Welcome to Empyrean Events, a one-stop shop dedicated to appreciation weeks for the Empyrean series. It's my pleasure to provide you with a year's worth of appreciation weeks and prompts for your favorite characters and ships. Please take a look at the links below where you can find the guidelines, masterlists, prompt lists, and more! If you have any suggestions or questions, the ask box and messages are open, and I would love to hear from you!
Violet Week prompts! Thank you to everyone who submitted ideas to the form! I apologize for the lateness and limited activity. My dog became paralyzed in her back legs about a month ago and can’t do anything by herself anymore. Add on taking care of a 4 year-old and preparing for my upcoming surgery, I’ve had my hands full. I hope to get the other lists done this weekend. Make sure to tag @empyreanevents and use #violetweek2026, or use the AO3 collection. As always, prompts are open to interpretation.
art by aokiart_
Day 1: Lightning | Violet’s signet is unique. How does she manage to come to terms with it? How does it reflect how weak she’s felt her whole life, to now having one of the most powerful signets?
Day 2: Pain | Violet has dealt with chronic illness her whole life. That not only takes its toll on someone physically but emotionally as well. It taught her to push down any mental or physical pain she goes through. How else has pain shaped her life and who she is as a person?
Day 3: Trust | Many people have broken Violet’s trust: Brennan, Lilith, Xaden. How does she deal with that? How is the relationship between her and others affected?
Day 4: Dream Walking | We finally learned Violet’s second signet—dream walking. What are all the ways she can use her new signet?
Day 5: Control | Violet tries hard to keep her signet and emotions under control. Explore the control she has over her mind and signet or the times it overwhelms her.
Day 6: Duchess | Violet is now the Duchess of Tyrrendor. How does she rule? How does she balance taking care of Tyrrendor and searching for Xaden? Is everyone happy with her position or is there unrest?
Day 7: Free Day | Canon or AU, the freedom is yours!
Summary: When Dain’s need for order clashes with your natural chaoticness, Brennan steps in as the voice of reason to defuse the ensuing argument.
Warnings: Swearing, arguing, reader has a short temper. Established relationship, unspecified setting.
Written for @empyreanevents's Pride Week Day 2: Polyamory
Ao3
You slam the bedside table’s drawer shut, throwing the book you took from it on the bed with an angry thump.
The fact that it was inside the bedside table instead of on your pillow where you’d left it shouldn’t have been a big deal — wouldn’t have been, if it weren’t for the fact that your book is only the most recent in a series of similarly misplaced items. While it has been much easier to find than some of the others, this is your final straw.
“Damn it, Dain,” you snap, “stop moving my fucking stuff!”
He looks up from whetting his sword, all innocent confusion. “What? I’m not doing anything, sweetheart.”
“Not right now. But you put my book in the nightstand, didn’t you?”
“Oh. Yes. I had to pick it up the make the bed, so I figured I’d put it properly away while I was at it.”
You huff a frustrated breath through your nose. That’s the problem with Dain. He always likes things to be in their ‘proper places’, and doesn’t seem to understand that for you, the proper place is wherever is most convenient at any given time. In some ways, it’s nice how neat he is — you can always count on him to put away the clean laundry and remove the dirty cups on the desk if you and Brennan don’t get around to it, and he’s so particular about how the bed should be made he insists on being the one to do it himself every day. Lately it’s been getting out of hand, though… or maybe you’ve just become more aware of the times he puts away things that don’t need putting away.
Dain still looks confused. “Is that a problem?”
“No— well, yes, but— Ugh! The book isn’t the problem, it’s that you keep doing this! I spent ten minutes looking for my sun lotion this morning and ended up late for flight maneuvers because it was hidden in the bathroom cabinet instead of out where I left it specifically so I would have it when getting ready. And I couldn’t wear the shirt I wanted because you put it in the laundry, and—”
“Well, excuse me for cleaning up after you,” Dain cuts you off, notably irritated himself now. He slides his sword in its scabbard and puts it down, leaning back in his chair with arms crossed. “If you wanted to wear it again, maybe you shouldn’t have dumped it on the floor!”
“I never asked you to pick up my dirty clothes, Dain, that’s my whole point!”
“So what, you expect me to just let your laundry pile up on our floor until we have a new carpet of dirty clothes?”
“Of course not! I would’ve put them away eventually; don’t you act as if I never do! If you’d said something, I would’ve done it right away!”
Dain has gotten to his feet now, your faces too close together for the volume your voice is steadily rising too. You aren’t quite yelling yet, but you’re getting there.
“Have you considered that maybe I was trying to be nice and not hound you with chores?”
You haven’t. The thought is ridiculous. While you don’t care about orderliness nearly as much as Dain does, you do your fair part to keep the room clean, just like he and Brennan. So what if you sometimes leave your belongings in places they don’t technically belong?
“Have you considered that not everything needs to be perfectly tidy a hundred percent of the time?”
You’re interrupted before you can continue with something you would regret later, like calling Dain a pedantic neat freak. Not that it would be untrue — his orderliness does border on obsessive.
“Easy, now.” Brennan pushes off the bathroom’s doorframe where he’d leaned, watching with his arms crossed as steam wafted past him for gods know how long, and crosses the room. Standing between the both of you, he puts one hand on Dain’s shoulder, the other on yours. “Let’s take a deep breath and talk about this calmly, yes?”
Turning away from the scowling source of your frustration, you obey — wrapping an arm around Brennan’s waist and pressing your face into the curve of his neck to take a deeeep breath of freshly washed Brennan. His skin is still hot and slightly damp from his shower, smelling faintly of the scented soap he’d gotten for you a while ago but which all three of you like to use.
You instantly feel calmer.
“Have you been listening the whole time?” you mumble.
“Pretty much, yeah. I was just stepping out the shower and drying off when you complained about your missing sun lotion. Which, by the way, I’m glad you’re taking the extra time to put on, even if it did make you late for class.”
You shrug a little, the praise mellowing you further. “You told me I’m not supposed to go in the sun without it.”
“Mhh. Thank you for obliging.”
You feel him press a kiss to the side of your head, then lean forward around you, presumably to treat Dain to a similar gesture of affection.
Right. Dain; your argument. With a sigh, you straighten, your earlier anger dulled and replaced by weariness.
“Let’s sit down and resolve this,” Brennan suggests.
Both Dain and you nod, and allow yourselves to be led the couple steps over to the bed, where you sit down on either side of Brennan.
“I’m sorry I got so angry,” you say. Dain didn’t deserve to be yelled at, no matter how much his behavior annoyed you.
He reaches across Brennan’s lap to take your hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze that lets you know he has already forgiven your little outburst. “And I’m sorry I moved your stuff without asking. I thought I was doing you a favor by tidying up for you, but I should have realized it’d make you upset if your things aren’t where you left them.”
“It did,” you admit, “but… I know you hate clutter just as much as I hate when someone moves my stuff. I guess I can’t really blame you for taking matters into your own hands.”
And unlike you, he hadn’t lost his temper about it. You really are lucky he and Brennan are so much more level-headed than you, endlessly patient about always having to balance out your own short fuse. If one of them gets frustrated, the other makes peace between you — like now.
“So, in conclusion: You are going to make an effort not to leave your things strewn all about our room,” Brennan summarizes, “and Dain is going to refrain from moving what you do leave laying around without talking to you first. What do you think about having a set day for tidying up once a week to help avoid future conflicts?”
You nodded. “Sounds fair.”
“Agreed. Just, one exception, maybe? Your jacket— I know you like to just dump it on the nearest furniture to where you stand when you take it off, but…”
Dain trails off with a shrug. There’s no need to say he believes jackets belong in the armoire; he’s always taking yours and Brennan’s when you come inside and hanging them up, or does so first thing when he comes into the room to find you’ve simply thrown it on the bed or desk.
“I dunno. Putting it in the armoire just feels so final. Maybe… maybe we could have like, a designated jacket chair or something?”
“We could fix some hooks to the door for jackets,” Brennan puts in. “That way they’ll be put away in their own spot, but still in reach.”
With that, all of you are satisfied.
“Wonderful. Now that that’s solved, who wants cuddles?”
Brennan’s back hits the mattress with a grunt as both Dain and you throw yourself at him. He laces his fingers with yours, Brennan wrapping his arms around your waists to hold the two of you close as you nuzzle into his chest. With peace restored, you can enjoy a lazy evening together just as you had intended.
hey ml I hope ur well! I absolutely needdd part four of Ridoc x Sawyer x Inntinisic reader but with whatever argument (and resolution 😏) happened between Ridoc and Sawyer that was talked about in the poly AzrielxReaderxEris fic!! of course only if you’re up for it!! thank you bbyyyy
Unnecessary Altercation
Day 2: Polyamory
A/n: This can be read as a stand-alone
Warnings: Smut, Swearing, Mention of injury, Idiots in love, Those idiots fuck, Aphrodisiacs, Edging, Orgasm denial, Sex toys, Restraints, Masturbation, Blow jobs, Begging, Happy ending
The Poly Cafe
Dividers by: @empyreanevents
Word Count: 7.2k
Y/n searched the halls of Basgiath for Ridoc. Usually, she'd find him wherever Sawyer was, but for whatever reason, this past month they could barely stand to be in the same room as each other. Y/n had so far checked all the classrooms, his dorm, and the dining hall. Nada.
Y/n found Sawyer after her lesson with Xaden on the flight field grooming Sliseag, and asked him to wait in her room. Now she had to locate Ridoc, bring him there too, and force her boyfriends to make up. Easy. Maybe.
She was rushing through the halls still trying to find him when she heard a familiar laugh. Finally. Y/n saw Ridoc leaning over a counter, speaking with a healer very flirtily. It used to bother her, but she'd learned to accept it — it's just how he talks to people, and there's nothing more to it.
"Ridoc!"
His head whips around, and his face lights up. Any stubborn spark of jealousy is promptly extinguished.
"Y/n! You're done with your lesson early. I was planning to come find you"
Her features soften as she makes her way to him. "That's sweet. What are you doing here?"
He motions toward the healer, who's been loosely following their conversation. "Just getting some extra medical supplies, and pain meds"
Just under a month ago, Y/n and Ridoc had gotten into a training accident. It hadn't resulted in anything too debilitating, but they'd had to be on bed rest for a full week — practically a lifetime to a rider — and were excused from challenges until recently.
"Can you get some for me too?"
Y/n's side and arm were killing her, and she hadn't gotten any medication for it in fear of appearing weak, but if Ridoc's doing it, then it doesn't look as bad. Is that a healthy mentality to have? No. Not in the slightest, but that's a conversation for another day.
"Already did"
She reaches up to kiss his cheek. "Thank you," Y/n says earnestly. "Meet me in my dorm after?"
"Of course." he takes it a step further, placing a lingering kiss on her lips.
It obviously lasts longer than what is socially acceptable, because the person at the counter awkwardly clears their throat. Y/n blushes, and leaves Ridoc at the counter.
She peeks her head in her dorm, checking that Sawyer is still there, waiting for her. She can't help the smile that creeps onto her face seeing his brow furrowed in study as he pours over his books. Y/n quickly scurries out of sight when she feels Ridoc's mind approaching.
She can hear Ridoc's lacklustre, "Oh. You're here," the second he enters the room.
"So are you," comes Sawyer's response, barely more civil than his boyfriend's.
Y/n enters before they can start arguing, or worse, leave, closing the door behind her. "Great, now that I have you both here, it's time to speak up"
They turn to each other, and it's as if the very sight sours their mood even further. "We have nothing to say"
She glares at Sawyer. "That's exactly the problem," Y/n grits out. "You two have had 'nothing to say' to each other for almost a month." Her eyes flit from Sawyer, who's biting his cheek, and Ridoc, staying silent whilst avoiding her admonishing gaze completely.
"Come on! You guys love each other. What could possibly have happened to warrant this?" She gesticulates wildly at the gaping chasm of space between them. Still, they don't answer.
"Alright, this has gone on too long. Tell me what this is about now, or so help me."
Silence.
"Do I have to read your minds to get the answer? I'm sorry, I thought you two were capable of communicating like fucking adults."
She would never actually force her way into their minds, and they know it. It would cross a line of trust that can't be redrawn, but the show of frustration is enough.
"Sawyer thinks I don't care about your safety. That I'm so reckless, I'll put your life in danger for a bit of fun," Ridoc spits the word out like it insults him, still refusing to look at either of them.
"What am I supposed to think? That's exactly what you did! You had an idea and acted on it because you thought it would be funny, and didn't stop to think about how it could've gotten you hurt, how it could've gotten Y/n hurt, and it did! You guys were on bed rest for a week, and excused from challenges!"
Ridoc's eyes ignite with fury, pinning down Sawyer. "The only reason we got hurt was because of that first year! He came out of nowhere! I did think, I just can't predict the fucking future! If it hadn't been for him, we would've been fine."
"You don't know that! What if it hadn't been the first, but something else? An enemy, another cadet that wants Y/n dead because she's marked? What then?"
"What do you want us to do? Stay inside a padded room forever? Anything could happen at anytime. It's not like we can escape risk, we're riders for Amari's sake!"
Sawyer's ready to throw the next retort, but Y/n steps in.
"ENOUGH! Ridoc, sometimes you do act recklessly, and don't put as much thought into your actions as you should. Sawyer, Ridoc is not my keeper, I am fully capable of making my own risk assessment. It is as much my fault that we got hurt as it is his." The expression on her face dares them to argue.
Sawyer and Ridoc nod, yet they make no move to apologise or reconcile beyond that. A muscle in her jaw ticks, but Y/n doesn't push, too tired to stay on this any longer.
"Great. Can we all go to bed?"
They offer no complaints, following wordlessly to Sawyer's dorm. She hopes tomorrow will be better.
Tomorrow was not better.
Y/n thought it was, at first. She woke up with both her boyfriends next to her, doting as they usually would. They sit with her at breakfast, carry her things from class to class, and interact with everyone as normal. Everything is back to how it was, if a little tense, but that's to be expected.
Nothing seems to be amiss until she leaves for a lesson with Xaden, and they walk away in opposite directions. Y/n frowns as she watches them go.
"Have they still not settled things," Xaden asks, face expressionless.
"You know they were fighting?"
Xaden never dabbled in first year affairs if Violet wasn't concerned.
He shrugs. "Violet mentioned it"
Y/n bites her lip, considering. "No. They're fine, just a bit tense still, you know? It's not going to disappear in a day, but they're getting along again."
Y/n didn't know who she was lying to more, Xaden, or herself.
By the time she returned to her room, it was dark. Her feet dragged against the stone as she made her way up the steps. The sight of her door was a welcome reprieve, and Y/n couldn't wait to get out of her leathers, and de-stress, but the moment she entered, a thick silence enveloped her. Ridoc and Sawyer were on opposite sides of the room, their arms crossed, and lips pursed. It gave them an almost humorous likeness to bickering children, and she would've laughed if not for how utterly fed up she was.
"Okay, what the actual fuck? I thought we talked about this"
"We did," Sawyer is quick to defend. "We're fine. Nothing's wrong."
She raises her eyebrows disbelievingly. "Nothing? Okay. Right, so if nothing's wrong, kiss each other"
They immediately stiffen, their shoulders practically hiked up to their ears. A deathly quiet settles back over them.
"Unbelievable," Y/n scoffs. "Get out. Now. I can't deal with this tonight."
They seem to hesitate for a moment. No matter how mad they are at each other, they never want to leave Y/n when she's upset. Ridoc tries to reach for her, but she swiftly smacks his hand away.
"Out."
He swallows, but complies nonetheless, and Sawyer, allowing plenty of place between them, follows after.
Days pass with no improvement. Y/n tries everything she can to dissolve tension, and restore peace, but it's like with every attempt she makes, they get further and further away from solving it. It's so bad it's starting to affect her academically. She's always taken pride in doing well on tests, but when the physics paper lands on her desk with the lowest mark she's received since high school, it's safe to say she freaks a bit.
It plagues her all day, and well into the evening. This results in her being late to inntinnsic training, frustrating her even more. On top of that, Xaden breaks through her shield a multitude of times, and she finally lashes out.
"Can you just give me a fucking break?"
Realisation of who she's speaking to sinks in rapidly, like the cold flash of being doused in ice water.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to yell, it's just been a really long day and Sawyer and Ridoc are still fighting, and—"
Xaden puts a hand up, stopping Y/n's spiel, "It's fine."
She thought that would be the end of it, that they would continue training as if nothing had happened at all, but is thoroughly shocked when he asks, "Why are they fighting?"
Y/n blinks at him, "You're… asking me about my relationship?"
"If you tell anyone, I will make you regret it, but yes. This is negatively affecting you, and if you mess up in front of the wrong person because of it, it could hurt a lot more people than just you."
Guilt comes as a sharp stab in her ribs. She hadn't even thought about that.
"Also, and I will deny this till the day I die, I'm invested in your relationship with them. I've never seen a polyamorous couple, and I have never wanted to be part of one, but I'll admit watching it from the sidelines is… entertaining."
That eases the guilt, and Y/n can hardly fight her small grin. They'd come a long way. She could almost call Xaden a friend.
She takes a deep breath sitting cross-legged on the grass. Y/n explains the situation, and how the argument came to be, as well as giving a brief summary of all she's done to fix it.
Y/n lies back on the ground, lamenting toward the sky, "It's like they want to fight! And I know this is definitely TMI, but I'm so pent up! It's been a month!"
Xaden's face screws up the slightest bit, but surprisingly doesn't react past that.
"What do you and Violet do when you argue?" Y/n barely gives the Wingleader a second before answering for him, "Never mind, don't answer that. You guys just give Basgiath a light show"
That earns her a glare, to which she smiles innocently and says with saccharine sweetness, "Am I wrong?"
His onyx eyes narrow, yet he offers no defence.
"Wait," Y/n shoots up, "That's the answer!"
"A light show?"
"Metaphorically, yes," she replies, and walks off without explaining.
Y/n stands on a balcony overlooking the courtyard. She watches the unification day celebration below her, keeping her eyes specifically trained on her boyfriends. She couldn't see it from up here, but she could imagine how their skin would be flushing right about now, and grinned.
Y/n found them right before it started, giving them each a small pastry, and a room number to go to after the party. It had been difficult convincing Ridoc to wait, but she'd managed.
Y/n had woken up the morning after talking to Xaden finally knowing how to close the rift. She figured that if she's pent up, Sawyer must be as well, and Ridoc is certainly at his breaking point.
After the accident, Ridoc and Y/n obviously couldn't have sex, being injured and all, and while the original argument was about her safety, she theorises that it's no longer about that at all. Tensions just got higher the longer they went without release, and now they're just too stubborn to let it go. Solution? Make them fuck.
Ridoc began searching the crowd for her, wanting to know if she's already left, or if he had to wait longer. Sawyer looked incredibly uncomfortable from his seat surrounded by other riders, squirming. He was no doubt feeling the effects of the aphrodisiacs, and they would only get worse.
Sawyer's Pov
People around me talk endlessly about I couldn't give a fuck what. It's so hot out here, and being in the centre of the crowd with an aching dick doesn't help. Amari, I need to get out of here, the room number Y/n gave sounds out in my head over and over like a siren call. I haven't seen her the entire time though, but I can't get up or everyone will see my situation. It would be mortifying.
I beg it to go down, but thoughts of what's to come flood my mind, and it's been way too long.
'Fuck this'
I get up and book it, uncaring of the people I have to shove past to get there. I just need her.
The stone walls feel too close. Are the halls narrower here? Why is it still so hot?
My need almost brings me to my knees, and it's only the thought of Y/n that gives me the will to keep going, otherwise I think I'd whip it out right here.
'Gods, I sound like Ridoc'
A pang of longing goes through me. I really miss him. I know I saw him a few hours ago, and currently his very presence is infuriating, but I miss how it was before. His humour, his wit…
His cock.
No. Bad brain. You're still mad at him.
The sight of door makes me groan. My strides lengthen to get there faster, and I slam the door open, only to be greeted by a shirtless Ridoc.
"You have got to be fucking kidding me"
His eyes narrow. "Leave. Y/n's told me to be here."
"She told me the same thing dumbass"
Ridoc closes his eyes, throwing his head back in frustration, "She wants us all to have sex together"
"Not quite," Y/n answers, appearing in the door frame. "I'm tired of playing mediator between you two, so I'm forcing you to solve this yourselves." She tosses a bottle at Ridoc, who barely manages to catch it.
"Lube?"
"Yep. Have fun"
With that, she closes the door, locking us inside.
Silence reigns over us. It's made infinitely more awkward the longer we stare at each other. We're both hard, and extremely horny, and apparently hot judging by the sweat running down Ridoc's bare chest. My eyes can't help but to follow one bead as it trails down his abs. He gulps audibly, watching me watch him. We lock gazes again.
I break it, choosing to look at anything other than him. Doing so allows me to notice the contents of the room, something that was impossible before with Ridoc swallowing up my attention.
A large bed sits in the middle of the wall, facing the door. There's a bedside table on one side with a black box sitting atop it, and on the other is a stool with a plate filled with more of the pastries Y/n had given us before the celebration.
"The pastries," I whisper.
Ridoc frowns. "What about them?"
"It's why we're so hot and bothered! Y/n gave us aphrodisiacs!" Suddenly my straining cock, and undiluted need makes sense.
"Great, what do we do with that information?" he asks, voice dry.
It grates on my nerves. "At least we know," I reply, irritated.
Ridoc rolls his eyes, and I think I might strangle him.
"Knowing doesn't mean much if we can't do anything with that knowledge"
"Right. I forgot you like to live in ignorance. That way you don't have to deal with the consequences"
"Fuck off"
Sarcasm drips from my voice, "Nice come back."
Ridoc ignores me, retiring to the furthest end of the room. It's like we're children in time out. Y/n was right; this is truly ridiculous, and we're definitely better than this. Knowing that doesn't make it easier, though the longer this goes on, the less the conflict seems to matter, especially when Ridoc sheds the rest of his clothes, trying to escape the heat.
The sensation of my leathers being slicked with sweat leads me to do the same. We pointedly don't look at each other, standing in our boxers, just trying to breathe through it. I don't know how long we stay like that, trying to wait out the effects, but it's not enough.
Ridoc groans loudly, shoving the last layer away, "I can't take it anymore." He begins furiously pumping himself. "Fuck, so good"
My vision closes in on the contact, the way precum drips from the tip, and his veins pop with the restraint. My entire being hones in on him, and the way his body moves. It's like I can feel my body actively betraying me, saliva pooling as I stare without shame, wanting desperately to take him in my mouth. But I can't. My stupid pride won't let me.
It is a very nice view though.
Ridoc braces himself with one hand against the wall, breathing heavily as he gets closer.
"Don't." The sound of my own voice shocks me in the relative quiet. I hadn't meant to say anything.
"What?" He's panting. Hand still wrapped around his cock, never slowing.
"Don't cum"
"Oh fuck you!" His hand moves even faster. He's so close. Mere seconds away from blowing if I had to guess.
I run my tongue over my teeth, contemplating for a moment how I wanted to deal with that comment. I decide that today is as good as any to incite violence. I eat up the distance between us before Ridoc can make a move, and rip his hand off is dick, pinning it, and his other hand against the wall. Ridoc let's out a high pitched keening noise at the loss, then proceeds to glare daggers into my soul.
He struggles in my grip. "Get off me!"
"I told you to stop, and you didn't," I say right next to his ear, smiling with a smug satisfaction as goosebumps raise on his skin, and his cock jumps at the rough treatment.
"So? I don't have to listen to anything you say! You fu— oh"
In his effort to be free on my grip, Ridoc accidentally brushes up against my thigh. It seems it felt good enough to abandon his goal entirely, because he starts grinding on my leg, moaning as he did so.
"Gods, you're so desperate"
"You are too!" he argues.
I tilt my head. "Yes, but I'm not the one humping your leg, now am I"
Ridoc doesn't have a comeback for that, whether it's because he has nothing to say, or because he can't is unknown, but it's certainly entertaining. His cum smears over my skin, and the wet spot in my own underwear grows. As much fun as I'm having, I need to get my hands on him properly, but I can't let go, or he'll just jerk off again. The black box I'd seen before comes to mind.
"Why don't we find out what our girlfriend left for us, hmm?" I drag him by the wrists over to the bed, pushing him face first onto it, and adjust my hold so that his hands are behind him.
I'm able to sit on the edge whilst keeping him in place. Ridoc squirms for a moment before realising he can still get friction and refocuses his attention on that.
I grab the box from the side table, pulling it into my lap, but it brushes against me, and I suddenly understand Ridoc's impulse to hump everything. I release a small involuntary groan, and make a mental note to proceed more carefully, lest I lose control over the situation. Getting it open with one hand proves difficult, but I manage.
The contents are neatly organised, allowing for the most sex toys in one place I've ever seen outside of a sex shop.
'Dear god, how long is Y/n planning on keeping us here?'
Well, at least we'll be entertained.
Everything looks very enticing, but I think I'll start with a classic. I take out a pair of Velcro cuffs out, and straddle him so that he can't escape. They're loose enough that Ridoc can rotate his wrists, but he can't slip out. I bring his hands above his head, and turn him around. His skin is flushed, dick pulsing, and eyes unfocused. He looks absolutely ruined, and we've barely started.
"Sawyer! Don't just stare, touch me!"
I glance down at him, appearing displeased. "Keep talking like that, and see what happens"
Ridoc groans as I walk away from him. He tries to turn back over so that he can continue getting whatever small amount of friction he can from the bed, but one sharp look — surprisingly — keeps him in check. I grab this sleeve-like thing that we've never used before, and upon further inspection, I see that it has ridges inside.
'This is going to be fun'
Holding the sleeve in one hand and lube in the other, I stand in front of where Ridoc lays, his shins hanging off the bed. His cock stands straight up with multiple trails of precum dripping down to his balls. Ridoc tries to control his breathing, likely knowing that the real test of restraint was about to start. I pull him up to sitting by his shoulder, and tilt his head so that we're making eye contact.
My palm caresses his cheek, and he must really be out of it, because his eyes slip close, and he leans into it. When they open again, that brief hatred is gone, replaced with forlorn pleading. My dick chooses this time to reiterate its own pressing need, rendering my previous plan of just teasing Ridoc moot.
"Come on, get on the bed, all fours"
Ridoc complies almost eagerly, albeit clumsily given the added difficulties of having his hands bound. My fingers trail paths over his back, down the spine to his ass, and squeeze. He lets out a small whine, leaning back. The reverence that took hold of me is swiftly squandered by desire.
Bringing my mouth to his ear, I say, "Don't worry. I'm gonna take good care you." It's mocking, nearly cruel. I coat my fingers in lube, and begin running them around his rim over and over, never so much as dipping the tip of my finger inside.
His hips shift. "Sawyer. Sawyer, please"
"In due time"
Ridoc sighs, and starts to lower his torso.
"No, no. You have to stay up for what I have planned"
He huffs in annoyance, although remains so without argument.
"Wow. Did the pastries make you obedient too?"
That, I can tell, gets more than enough of a rise out of him that he finally tries to speak out. It's too bad he can't, not as my index finger pushes inside him, and whatever muffled comeback he would've given surrenders to loud, unashamed moans.
Ridoc fists the sheets like they're a life line keeping him afloat. I grin far wider than I should, but I just love watching all his brattiness melt away as soon as he's got something in his ass.
It's not long before the second finger accompanies the first, but you'd swear by the sounds Ridoc makes that we're trying out a new dildo. He's so loud that I wonder if even the thick Basgiath walls can't smother it. Hopefully Y/n put up a sound ward, just in case. With her knowing us as well as she does, it's highly likely.
"You want more, huh? You want my cock?"
"Yes! YES I want your cock. Need it so bad Sawyer"
"Yeah? You don't want another finger first?" I position my ring finger at his entrance teasingly.
His voice is high, and whiny, "No, please I— I just need it. Need it now. Don't make me wait, please, please"
I shush him, patronisingly cooing that he'll be okay, and that I'll stick it in him real soon. My dick — unhelpfully — very much encourages me to get a move on with that.
I awkwardly try to use my left hand to open and apply the lube to my own leaking member. I instantly regret this when the cold liquid drips onto it.
"Shit!" My entire body flinches away, and I accidentally rip my fingers out of Ridoc. He cries out in pain.
"Fuck, I'm sorry, baby, I didn't mean to do that." I place soft kisses to the base of his spine, and smooth my hands down the sides of his thighs.
Ridoc waves me off. Rather, he turns back and says with the most pathetic begging eyes, "Make it up to me with a proper fucking"
I burst out laughing, but am genuinely glad I didn't hurt him.
"That's the plan"
Now with both hands available, slicking myself up is much easier. Despite this, it's not fast enough for him.
"Sawyeeeeer!"
"I know, I know. Soon"
"Sooner!"
"Watch it," I warn through an amused smile, "or I'll just give you my fingers again"
I concentrate back on the twitching rod of need attached to me. I don't know how much time has passed but it feels like a while, yet the effects haven't dulled one bit. Privately, I wonder if it's the aphrodisiacs, or the combination of going so long without sex, and Ridoc looking like that.
I line myself up, and he sighs in relief, knowing it'll just be a few more seconds till I'm inside. I push in, and he fucking melts, lowering his upper body again. I allow him to enjoy it like that for some time. He's been patient. By Ridoc standards, not by any normal human being measure of the word. In his defence, the drugs play a large part in that.
Before I move, I tap him lightly, reminding Ridoc that he's not supposed to lean down. He hums contentedly once I begin rocking, letting his head fall, but not his body.
"That nice?"
"Mmh"
"You think you can handle more?"
He nods. "Please"
I start pulling out an inch or two when I thrust, it's not nearly as rough a fucking as he asked for, but it's a start, and if he wants more, he'll be thankful for it. Ridoc emits small breaths through his nose, and even closes his eyes, getting used to the new pace in no time. It's like he's about to fall asleep.
'Can't have that'
With no warning, I pull out all the way, only leaving my tip just barely supported on the rim, and slam into him. Ridoc screams. His back arches dramatically, and his grip on the sheets tightens till his knuckles go white.
"Gods, Sawyer! Warn a guy!"
"That takes all the fun out of it"
My thrusting becomes relentless. Ridoc can hardly get a breath in, barely staying conscious with the lack of oxygen. I pause for the briefest second to shuffle closer when something knocks against my leg.
The sleeve. I'd forgotten about that.
"Ridoc, can you handle more?"
"More? More what?"
"It was a yes or no question"
Ridoc falls silent, contemplating whether he wants to risk it on whatever I might have planned.
"Yes"
"Full sentence"
"Yes, Sawyer. I can handle more. I— I want more"
I lean my body weight on top of him so that my hips are flush with his ass, and place a kiss on the back of his neck. Reaching my arms around his body, I lather his dick and slip the sleeve over it.
Ridoc jerks. "HOLY— What is that?"
"A gift. Or a punishment, depending on how you behave"
His head falls between his shoulders, and he lets out a humourless chuckle, "You're always so rigid about this shit. You never let me do anything fun. I always gotta act a certain way."
"A punishment then," and with that, I begin moving the sleeve over his shaft rhythmically.
Ridoc squirms, pushing backwards, but it's no use; my hand follows him, never letting up. He tries to hold back his moans, but they only increase in volume. Best of all, Ridoc stops fighting it, and instead thrusts his hips, chasing his own mounting pleasure. Ridoc continues to loudly spiel unintelligible pleas for more, or maybe less. It's hard to tell.
"Oh, baby, it sounds like you're having some trouble keeping quiet. Do you want help with that?" I ask, already reaching into the box again, fumbling for something I saw earlier.
Ridoc shakes his head, still moaning at the never ending sensations being sent through him. I assume that mumbled nonsense was supposed to be words, but they were too jumbled up to make out. I stop thrusting, and remove the sleeve. He lets out a noise between a whine and a grunt in protest.
"Open"
His brown eyes flick to the gag. His jaw works.
"I can force you"
He glowers ahead, a low burning fire reflected in his pupils. For a moment, I think he might take me up on that challenge, but begrudgingly, his lips part. I press the gag in quickly before he can change his mind, securing it around his head.
"Good boy"
Ridoc jerks his head away, glaring at me as best he can in spite of the awkward angle. Ignoring the open disdain, I kiss his cheek, and rush back in to torturing him full force before he can get his bearings. His yelp is muffled greatly, but unmistakable.
Ridoc's unravelling under me, and even with the gag, I can tell he's getting close. Just a little more, then I'll rip it all away, and watch him writhe.
A few seconds after, I stop giving him the friction he wants, moving with him instead. Ridoc does everything he can to gain back what he'd lost, bucking wildly.
"Aww, you're so needy," I coo, leaning into the condescending lilt.
He slows, taking a breather while his arms tremble. Again, he looks back at me, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. Begging. Screaming for release.
"What's wrong? Did you wanna cum?"
He nods at me pitifully. Ridoc clenches down as much as he can, trying to persuade me to keep going, to get him to that edge, and finally allow him to fall off.
I tsk, "That's too bad"
I know when the desperation dissipates from Ridoc's eyes, and instead narrow with seething irritation, that I've made a mistake. Ridoc pushes back, knocking me off balance. He uses that moment to gain the upper hand, roughly shoving the strap of the gag over his head. From his knees, he twists his torso around almost a full 180, reaching for my far shoulder to pull me in front of him. My body bounces a bit from the force, but Ridoc's on me in a flash, bound hands pinning my midsection, legs straddling mine.
He glares with vengeance. "Don't even think about moving from this spot," he spits.
I am so fucked now.
Ridoc's Pov
Sawyer looks up at me, dumbstruck. My dick is fucking throbbing right now because of this asshole, and here he is acting bewildered that I'd retaliate. I am so tired of him calling the shots all the time. He's gonna regret edging me so much.
I slide down his body, keeping my burning glare fixed on his face, daring him to disobey me. He gulps at the friction between my chest and his cock, an unwilling grunt slipping through.
"Oh, are you sensitive there? Does it feel good when I touch it?"
Sawyer stubbornly remains quiet, refusing to make anymore sounds whilst I lightly trail my nose over his shaft. I blow a gentle stream of air onto his balls, and watch as his eyes flutter shut.
"Yeah, I think it's sensitive there. Do you want me to touch it nicely? Hmm? Want me to play with you?"
Sawyer ignores my taunts, annoyingly deciding to rise above it. No matter. I will break him.
"Are you feeling shy? That's okay, you're gonna become real chatty soon enough"
My tongue pokes out, tasting the thin stream of precum that's been steadily leaking from his tip. Sawyer sighs. It's shaky, full of restraint fuelled by stubbornness. I become more attentive, more worshipful, treating his shaft to little kitten licks, and sucking on his tip whilst expertly swirling my tongue around it.
Sawyer's body twitches sporadically despite his efforts to stay still, and not show how I was affecting him. Adorable. He lies there, squirming minutely. Eventually his hands move from white knuckling the sheets to the curls of my hair. As soon as he makes contact, I pull off. Apparently having given up on resistance, he tightens his grip on the strands, and attempts to drag me back.
"Uh uh, you don't control this"
I jerk back so he's forced to let go, and gaze at him as he pants with his eyes screwed shut.
"Hands above your head," I order.
Sawyer looks up at me as if to say, 'Really?' but my only answer is to stare back at him, one brow raised. He concedes when it's clear that I won't budge. Shakily, he raises his arms above his head to rest on the plush pillow. I smile as he settles into the new position, waiting for me to do something.
Sawyer's legs wrap loosely around my torso when I start again, not pulling me in, but just resting there as he struggles to control himself. His back bows off the coverlets in desperation, so close to finishing. Just like he'd done, I stop.
"Ridoc," he complains through gritted teeth.
"Yes?"
"Please. I wanna cum"
"So?" I scoff. "This is a dose of your own medicine. What's wrong? You don't like the taste?"
Sawyer closes his eyes in defeat, knowing that he won't convince me to end this anytime soon.
"Don't worry, baby, I'll help you."
He opens one eye to look at me suspiciously, and appears uncomforted by my mischievous expression. I can't imagine why.
"Stay." I shuffle off the bed while using my teeth to undo the Velcro strap on the cuffs. Rummaging through the sex wonder box, I find exactly what I'd hoped I would. 'Thank you, Y/n'
I turn, brandishing the cock ring.
He glances at it, then back to my face. "You know those things don't stop a person from cumming, right?"
"Sawyer, you'd never even heard of a cock ring before we became friends, don't try to 'sex ed' me right now," I say.
"I don't know what your sex ed class was like, but I can tell you that they generally don't go over that," he answers, looking pointedly at the box, and then the ring.
"Whatever." He lets me put the ring on without any fuss, but he does moan once it's in place.
"Admittedly, you are right. It won't stop you from cumming, but it'll make you last longer, meaning I get to play a little more before stopping again"
I hear a tiny noise of protest from the back of his throat. "Ridoc… please. I'm sorry."
"Not good enough."
At least ten minutes of this goes by. Me working him up, again and again, and just as I'd promised he would be, Sawyer's extremely chatty.
"I'm— I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry I called you desperate, I'm sorry I edged you so much, I'm sorry for giving you the cold shoulder, I'm sorry for all of it. Ridoc, baby please. Please"
I gently trail my fingers over his inner thighs as I contemplate whether or not to accept his apologies. Sawyer looks… broken. His face is red, so much so that his freckles are barely visible. His eyes are shining with the threat of more tears; the ones on his cheeks still drying. He hasn't moved his wrists from above his head; an impressive feat I never would've managed, and a very appreciated one at that.
It all paints a picture that has only one interpretation.
"Shhh, it's okay. You're right, you deserve to cum now"
Relief floods him. His whole body goes lax as I press kisses up his body. I hover mine as close to Sawyer's as I can, leaving just enough space to reach down, and stroke him.
I rest our foreheads against each other, and begin moving my hand.
"Can— can I touch you?"
"You may."
He threads one hand through my hair, whilst the other wraps around to the base of my neck, pulling me closer. Sawyer lightly connects our lips, and while I had every intention of letting him take the lead, instead, he invites me in, encouraging me to control the kiss.
He groans into it, tightening his grip on my hair. I keep my pace steady until he asks me to go faster. In no time, he's close, and I swear he stops breathing, like he's expecting me to stop again.
"It's alright, Sawyer. I'm gonna make you cum."
Sawyer eventually looses the ability to kiss back, so I start sucking light hickies onto his neck. When he finally cums, his back arches high and his mouth hangs open in a silent scream. Cum shoots out of his dick, hitting my abs. It drips onto him as he recovers from the orgasm with gasping breaths and a sheen of sweat.
"Fuck, Ridoc. Thank you, thank you"
"You are very welcome"
He lets out a weak chuckle at my response. Sawyer takes a few more moments to come down after such an intense orgasm, but once he does, his attention turns to me. "How would you like it?"
"Like what?"
"Come on, it's your turn. You've had to wait way too long already. How do you want me to make you cum?"
"Don't worry about it, that looked like a lot. Rest, I'll sort myself—"
Sawyer looks downright disgusted. "Absolutely not! You tell me what you want, or I pick"
I chew my bottom lip, wondering whether I should insist, or indulge. The choice is difficult until I see the determination in Sawyer's expression, and I remember that I'm weak for this man. "…I really want you to ride me"
He leans up, kisses the corner of my mouth, then says, "We should switch positions then," and instead of letting me get off, he pulls me flush against him, and rolls us over.
"Much better"
Now that Sawyer's on top of me like this, the lust that I was able to hold back for his benefit comes crashing into me again.
"Please hurry"
He smiles. 'Gods that smile.'
"Yes, Sir."
I moan, and thrust my hips up. For once, he doesn't comment or chastise me in any way. I allow my head to fall back, and just listen as Sawyer hastily preps himself. He barely touches my cock, and it almost feels like enough to blow. He's positioning me, but before I feel his warm walls, I feel him slide something snug on first. I glance down and see the fucking cock ring.
"You asshole," I laugh.
"I have to be a little mean"
I roll my eyes, and then they roll back when he sinks down. Sawyer's instantly in motion, fucking himself on my cock.
"Shit, Sawyer! Just like that!"
I buck up wildly, unable to control myself. Within seconds, I find release, and holy fucking shit. My entire body convulses, and my vision leaves the room. I blindly grab at his chest, trying to find his shoulders to tug him down. We have a long, sloppy make out session before finally untangling ourselves from one another, and stare at the ceiling in companionable silence for a while.
"So… that happened"
"Yep," Sawyer replies, popping the 'p'.
"Completely hypothetical question, do you think if we ate more of those pastries we'd be able to go another round or two?"
Sawyer takes a moment, his gaze directed at them sitting innocently on the bedside table. "I think it's worth finding out"
Long story short, my hypothesis was confirmed. It helped us have a second round, and a third… and a fourth.
3rd Person Pov
-The Next Morning-
Sawyer, and Ridoc wake up groaning in pain.
"Owww! My everything hurts," Ridoc complains.
"Same. We really should've stopped after round three."
"Definitely... It was a lot of fun though."
"So much fun," Sawyer agrees, laughing, and then wincing at the pain it causes.
Despite the aches, Ridoc shuffles closer to Sawyer, tucking himself into the other man's side. "Do we have to get up?"
He hums. "We do if we want breakfast. Plus, Y/n will be wanting to know that her little scheme worked, but we don't have to get up right this second"
The comment about Y/n's scheme reminds Ridoc why they were in this predicament in the first place. He'd completely forgotten with everything that'd been going on last night. The argument seemed so silly now. They had definitely blown it out of proportions.
"What's wrong?"
Ridoc jumps when he hears the question. His face had not gotten permission from his brain to make any expressions that would betray his thoughts.
"And don't say nothing."
Ridoc's mouth snaps shut. That was exactly what he was going to say. He sighs, working out the phrasing in his head.
"I'm sorry. I know I can be reckless, but I promise I take our safety seriously. Especially Y/n's"
Sawyer's expression softens. "I know you do. Truthfully, I think I was projecting. My first year, I didn't take anything as seriously as I should have, and I paid the price. In here, I'm lucky that price was only repeating the year, and not death"
"I hate that you had to go through that, but selfishly, I'm glad you did"
"Me too"
They lounge in the room for as long as the Basgiath meal schedule allows. With only twenty minutes left of breakfast, they finally schlep their way to the table, joining their friends. Y/n's the first to spot them, lighting up at their approach.
"You made it!" she exclaims. "I thought I'd have to go find you guys."
"No need, we have arrived," Ridoc says with entirely too much energy that he most certainly doesn't have.
Imogen eyes them disdainfully. "You two could at least try to be less conspicuous"
"What do you mean?" Sawyer asks, genuinely confused.
"Oh, you mean other than the heavy limp?"
Sawyer blushes furiously, and tries to sink into himself.
"Jealous much?" Ridoc counters.
Before Imogen can respond, Y/n interjects. "I take it you've made up?"
Sawyer kisses her cheek, before softly saying, "Yes, we did. Thank you, Angel"
Of course, Ridoc has to add his two cents, "Yes, many, many times."
The comment is naturally met with a chorus of eye rolls, groans, and the occasional dramatic gag.
Ignoring this, Sawyer and Ridoc press themselves against Y/n as much as what's comfortable, and eat what they can of their breakfast in peace. No tense silence, or veiled insults to be found. Just as it should be.
A/n: This isn't relative to the story so feel no obligation to read this.
When I wrote the azris x reader story, I spent at least twenty minutes trying to think what Sawyer and Ridoc's argument could be about. I didn't want to make it something stupid, or nonsensical, and I really struggled to find something that I thought they'd actually argue about.
Then I realised that I didn't have to mention what the argument was about at all, and just that they had one. Immediately all my problems were solved.
And then I received this ask.
That being said, thank you so much to the anon who requested it, I hope you enjoyed and Happy Pride Month everybody!
Pride Week prompts! Thank you to everyone who submitted ideas to the form! Make sure to tag @empyreanevents and use #fwprideweek2026, or use the AO3 collection. As always, prompts are open to interpretation.
art by s_holdthebus, c.jackdaw, oh-no-its-dragons
Day 1: Coming Out | One big step to embracing your queerness is coming out, but this looks different for everyone! Maybe your chosen character(s) fret about it for weeks, or maybe they casually mention it mid-conversation and carry on like nothing happened.
Day 2: Polyamory | The more the merrier! Create something about a ship consisting of three or more people.
Day 3: Aspec | Share your ideas on which Empyrean characters could be aromantic, asexual and/or agender!
Day 4: Visibility | Queerness comes in all shapes and sizes. Is your character’s or ship’s queerness obvious or are they straight-passing? Show all the different ways being queer can look.
Day 5: Accepted | We get the general impression that being gay/bi/trans/etc is widely normalised, but is this true for everyone? Is it different for fliers or in the isles? And while they may be accepted at Basgiath, is everyone accepted at home?
Day 6: Pride | Happy Pride month! Celebrate Pride with your chosen character or ship.
Day 7: Free Day | Canon or AU, the freedom is yours!
Thank you to everyone who participated in Tyrrendor Week! There were a total of 3 entries! Below is a compiled list of all the works submitted this week. You can also check out the AO3 collection to view some of them there.
Summary: Xaden climbs through your window one late night, showing an astounding lack of self-preservation in the face of the freezing wind and your parents’ guards.
Warnings: Swearing, secret/forbidden relationship, allusions to reader having abusive parents. Established relationship, set pre-canon.
Written for @empyreanevents's Tyrrendor Week Day 7 and inspired by the Faun song "Diese Kalte Nacht" (which translates to "This Cold Night").
AO3
The wind was howling outside, so loud it drowned out the sound of pebbles hitting your window almost entirely. But there — another plink. So you hadn’t imagined it.
Frowning, you flung back the covers and sat up in bed. There was only one person you could think of who might want to see you at this late hour, but surely, he wouldn’t be so reckless as to sneak onto your parents’ estate… would he?
The stone floor of your room felt cold even through the thick rug that covered it as you padded to the window on bare feet. Though true winter had gone and taken all the snow with it, the temperatures had dropped to freezing once more these last few days, icy winds rattling the roofs and uprooting trees as if in a last rageful act of defiance against spring. It definitely wasn’t the kind of weather that invited one to go on an midnight excursion and throw pebbles at windows.
And yet, as you pulled aside the drapes, there he stood beneath your window — Xaden Riorson. It took only a glance to recognize him in the brightness of the moon, which peeked out between the clouds to gild his features with its silvery light.
Your heart stumbled, then resumed to beat at twice its regular pace. Part of you worried something terrible must have happened, because surely Xaden wouldn’t risk coming here without good reason. The rest of you knew better. His demeanor was far too relaxed for anything to be amiss — looking at him, you might’ve thought he was leisurely waiting for you in the market square as he did so often when you snuck out for dates, instead of breaking and entering your home at great peril.
You let yourself indulge in the sight of him for all of a second before worried frustration took over. He was bundled up in a heavy coat, but wore neither hat, nor scarf, nor even just a hood — nothing to keep him warm, nothing to hide his identity. That godsdamned, beautiful fool. If you could see him clearly enough to recognize him, then anyone else who happened to look out a window on this side of the building would be able to, as well. It was late, but that was no guarantee that your family and their staff were all asleep.
What in Amari’s name was he thinking?!
You threw open the window as quietly as you could in your rising panic. The cold wind raised goosebumps all over your body, curtains billowing like they were trying to wrestle you away from the window. You impatiently slapped them aside.
Xaden’s face lit up with a smile as he caught sight of you.
The ease with which you could make him smile, often with your mere presence, was something you were incredibly proud of, knowing there were very few people alive whom he allowed to see past the emotional walls he’d built. Even under the current circumstances, giddiness bubbled in your chest. You squashed it before it could bring an answering smile to your lips. This was not the time to act like a lovesick fool — not when Xaden was already acting foolish enough for both of you. Did he not realize what danger he was exposing himself to, or did he simply not care?
“What are you doing here?” you hissed into the darkness.
Xaden’s reply came accompanied by a lazy shrug. “Visiting you.”
Your indignation grew. He said it like it was not only obvious, but also the most natural thing in the world.
“Visiting me? Are you out of your godsdamned mind?! If my father sees you, he’ll fucking kill you!”
To your eternal frustration, your parents were so loyal to the King it bordered on fanaticism. You were strictly forbidden from interacting with the marked ones — the traitors’ children, as your parents preferred to call them — which was precisely what had driven you to seek out the pair of them fostered not far from your home, and befriend them. Never in a thousand years could you have guessed you would end up falling in love with one of them, and not just any of them, but the Great Betrayer’s son himself.
Xaden was entirely unlike what you’d been led to believe — neither hateful nor arrogant, and certainly not plotting the kingdom’s downfall like many in your parents’ social circle believed. He was smart, strong, handsome, and accordingly confident. Though he got morose and moody at times, he bore the scorn aimed at him because of his father’s failed rebellion with admirable dignity, never faltering under the burden of his responsibility for the other marked ones. His trust and affection were reserved for a select few, but those, he was fiercely protective of.
In the span of a few short months, you came to adore him more than life itself, though right now, you were sorely tempted to hurl your pillow at his smirking face as he said, “He’d have to catch me first.”
In a fair chase, Xaden would indeed stand a good chance of getting away. Unfortunately, the chase would most definitely not be fair, if an alarm were sounded about his intrusion.
“No, he doesn’t,” you retorted, already shivering in your sleepwear. You should’ve wrapped yourself in the comforter instead of leaving it on the bed. “He has guards to do that for him.”
Xaden waved your concern away, and you noted with relief that he’d at least had the sense to wear gloves. Still, you could see from here that he, too, was cold.
Guilt gnawed at you for keeping him standing out in the courtyard, entirely exposed to the bite of the wind, but encouraging him to come inside would have been madness. The doors were guarded, and while your window wasn’t situated particularly high above the ground, everything from the facade’s rough stone to the windowsill was slippery with frost, making it a difficult climb even for someone as athletic as Xaden, during which any sound he made would mean potential discovery. It was simply too great a risk.
“Damnit, Xaden, you have to leave! You know you can’t be here, and it’s too damn cold to stand there and argue with me. You’ll freeze.”
“If you’re so worried about that, maybe you should let me in.”
“No! Are even listening? Bad enough if you’re spotted outside, but if my parents catch you trying to get into my room they’ll have you executed for sure, and nothing I could say or do would stop them!”
Xaden scoffed, as if the risk of death were nothing more than a minor annoyance. “The only way I’ll get caught is if you keep shouting at me from the window.”
Cocky asshole. You almost wanted to slam the window shut on him, but knowing how obstinate he could be, that was likely to make matters worse: instead of leaving like a sensible person, he would just keep on standing there until he either froze into an ice sculpture, was caught and forcibly removed from the premise, or you caved and let him in.
After a few more seconds of contemplation, you did just that. Letting him inside was a risk, but continuing to argue with him would be an even greater one, he was right about that.
“Oh for fuck’s sake, fine! Get your stubborn ass in here before I change my mind.”
Xaden didn’t need to be told twice. Relief flashing over his face, he dashed forward, and you had to lean farther out to keep sight of him. Your heart pounded with fear as you watched him begin to climb. The hand- and footholds he found in the decorative stonework couldn’t be very secure. If he slipped, fell and hurt himself—
No, you couldn’t let yourself imagine it. Xaden would manage.
Stepping back from the window so he would have the space to pull himself inside when he reached it, you waited with bated breath for his head to appear in the opening. Seconds passed, feeling like hours. You didn’t hear a sound from Xaden, no matter how you strained your ears — the wind was too loud, or he too stealthy. On the bright side, that meant nobody else would hear him, either, but the silence unnerved you, as it left you no way to track his progress, no proof that he was still there. Would you even hear if he fell?
On the verge of worrying yourself into a panic attack, you jumped when a gloved hand gripped the window frame. The rest of Xaden followed. Thank gods.
Twisting through the opening and dropping to the floor was a matter of seconds, the quiet scrape of his boots on the stone floor the only sound he made during the whole process, and you had to admit to yourself that he hadn’t been exaggerating when he insisted he wouldn’t get caught through any fault of his own. Equally silently, he closed the window behind him, shutting out the cold and muffling the sound of the raging wind.
Then, he stood in front of you, murmuring a quiet, “Hi, love.”
“Don’t you hi love me,” you snapped in a whisper, heart still racing as you pointed your finger in his face. “I’m mad at you.”
“For wanting to see you?”
“For putting your life at stake to do so!”
Xaden only looked at you — not apologetic in the slightest, but with so much love in his eyes you couldn’t help but mellow. Pushing back his windblown hair, you kissed his forehead. His skin was icy.
“Let’s get you warmed up,” you softly commanded. Everything else was secondary.
Already peeling off his gloves, Xaden nodded. “Yeah. Get back in bed,” he said, pecking your lips. “I’ll join you in a second.”
You shook your head, reaching instead to unbutton his coat. After so long in the cold, his fingers would be so stiff it’d make it difficult to do it himself. “I’m not the one who went strolling through a windstorm.”
“No, but you’re the one only wearing pajamas. You’re barefoot, for fucks sake.”
He had you there. When you rose, you hadn’t dressed for spending minutes at the open window, an oversight you were now feeling the consequences of, though you tried your best not to let it show.
Xaden was frowning down at your feet like he was about to reverse the roles and scold you. Before he could start, you said, “Then you better cooperate, so we can both be warm and cozy as soon as possible.”
“Fine.” He stuffed his gloves into the coat’s pocket. As you finished unbuttoning the garment and reached up to push it down his shoulders, he caught your wrists and pressed a kiss to each hand. “Thanks.”
He had a natural talent for making it impossible to stay mad at him, you mused, draping his coat over the nearby desk chair before squatting to unlace his boots. You guided his feet out of them and to the floor, relieved to find them considerably warmer than your own, and neatly set the boots side by side below the window. Xaden pulled you upright with a kiss to the top of your head. Lacing hands, you quickly led him to the bed — on the cold floor, his feet wouldn’t stay warm for long, even if he was wearing thick socks.
You made a mental note to check for dirt and footprints around the window in the morning. Nobody would be able to guess the identity of your nightly visitor based on that alone, but the fact that he’d evidently snuck through the window would tell them enough to get you in serious trouble. Your parents didn’t care how or where you spent your free time; all that mattered to them was that you were home when they wanted you to be, stayed out of their way when they didn’t want you there, and never ever talked back or questioned their opinions. If you gave them reason to suspect you of keeping company they wouldn’t approve of, you could wave your freedom goodbye.
For now, you were safe enough, though. While you didn’t have a key to lock your room’s door with, nothing short of a fire would bring any of the estate’s other occupants to your chambers in the middle of the night, so long as you kept quiet.
Reaching the bed, you pushed Xaden to lie down first, grabbed the comforter, threw it around your shoulders like a cape, and settled on top of him. It took some squirming to make sure the comforter actually covered both of you from neck to toes, but a minute of shared effort later, you were comfortably snuggled up and already starting to feel warmer.
“Good?” you whispered.
“Perfect,” Xaden whispered back, kissing your cheek, then the other, and finally, your mouth.
For a while, you silently basked in each other’s presence, no sounds to be heard but the wind outside and your quiet breaths. Xaden’s toned body was soft and pliant beneath you, eyelids drooping as you played with his hair.
“You have to admit that coming here was a great idea,” he mumbled eventually.
“If we ignore the risk involved in sneaking onto the property, yes. Though I wish you’d picked a warmer night.”
“Ah, but then you wouldn’t have had any reason to act as my heated blanket.”
You huffed a laugh. You didn’t need the excuse of being cold to seek physical contact, and you both knew it.
After a moment, you asked, “Won’t you be in trouble with Duke Lindell if he notices you snuck out?”
Xaden shook his head. “Liam will cover for me if need be.”
“Xaden!” you scolded. “Don’t drag the poor guy into your escapades!”
“Relax. No one will notice I was ever here; not Lindell or Lewellen, and not your parents either. I’ll be gone before sunrise, I promise.”
“Alright.” You sighed. “I’m sorry we have to sneak around like this.”
It was an apology you’d made many times before, and as always, Xaden shook his head at it. “It’s not your fault your parents hate me.”
“It’s not your fault, either. I wish they weren’t so… so bigoted. You deserve better.”
Better than someone who could only meet him in secret, who let him stand out in the cold after he came all this way in such horrible weather, who didn’t dare say a word in his defense when his name was dragged through the dirt at social functions because the consequences of speaking up would be too dire.
“Nothing could be better than being here with you,” Xaden insisted, arms tightening around you. “And if I have to face a bit of wind and sneak past your parent’s guards to get that, then it only makes the reward even sweeter. They won’t control your life forever. One day, we’ll be able to see each other whenever we want, and until then, I’ll just keep climbing through your window. I don’t mind.”
“You’re such a sap,” you huffed, but it was exactly what you’d needed to hear.
