falling around her in a veil of curls.
“After one night?” Azriel asked, buckling his belt and walking over to her. He tilted her chin up to gaze down at her.
“It was a marvelous night, wasn’t it?” Elain grinned up at him.
“Splendid.” Azriel leaned down to plant a kiss on her cheek.
“Phenomenal.”
“Euphoric.” His lips moved over her skin.
“Sensational.” Her breath caught in her throat.
“Elain, wife, as blissful a distraction as this is, we do have a schedule to keep.” Azriel pressed their lips together in a bruising kiss — one that spoke of the passion he was fighting and restraining. He pushed away from her once again and grabbed a thin black shirt to layer with.
“I had no idea I married such a stickler,” Elain grumbled, propelling herself off the bed and allowing his shadows to help her dress for the day. Layers to keep her warm while they traveled in the human land that could easily be stripped away when they entered the Day Court. “Must have been all the sneaking around and flagrant breaking of Rhysand's rules that had me fooled,” Elain fake sighed and turned away from her husband so that he didn’t see the smile breaking across her face. “Maybe the spark is gone now that it’s no longer forbidden.”
Rough hands settled on her hips, and Elain let her head fall back on Azriel’s shoulder as he pressed his erection into her backside.
“I want you more than ever, mo chroí,” Azriel captured the fleshy part of her ear between his teeth and bit down in the way he knew she liked. “I want to claim you and mark you—”
“Both of which you have already done.”
“And scream from the fucking mountain tops that you’re completely and wholly mine. I want to see the look on every male’s face when they realize that you belong to me…and the only way we are going to experience that is if we leave this cabin.”
Elain relented, giving into her husband's desires.
“If that’s what you truly wish — for the entire world to know you possess my heart, body, and soul — then I suppose I can give that to you. But there is one thing that I would like in return.”
Azriel looked down at her in curiosity.
“If you’re going to ask me to throw you back in the bed so I can have my way with you, then we seriously need to work on your negotiation skills.”
Elain grinned broadly at him and shook her head. Her tongue came out wet her lips before saying, “I only ask for the same in return,” she smiled wildly. “I must say I will feel more than satisfied to see the realization on females and males alike when they see that I have claimed you.”
Azriel’s fingers pressed deeper into her hips as the words.
“I am a lucky, lucky male,” Azriel said, kissing the spot on her neck where her heart fluttered. “Now, let’s finish getting dressed so the entirety of the fae population can see what they are missing.”
Elain immediately missed his warmth as he stepped away from her.
King of my heart, body and soul, ooh whoa
“You didn’t.” Elain stated incredulously with her hands placed on her hips, staring at the two massive beasts in front of her.
Two horses: one ebony, so dark that it looked as if it was made from shadows, and one a beautiful, warm chestnut. Both of them were harnessed and attached to a sleigh.
Elain pressed her lips together to try and stifle her smile.
“A sleigh ride?” Elain asked, peering up at her husband. The cold air causing their breath to cloud between them, and his cheeks were twinged with a lovely red. Small snowflakes dusted his black hair.
“Just to our next destination.” Azriel said, the shadows dropping their luggage in the sleigh.
Her husband held out his gloved hand to her.
“You’re taking me on a sleigh ride.” Elain grinned so widely that her cheeks obstructed her vision.
“If you’ll let me.”
Elain threw her arms around her husband, his hands quickly catching her at the waist, but he still stumbled a step back. She peppered his face with kisses, not caring if her display caused their schedule to be disrupted.
“I can’t believe you remembered.” Elain said, her love for her husband inflating in her chest.
“Mo chroí,” Azriel whispered against her ear. “One day you’ll believe me when I say that I remember everything about you.”
His words caused Elain to nuzzle into him. Overwhelmed by her reality. That the male she so dearly loved loved her in return, that though challenges laid in front of them they would be together. One of her unwanted bonds was nullified and the other would soon be in her past.
But the bond that she chose, the bond that they both chose, would be her future.
Elain squeezed her husband once again before slowly pulling back.
“I would love to go on a sleigh ride with you, mo chroí.”
The endearment was still relatively new for her tongue, and she wondered if it would ever come naturally to her, but the look of delicate rapture that graced his face was incredibly rewarding. He looked lovestruck, every single time.
Azriel settled them into the sleigh, grasping the reins in his hands and nudging the horses into a canter.
“This is why we couldn’t be late, isn’t it?” Elain questioned, snuggling into his side and basking in his warmth.
He looked down at her with a sheepish, crooked grin.
“Trying to make your travels as human as possible.”
Elain beamed in return.
“Except for the shadows doing all the heavy lifting.”
“Some luxuries are too nice to live without.” Azriel shrugged one of his shoulders and Elain couldn’t help but agree, thinking of how easy his shadows made her day to day life.
After a beat of silence Elain said, “I remember everything about that night.”
“As do I,” Azriel said solemnly, and Elain knew they were both thinking back to that first solstice. “It was the night I first saw a future with you,” Azriel paused, but continued when Elain gave his hand an encouraging pat. “Spending that night with you, just talking, made me feel lighter. And hearing about your plans for your garden, I imagined myself there with you. Listening to the stories of why you chose which flowers, which ones gave you the most difficulties, and just being with you. Like when you had your tea while I went through my reports. That night where we stayed up talking, it made me realize that all my calmest, most peaceful moments have been with you, and it made me hope that we would have more moments like that in the future…It made me hope.”
Warm, salty tears streamed silently down Elain’s face.
“You,” Elain took a deep, steadying breath. “After my transition, you were the one who made me feel comforted. Normal. Human. It felt as if I was suffocating under everyone’s worry, but you realized what I was and what was happening to me, and you never pushed me. You would sit and listen and you just… you gave me exactly what I needed. That first Solstice, it was the first I could see myself with someone after Graysen. It wasn’t sexual for me at first — though I’m sure you know that I’ve always thought of you as beautiful — but I found myself being able to trust again because of you. Thank you for everything that you’ve done for me during that time.”
Azriel shook his head.
“Don’t thank me,” Azriel said, and Elain parted her lips to speak but Azriel kept going. “I was greedy, Elain. Yes, I wanted to help you and I cared for you, but I was desperate for you as well. To be in your presence. To feel because of you.”
Elain leaned forward to press a kiss into his cold cheek.
Azriel grinned down at her tear streaked face.
“And just so you know, I didn’t know that you thought I was beautiful the entire time.”
She tilted her head at him and narrowed her eyes.
“Please be serious. I was painfully obvious around you.”
“You were utterly devoted to Graysen.”
Elain rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched, knowing he knew he was being obtuse.
“Devoted, but not blind,” Elain admitted, nudging him with her shoulder playfully. A prideful, male smile bloomed across his mouth. “Azriel, we’re married, bonded together, and we make entirely too much love, surely it’s not that big of a surprise.”
Azriel shook his head, little snowflakes flying from his hair, but yet his grin grew.
“I know I’m a handsome male, or beautiful, as you say,” For a moment Elain thought he had swapped bodies with Rhysand for all the arrogance he was exuding. “But you hid it remarkably well at the time. It wasn’t until later, when you gave me the headache powder, that I realized you were looking at me. I thought you recognized my beauty, but I didn’t think I interested you,” Azriel paused for a moment. “And it’s incredibly flattering to know I could turn your head from Graysen.”
Elain rolled her eyes and playfully pinched his bicep.
“And?” Elain prompted.
“And?” Azriel repeated, his tone of voice teasing and Elain knew he wasn’t going to make this easy for her.
“Surely I turned your head? Just a bit?”
“Fishing for compliments, mo chroí?”
“I learned from the best — Rhysand.”
Azriel chuckled at that, but turned to her with affection shimmering in his eyes.
“I never knew humans could be so beautiful,” Azriel said and Elain felt herself flush. “And I didn’t want to cause any alarm, so I made sure to mask my scent that night.”
Elain nibbled on her lip feeling flattered.
“Truly?”
“Truly.”
“I think,” Elain said, turning the words over in her mind. “That we were always going to find each other.”
Azriel nodded in agreement.
Late in the night, the city's asleep
“This is stunning,” Elain breathed, taking in the sight of the town they were approaching. Eventually, they left the thick forest they were traveling in and found themselves trotting down a cobblestone street — the clip-clopping of the hooves reminded Elain of all the fairy stories she heard as a girl. “How did you know of this existence?”
Her large brown eyes looked around, staring at the buildings made of stone and laden with snow. The full moon caused the night to brighten up their surroundings in the way that can only happen on a snowy night.
“A perk of the job. And old age.” Azriel said, and Elain shook her head.
“I never knew you were this cheeky.” She said lovingly, pressing a small kiss to his lips.
The temperature must have dropped as the moon rose in the sky, but Elain felt warmer than ever. Her husband must have been playing fast and loose with the rules for what he deemed “human travel”, but Elain didn’t mind. She wanted to preen in his thoughtfulness.
Azriel cocked his head to the side and he gazed down at her.
“I asked Vassa before we left and she gave me some ideas for our honeymoon.”
Her love for him bubbled inside of her.
“I love you, so much I think I’ll explode.”
“The feeling’s mutual.” Azriel said warmly, leaning down to kiss his wife slowly and leisurely.
Elain forced herself back because two more moments of his lips on hers and Elain was certain she wouldn’t say no – she’d let him take her right there in the sleigh.
“I never knew this type of village existed in the human realm.” Elain admitted as they slowed down, stopping in front of a charming, hole-in-the-wall stone building. A sign that read The Holly and The Ivy swung delicately back and forth.
“Our lodgings for the night,” Azriel said, stepping out of the sleigh and offering Elain his hand. She placed hers graciously in his and let him lead her inside, where a stout old woman stood behind a wooden counter. Her red, fur lined coat looked cozy, and she peered up at them with wireframes glasses.
“Welcome!” She clapped her arthritic hands together, a smile bright on her face. “You must be the guests that Vassa told me of,” She waved her hands, gesturing for them to come in. “Please, please come in from the cold. I have your room all ready, and we’ll get your luggage for you, don’t you worry.”
She quickly scampered out from behind the counter, her gray hair was pulled back in a snug bun on the nape of her neck, and she curtsied as soon as she was in front of them.
“I’m Mrs. Cringle, my husband and I own this little Inn and we’re more than happy to welcome you for the night,” She stopped herself, her blue eyes blinking as she thought of something. “Vassa only mentioned one night, and I’m assuming that is correct, My Lord?”
Elain expected Azriel to correct her titling, but he simply nodded in agreement.
“Lovely,” The old woman clapped again. “Please follow me to your room, and you made perfect time. The festivities begin in one hour.”
“Festivities?” Elain questioned, looking at her husband, whose face gave nothing away.
“You’ll adore them,” Mrs. Cringle said from a few feet away, her small legs pushing her from the cozy lobby. Elain and Azriel quickly followed behind her. “It’s a bit of a secret, we wouldn’t want our little town to be overrun, you see, but we do so to love sharing our traditions with others. And at the Queen’s recommendation, well, it really is an honor for us.”
Elain delighted in hearing her speak. There was such joy and fondness in her words that giddiness sparked in her chest at whatever was planned.
“I’m very much looking forward to it,” Elain assured her, and even though Elain was looking at Mrs. Cringle's back, she could see the smile radiating off of her face. “And thank you for your hospitality.”
Mrs. Cringle waved her off.
“We are humbled to have friends of the Queen staying with us.” She said as she led Elain and Azriel up an old wooden staircase, and Elain looked over her shoulders to see how Azriel was faring with his wings. Her brows knotted as she took in their bent positions.
For a second Elain was struck by the fact that Mrs. Cringle didn’t seem at all surprised by two fae’s showing up at her doorstep, but perhaps Vassa warned her.
“Here you go,” Mrs. Cringle fit the brass key in the last room of the hall, but she didn’t turn it at all. “Your personal belongings are already inside, and please let me know if there’s anything I can do for you. I’ll be at the front desk.” She curtsied again before running off.
“What a lovely, odd little woman.” Elain remarked as Mrs. Cringle disappeared out of sight.
Azriel smiled as he turned the key in the knob and opened the door. He pushed the door open wide so that Elain could enter before him.
She took a tentative step through the door, not missing the mischievous gleam in Azriel’s eye, and peered wide-eyed into their room.
The first thing that she noticed was the roaring fire that cast the entire room in a golden glow. It instantly settled any nervousness that might have been fluttering inside of her, and as her eyes swept over the room Elain couldn’t help but smile.
It was just so cozy.
As if a bit of the Winter Court had made its way down to the human realm.
Against the far left wall was a massive four poster bed with lush crimson curtains tied to the head and foot of the bed with silver ropes. And the white comforter looked so snug and fluffy that Elain thought she could drown in it. All of the furniture in the room was massive and wooden and decorative — the air smelled of sweet cinnamon and spiced apples and pine.
It was impossible to have any worries in a room like this.
“It’s beautiful,” Elain said, stepping further into the room. Taking in the little nutcrackers that lined the bookshelves and the tiny bells sporadically placed in decoration. It wasn’t one of the rooms that Mor or Rhysand would have put together, it wasn’t intentionally stylish, but the charm was the way it was thrown together — imperfectly. “How much of this did you know about?” Elain asked, turning on her heels to look at him.
“Vassa gave me a brief description of what to expect here, and then I’ve been communicating with Mrs. Cringle for the rest. There’s a few surprises hidden for you in the room,” He smiled slightly as he took her in, just enough to showcase his dimples. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“Azriel,” Elain said gently, walking up to him. “I want you to know how incredibly thoughtful this is,” She pressed her lips against his and felt his breath hitch in his throat. “And you’re shaping up to be the best husband imaginable.”
“I like spoiling you.”
Elain blushed and said, “I think I like getting spoiled.”
Azriel kissed her lushly and quickly before pulling back and softly pushing her further into the room to explore.
When Elain managed to take her eyes off of Azriel, she noticed a silk emerald gown splayed across the white bedding. It had long lace sleeves, an embroidered bodice, and a heavy velvet skirt and next to it lay a white fur stole.
“Oh Azriel,” Elain sighed and ran her fingers over the soft, decadent fabric. “It’s beautiful.”
“I thought you would like it,” Azriel said, walking up behind her. “And I have to admit I look forward to seeing you wearing it. And taking it off of you.”
“You can’t rip it,” Elain said seriously. “It’s too pretty to rip.”
Azriel sighed, as if not ripping her dress off was a horrendous chore.
“I’ll try to contain myself.”
Elain narrowed her eyes at him and then changed the subject, not wanting to give him any more ideas.
“I believe you mentioned multiple surprises. As in plural. More than one.”
Azriel grinned and dropped to one knee before her. And while it was a lovely sight, Elain was a bit confused.
“I think we’re already passed this part. We’re already married.”
His grin widened.
“There are many things that I can do for you on my knees,” Azriel said, his words warming the room. “I’m simply assisting you with your boots.”
Elain placed her hands on his strong shoulders to steady herself, not wanting to fall over in front of him. With her luck she’d break an ankle and ruin their entire honeymoon.
“Can fae break their ankles?” Elain asked, ignoring Azriel’s warm and rough hand on the back of her stockinged calf.
“Is there something you’d like to tell me, mo chroí? Because I do have some hard limits, but I thought we’d be married for a few centuries before we got to that point.”
Elain batted him on the shoulder.
“If I were to fall over, accidentally, it’s possible for me to break my ankle? Twist or sprain it?”
Her boot hit the floor with a thunk and Azriel leaned back on his haunches.
“What’s going through your mind?”
Elain spoke after a beat of silence.
“Everything is just going so wonderfully, and I don’t want to mess anything up.” She admitted in a small voice, taking the comfort Azriel offered when he squeezed her calf.
“Even if you broke your ankle, Mother forbid, we’d still have a lovely time together. Because it’s our honeymoon. Just us. And even if Devlon himself came bursting through the door, nothing would ruin this.”
“Really?” Elain asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Truly, though if Devlon arrived I suppose it would mark the end of our honeymoon. I’d like the bloodshed to be kept to a minimum.”
“Such a gentlemale.” Elain smiled, picking up her hand and running her fingers through his dark hair.
Azriel worked off her other shoe, and Elain was relieved when both of her ankles were intact.
“How much time do we have before the festivities begin?”
“About forty minutes.” Azriel said, running his hands up and down Elain’s thighs.
Elain nodded, turning her thoughts over in her mind.
“I think we should bathe together tonight,” Elain thought aloud. “I have a feeling this place has the most fantastic bathtub. And enough space for you to lounge your wings. Did you like it when I cleaned them for you?”
“Very much.” Azriel replied, his eyes golden and heady as he thought about the night before.
“I very much liked cleaning them for you,” Elain said, leaning forward to run her hand over the strong membrane. The suppleness underneath her fingers never stopped astounding her. “I was worried the cloth was too rough.”
“It was a bit,” Azriel said, taking her free hand and kissing her palm. “But otherwise I probably would have embarrassed myself.”
“I do like to play with your wings,” Elain said in a low voice. “And to bring you pleasure.”
Azriel’s head fell forward and nestled into her soft belly.
“We don’t have time for this.”
“Sorry.” Elain said, sighing and wishing she hadn’t put up such a fight this morning so that they could be together now.
“You know,” Elain pouted. “You should have just ravished me this morning.”
Azriel harrumphed.
“I’ll ravish you plenty tonight, mo chroí.” Azriel said, rising to his feet.
“You better.”
Your love is a secret I'm hoping, dreaming, dying to keep
Elain’s breath clouded the air as she and Azriel walked through the opening of the courtyard — one of the most beautifully decorative environments she had ever seen. Moonlight and candles lit the cobblestone pathway where brilliantly red poinsettias were placed around the perimeter of the walkway, guiding them to the murmur of voices in a location Elain couldn’t quite pinpoint yet.
The night sky was clear. The stars almost as bright as those back home in the Night Court. The chilled night air playfully bit at her cheeks and Elain leaned further into Azriel’s side.
“This is marvelous.” Elain breathed, her wide eyes taking in the pine wreaths and garland strung around the old stone pillars.
“I thought you would like it. Does it remind you of your childhood?”
Elain’s eye’s caught those of her husband, his golden hazel eyes burning bright.
“Yes,” Elain replied, smiling. “My early winter memories are similar to this, but this is by far cozier and more welcoming. It reminds me of the stories we would tell around this time of year. I’m sure you’re aware of the lore.”
Azriel bent his head, the indent of his dimple shadowing his face.
“What is it?” Elain whispered. “What do you know that I don’t?”
They rounded a corner and Elain, so caught up in her husband, almost missed where the ground dropped off.
Azriel’s large hand tightened around her waist, drawing her closer to his side.
A soft gasp fell from Elain’s lips and she saw the open air theater below them. The stone steps were steep as they sloped down, and the rounded rows of seats were filled with what appeared to be everyone in the village - all of whom were dressed in their winter’s best. A sea of crimson red, evergreen green, shining silver, and sparkling gold - all facing the festive stage.
Azriel slowly led her down the steps until they arrived at the only two empty seats in the theater, right in the very first row.
“This is marvelous.” Elain whispered, her eyes wide as they took in her surroundings.
“Just wait.” Azriel whispered against her ear as the lights dimmed.
Dancers floated onto the stage - the scene vaguely familiar as realization dawned through Elain.
The ballerinas began to tell the tale of one of her favorite stories; A story of sugar plum fairies and mouse kings. She had always wanted to see it performed live, but her family had lost its fortune before Elain had the chance, and the fae looked down upon human tales and rarely (if ever) performed them. But Elain had the fondest memory of this book as a child, and she shouldn’t have been surprised that Azriel had tucked away that tidbit of information.
He really did remember everything about her.
Elain watched breathless, on the edge of her seat, as the magical story unfolded before her. The elegance and craft of the human ballerina’s almost made her believe they were truly fae in disguise.
All too soon the ballet came to an end. The lights lit up again and the roar of applause filled the air, and Elain clapped heartily with the rest of the awestruck audience. A broad smile pulled at her lips as she silently hoped the ballerinas would do a second performance.
Her brown eyes turned to Azriel, who was already gazing at her in adoration, and said, “Thank you for bringing me here.”
“The night’s not over yet.” Azriel grinned brightly and Elain felt her heart contract in her chest.
Azriel helped her to her feet and the pair of them followed the ebb of the crowd as they slowly moved back up the old stone stairs. Surprisingly, no one turned to gawk at the winged Shadowsinger who stood apart from the crowd. Even though he was the only one with wings, it was as if they were used to his presence.
“Have you been here before?” Elain asked as they slowly made their way up the steps and Azriel shook his head, but his eyes still glowed merrily, as if he was waiting for her to realize something.
Elain narrowed her eyes at him slightly, feeling left in the dark.
“There’s something magical about this place, I can feel it.” Elain said, her eyes sweeping around the courtyard again as they crested the top of the steps - but the courtyard was completely different than it was before. Some of the decorations were cleared away and a stone floor meant for dancing appeared and was lined with two long, massive tables packed full of decadent food and desserts.
Awe bubbled in her chest, but Elain turned to Azriel and asked, “What is this place?” Azriel merely smiled and held his hand up as a quartet of stringed instruments filled the air, silently pushing her towards the dance floor.
She placed her slightly chilled hand into his warm one as he led her to the dancefloor, where couples were already twirling around under the moonlight. As soon as they stepped onto the floor, Azriel was whisking her away gracefully and perfectly in time with the other dancers. His charming smile and shimmering eyes were all Elain could focus on as she let herself melt into the dance.
The taste of your lips is my idea of luxury
Eventually, Elain and Azriel broke free of the dancefloor, but the music continued. They drifted over to the side table that called to Elain - the sweet smell of gingerbread beckoned to her. It was always one of her favorites in the chilled, frostbitten months.
Azriel held a plate in each hand and Elain was filling them with sweets, inspecting each and everyone - admiring the skill and craft that went into every pastry - before piling it onto their plates.
Elain was looking at a cream puff in great detail when she heard an amused voice asking, “Is everything to your liking?”
She looked up from the puff and saw Mrs. Cringle standing there, light amusement dancing across her face as she looked at Elain, who smiled in return.
“Everything has been so delightful,” Elain said, setting the pastry down sheepishly. “The skill of the ballerinas was incomparable, and all the dancing and, well,” She gestured to their surroundings. “Everything has been magnificent. Thank you so much for letting us join on such short notice.”
Mrs. Cringle's eyes creased in delight.
“I’m so happy you could join us,” She said, smiling whole-heartedly. “My husband is traveling this time of year, and I always get so lonely without him, so we started this tradition,” Something caught her attention behind Elain’s back, her eyes drifting away and Mrs. Cringle nodded slightly. “Please excuse me, but enjoy the rest of your night. If you need me, just ask anyone and they can find me.”
Elain tried to bite back her curiosity, but it won out in the end.
“What is this place?” Elain asked, gripping Azriel at his bent forearm and she narrowed her eyes at his soft laughter.
“Look around Elain, truly look.” Azriel said gently.
Elain took a steadying breath, her eyes sweeping around her once again. She noticed that no matter how people grabbed a handheld pie, or a shortbread, there was never a shortage of food…that the music was coming from…nowhere…no, there on a balcony tucked away behind curtains of red velvet Elain saw an enchanted quartet - the instruments playing and plucking themselves.
She turned to look at the human across from her - a slender woman with pale skin and pale curls and pale eyes - and while she paid no attention to Elain, her movements were more graceful than any human, but not as inhuman as fae.
Elain’s brow furrowed as she studied her closer. Concentrating as she pushed away the magic that hung in the air…Her skin was glowing, almost incandescently, and her ears were pointed similar to those of a high fae, but hers were more rounded - like a pear.
Elain blinked and turned to Azriel.
“It can’t be.”
Azriel’s grinned widened.
“It’s the stuff of lore, not real life,” Elain said, taking in her surroundings with a fresh set of eyes. “Elves?” Elain mouthed the word and Azriel nodded in confirmation. He handed her one of the plates and placed a warm hand on the small of her back, leading her away from the mass of people to speak quietly.
“I thought they were myths.” Elain whispered as they stood against a stone wall.
“They chose to become one,” Azriel said lowly, nodding to them as they engaged in their festivities. “Thousands of years ago they let themselves be forgotten, and this is the only colony in existence,” Azriel explained. “While there might be a family in hiding here or there, there are only certain people who know that this exists.”
“Were they truly hunted?” Elain asked quietly, and Azriel gave a solemn nod.
“Brutally so,” Azriel confirmed. “Somehow, humans and fae alike believed that their bones possessed magical properties, and it was believed that if you made weapons out of them it would kill both the physical form and the spiritual form.”
“Did it?” Elain asked before she could stop herself, a chill going down her spine.
“No,” Azriel said, his eyes darkening. “But no matter how often it was disproven, the rumor was still believed to be true. So, they disappeared from living memory and let themselves turn to myths. I can’t say I blame them.”
Revulsion and sympathy crashed through Elain’s being as she looked at the elves.
“It’s an honor to be here.” Elain whispered, watching their lives unfold before her.
“It shows how trusting they are of Vassa, to allow us to be here based upon her recommendation alone.” Azriel said, and Elain nodded in agreement.
“Did you know of this existence before talking with Vassa?” Elain asked and Azriel nodded.
“Yes and no,” Azriel said. “Throughout my years as a spy I knew that elves were alive and that there was mostly a village somewhere, but I had no idea where. Or what their lives were like.”
“And Mrs. Cringle is…?” Elain asked.
“A different legend all together,” Azriel replied and motioned to Elain’s plate. “I’ll answer all of your questions later, but replenish your energy for another round of dancing, wife.”
Elain smiled and bit into a pastry, absorbing every magical flavor.
– – –
By the end of the night, Elain was both giddy and exhausted as she and Azriel staggered back to their room. Flames tumbled in the ornate fireplace, keeping the room perfectly toasty on a cold winter’s night. The windows were frosted on the outside, and Elain was surprised to see fat snowflakes floating down from the dark sky.
“No one truly understands elf magic,” Azriel said, taking in the surprise on her face and reading her mind. “But I would assume it'd be similar to that of the fae.”
Elain nodded, turning to smile at her husband.
“Thank you,” Elain said, taking a step towards him and placing her hands flat against his chest. His heartbeat a comforting thunder under her palms. “For this wonderful experience - for everything.”
“You don’t have to thank me,” Azriel said, bringing his hands up to cover hers. “I want to do this for you. You deserve a memorable honeymoon. You deserve the entire world.”
Elain stood on her tiptoes to place a delicate kiss on Azriel’s lips. Sinking into his warmth, letting her eyes fall shut to savor the feel of him. Soon, they would be back home, but for now she was enjoying this time with him. Soon they’d have to face Devlon, but he was the farthest thing from Elain’s mind as she felt her husband’s tongue brushing against her lips.
A low, sensual moan pulled out of Elain’s throat as their tongues met.
Azriel’s hands left hers and went to push down her fur stole.
The room became warmer, headier as Azriel kissed her, slowly backing her towards the bed.
Elain let her hands fall from his chest so that the garment fell to the floor, and soon after Elain’s dress went with it. They undressed each other slowly, taking in each other's bare bodies in the glow of the fire.
Warmth bloomed through Elain at the sight of Azriel’s body, somehow she still wasn’t used to his hardened muscles or his male beauty. She truly didn’t think she’d ever be.
Elain swore she saw faint threads of silver and gold connecting their bodies in the scarce distance that separated them. Azriel, however, didn’t seem to notice as he gazed down at her - his eyes locked on her.
One of his hands tangled in her hair, tilting his chin up so he could claim her lips in a searing kiss before they fell onto the bed behind Elain.
His body was on top of her and in hers the entire night. Claiming her in every way.
When Elain woke the next morning, her body was tucked into Azriel’s, his wing cocooning them over the thick, fluffy comforter.
Golden light was streaming in through the frosty windows and a silly, sleepy smile graced Elain’s face as she felt the tell-tale ache between her thighs.
“Good morning,” Elain said softly, turning to face Azriel, his eyes wide awake as his face came into view. “Are we allowed to sleep in this morning, or do we have a schedule to keep to?” Elain teased before placing a sleepy kiss to his lips.
A smile played on Azriel’s lips.
“We have a few moments before we have to leave,” Azriel said, kissing her deeply and sliding one hand over the soft skin of her leg before grasping her behind the knee and pulling her leg up over his hip. He nudged at her entrance. “I can think of a good way to spend it.” He mumbled against her lips as he pushed inside of her.
Elain moaned in pleasure as her husband leisurely made love to her.
Is the end of all the endings?
“I feel so official, traveling with the Spymaster,” Elain said, setting into the cabin onboard a merchant ship. The mattress underneath her was lumpy with a threadbare blanket digging into her elbows - a far cry from the embodiment of comfort she woke up in that morning. After their morning lovemaking, Azriel urged her out of bed and they quickly left the colony of elves. It was as if the entire village was asleep because they didn’t see a single soul as they made their way through the town. The horses and sleigh were in the same position as they had left it. “Maybe I’ll accompany you on one of your missions someday.”
“Hmmm.” Azriel remarked, testing on the lock and deadbolt on their door.
Their luggage appeared on the floor, in a cloud of shadows, which swarmed Elain kindly before disappearing.
“You wouldn’t want me to join you?” Elain asked, a mock pout on her lips.
Azriel’s hazel eyes met hers over his shoulder.
“I’d love for you to stay far away from any and all of my missions.” Azriel said honestly.
Elain let a beat of silence pause in the air before responding.
“You can’t hide me away from danger,” Elain said quietly. “No matter how much you may want to.”
Azriel’s taunt body turned towards her, his shoulder leaning against the closed cabin door.
“I know,” Azriel said, “And I know you’re incredibly powerful and we’ve only tapped the surface for everything you’re capable of,” Shadows darkened his corner of the room. “But I fear that I’d put you above any mission assigned to me - no, I know I’d always choose you, Elain. Prythian be damned.”
Elain’s toes curled in her boots.
“Then we are one and the same.” Elain said, sitting up straight on the small bed.
Silence filled the room, realizing what they both admitted to each other, and Elain asked, “Where are we going? Are you allowed to tell me, or is it another surprise?”
Azriel gave her a smile, the one that showed off his dimple, and said, “I can tell you.”
“And we’re going to…?” Elain trailed off, prompting Azriel to fill in the blank.
“Have you ever heard of the Golden Carnival?” Azriel asked.
Elain furrowed her brow, searching her brain for some recollection and found nothing, so she shook her head.
“It’s described as living luxury, decadent incarnate,” Azriel said, a sly grin on his face as he spoke. “A celebration held over multiple days. I’ve been a few times in the past,” His grin faded. “And if one knows where to look, then they can find any sin to indulge in. Masks are required to be worn for all who participate,” A tingling spread through Elain’s veins, a rush of emotions (both pleasant and unpleasant) fizzled inside of her. “And there are no such spectacles in the world like it.”
“And that’s where we are going?” Elain asked slowly, raising her eyebrows as her husband.
“Can you guess where it is?” Azriel asked, smiling cheekily at her.
Elain pursed her lips, combing through her brain to try and salvage a guess.
“If I had to guess,” She started, relishing in the spark in Azriel’s eyes. “I’d say that this has Helion written all over it.”
Azriel nodded at her.
“It’s in the heart of the Day Court, luckily enough,” Azriel confirmed. “As you can guess, the Golden Carnival was paused during Amarantha’s reign, and after. But this is the first time that Helion feels it’s safe to start the tradition again.”
“And we’re allowed to go?” Elain asked, to which Azriel simply shrugged.
“As I said, identities are kept secret and masks are worn. And we don’t need the permission from anyone other than Helion himself to attend.”
A grin pulled at Elain’s mouth.
“It sounds thrilling,” Elain admitted, excitement bubbling inside of her. “And this ship will take us there?”
Azriel nodded in confirmation. “Helion is one of the few High Lord’s willing to trade with humans, and you wanted to experience travel, so I thought I’d give you some variety.”
Elain laughed, silently pleased that within a day Azriel had them traveling by sleigh and ship, giving her every experience possible.
“I can’t wait.”
---------
Happy Solstice !!! I couldn't wait any longer to post this chapter because I really feel like it fits into the Holiday Season! It's been forever since I updated, so I'm not going to bother anyone by tagging them (hides face) so please comment and share if you enjoy!! Wishing everyone a great Solstice, Christmas, New Years, and every holiday you guys celebrate !! <33333
#elriel#elain x azriel#elain archeron#pro elriel#azriel#elriel fanfiction#elriel fanfic#fawnandshadows writing#You Painted Me Golden#You Painted Me Golden Chapter 13
63 notes
·
View notes
Text
How You Get The Girl
Chapter 23
Masterlist
Word Count: 1.7k
Warnings: Language
AO3
“I feel awful,” Elain said, pulling the seat belt away from her belly. “I can’t believe this happened.” Inky guilt settled into her veins as she thought of the photo that had been making waves online. She hated the guilt that lurked inside of her because she was so proud of that photo — of how beautiful it was, of how Azriel’s artistic talent and passion was on full display. His affection. But that picture was for them. Not the entire world.
“How are you holding up?” Azriel said from the driver's seat, reaching over to place one hand on her knee while the other rested on top of the wheel. The dark tattoos and his corded muscles was a nice distraction from everything on fire outside of the car.
“I can’t believe this ruined Feyre and Rhysand’s plans.” Elain pouted and sunk further into the passenger's seat.
“I wouldn’t say we ruined their plans.” Azriel said, flicking the turn signal to turn onto a dirt road.
“We hijacked it, at the very least,” Elain grumbled and looked out the window, watching the leaves rush pass as they drove into the dense forest. “They were planning on having a romantic getaway at Rosehall and now we’re crashing it. And like a week before they even get here.”
“Elain,” Azriel said softly, squeezing her knee. “Your photo was leaked. You have the right to be upset.”
“I know,” Elain whispered, peeking at him from the corner of her eye. His strong profile, made up of straight lines and a beautifully sloping nose, looked confidently out the window, and the glow of late afternoon sun landed on him with a gold outline. “And your phone was compromised. Your privacy was violated because of me. I never should have told you to take that picture.” Her fingers played with the ones that laid comfortingly on her knee.
“Hey,” Azriel said firmly, his eyes cutting to hers meaningfully before turning back to the road. “I should have deleted that picture. I should have never taken it in the first place, but I was being selfish. And how much training did I have to sit through where they expressly told us what not to do?”
Elain pursed her lips and fought the urge to argue. To put all the blame on her shoulders.
“You know what I hate?” Elain whispered, placing her hand flat on top of Azriel’s and seeing how small it looked in comparison. “How they can say such nasty things about such a beautiful picture,” She scrunched her nose and threaded her fingers through his. “I mean, if it was a professional shoot and that picture was in a magazine? People would be fawning over it. But because it was on my boyfriend's phone I’m somehow a slut? A tramp? It’s ridiculous.”
She looked up at him and saw the muscle in his jaw ticking. Elain leaned across the console and placed her free hand on the left side of his face to pull him towards her, and then kissed the tensed muscle in his jaw.
“It’s not fair.” Azriel stated, frustration clear in his voice.
Elain leaned her head into his shoulder. Her forehead pressing into him.
“I was thinking,” Elain said hesitatingly, unsure if this was the best time to bring it up. “But I don’t think I want to model anymore,” She felt his body tense under her and continued. “You know it was never something I really wanted to do, and I feel more and more detached every time they call me The Face, and after this whole experience I’m sick of that entire industry.”
A short silence fell in the car.
“I want you to do what makes you happy.” Azriel said, this thumb brushing over the soft skin of her hand he was holding.
“That’s,” Elain started and cut herself off when she felt a burning sensation in her eyes. “That’s one of the things I love about you. You don’t care if I’m a model, or what I’m posting on my instagram, or anything that comes with all of that. You just care about me.”
Elain pressed a kiss into his shoulder before pulling back, and when she looked through the windshield she saw them pulling into Rosehall’s driveway.
“This isn’t how I saw us being here for the first time, as a couple I mean. Obviously we were both here before with my family.” A blush tinged her cheeks.
Azriel put the car in park before turning to face her. His eyes were intense and caring in a way that made her stomach contract.
“This is how I see it,” Azriel said, his voice warm and lovely. “I get to spend a week alone with my gorgeous girlfriend, away from all the bullshit we normally have to deal with. And despite the reasons why we’re here — we’re still together,” He leaned closer to her and Elain felt herself leaning forward as well. “And I am going to do everything in my power to make this the best week of your life.”
A smile bloomed on Elain’s face.
“Did you pack the condoms?” Elain whispered, as if they were in a car full of people and she didn’t want anyone to overhear.
Azriel raised an amused eyebrow at her.
He rested one elbow on the center console and brought a hand up to rub his index across his bottom lip to keep from smiling.
“I did,” Azriel said, almost smiling. “Are you planning on taking advantage of me, Elain?”
“Maybe,” Elain moved even closer, her smile taking up more real estate on her face. “Is that a problem?” She unbuckled herself and shifted so that she was sitting on her knees, facing him fully. Hunched over and uncomfortable, but she wanted an unobstructed view of her boyfriend.
Azriel smiled fully at her, his dimple deep in his cheek.
“Let me get back to you on that.” Azriel joked, and Elain playfully swatted his arm before leaning in and pressing her lips against his.
His strong hand came up and tangled in her hair and their lips moved slowly against each other.
Excitement raced through Elain, pushing out any lingering feelings of frustrations with their situation. She was looking forward to time with Azriel and was going to relish every second they got to spend together, no matter the circumstances.
When they pulled away, Elain was panting and she could feel her lips tingle from their kisses.
“Tonight? Do you think?” Elain questioned breathlessly, her hair feeling too hot and heavy against her damp neck.
Azriel’s eyes darkened as they looked at her.
He shifted his hand to rub one thumb along her soft jaw.
“Are you ready?” Azriel asked, and when Elain nodded her head Azriel swallowed loudly. “If you get too tired tonight and just want to sleep, then we can push it back. There’s absolutely no rush, Elain.”
“I know,” Elain whispered and gently brought their lips together again in a brief kiss. “But I think we’ve waited long enough, don’t you?”
— —
For some reason Rosehall always smelled like Spring and Autumn, even in mid summer. Elain was sure it was some combination of the leaves from the thick forest and the wild roses that were found all throughout the grounds — it was one of her favorite smells. The kind of smell that always brought with it serenity. She could be sincere here away from the rest of the world.
The large cabin was rustic and full of large windows, and a calmness filled Elain as soon as she stepped through the threshold holding her backpack. Azriel tried to steal it from her hands, but she wouldn’t let him.
“I could live here,” Elain admitted, setting her bag down before plopping down on an old, puffy leather couch in the family room. She gazed at the large stone fireplace across her and wondered if she could convince Azriel to start a fire for her in the middle of summer. “Just you and me,” She raised herself up to peer over the back of the couch at him. “What do you say?”
“Are we completely secluded, or can family come visit?” Azriel asked, unloading one of what looked like ten bags he was carrying from by the front door. He slowly walked across the wooden floor to her and placed his brown hands on either side of her from behind the couch.
Elain lifted to her knees to get closer to him.
“They can visit.” Elain stated, looking up at him.
Azriel hummed in response and his lips uplifted into a soft smile.
“Then I think we could make it happen, but I can’t promise your parents would be the best landlords.”
Elain cringed and shook her head.
“This is our fantasy, please don’t mention my parents.”
“Sorry, babe.”
Elain grinned and wound her arms around his neck.
“I love it when you call me pet names, I hope you know that.”
“You always look like you melt when I do it.” Azriel admitted, a blush dusting his cheeks.
After a small pause Elain said, “Always? Even before we got together?”
Azriel nodded in admittance and Elain gasped, softly slapping his chest.
“That’s why you always called me names?”
A guilty smile ate at Azriel’s lips.
“Well, yes, but I really can’t be blamed for calling you beautiful, though. It’s a fact.”
“What do you like that I do?” Elain asked, flushing.
“I like it when you touch me,” Azriel said, and rolled his eyes at the look of Elain’s face. “Not like that, pervert, but when we’re sitting together and you reach for my hand. Or when you push my hair back. When you randomly hug me. Stuff like that.”
“Oh,” Elain breathed, suddenly feeling a bit overwhelmed. “I was worried you might think I was clingy.”
Azriel shook his head and said, “Never.”
Elain bit her lip and played with the hair on the nape of his neck, running her fingers through his curls.
“You know,” Elain said, wetting her lips. “We don’t have to wait for tonight to…”
Azriel’s body stilled beneath her fingers.
“I’m going to bring the food in from the car,” Azriel said slowly. Deliberately. “And you’re going to wait for me. In your room.”
He leaned down to give her a hurried kiss before rushing out of the house.
Elain felt giddy and grabbed her bag and ran up the steps.
-------
tagging: @123moiaussi @fuckmelifesucks @thefangirlofhp @sakurakittypeach @nikethestatue @tswaney17 @impossiblescissorspeachpaper @feyredarlinq @duskwhisperer @nyxreads @rinadragomir @secretpuppyflower @captainbrucebanner @ultadverb @irisesforelain @shedoessoshedoes @magnolia-blossom87 @sheenabeene @nivem565 @casuallivi @rhysiedarling @elain99-blog @athena-85 @swankii-art-teacher @reverie-tales @jujugirlfrombookstore @shadowflorecita @shy-violet-soul @thisloveseternal
-----
I'm back!!!! This is my first time posting since the New Year and I hope everyone has had an amazing 2024!!! I went ghost mode in January to avoid HOFAS spoilers and work has been a different kind of intense lately, but I'm hoping to be much more active again :)
#elriel#elain x azriel#elain archeron#pro elriel#azriel#elriel fanfiction#elriel fanfic#fawnandshadows writing#how you get the girl chapter 23
53 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
of-monsters-and-werewolves
'It wasn't about the wedding...'
mrskrementz
mrskrementz
martymarkjames
Untitled
nahimjustfeelingit-writes
Epiphany🤍🍒
zetheweirdo
I have no idea what even is this blog.