Who Am I Really? Elain and Azriel
He saw her laying on a chaise lounger gazing vacantly out the nearest window. Her eyes were glazed over and she seemed to be deep in inner thought.
Elain didn’t appear to notice Azriel in the doorway and she also didn’t think anyone knew where her secret spot was. He moved so quietly amongst the shadows half the time she showed actual emotion when she was spooked. But she didn’t mind. For some reason, their brains both seemed to function on a similar wavelength that made the silence between them comfortable. he allowed her her space and she allowed him her presence.
“She is stunning,” he thought. He took notice of her elegant sloping waist, her golden hair that shone in the sunlight, the way her cheeks bloomed when a small smile came to her lips. She didn’t smile often as the transition to becoming Fae was hard on her and the war certainly didn’t help, but he was determined to help her in any way he could.
“Azriel?” she questionned, not bothering to look toward him. How long had she known he was watching her?
Blushing, he replied meekly, “Ye-yes?”
“Could you help me brush my hair?” When she said this, she turned toward him shyly, looking down.
He nodded and moved to sit with her on the lounger. Silently, he gestured, “Is this ok?” And when she nodded he was seated silently and laid a strong hand on her right shoulder. She seemed startled at the touch, but later leaned into the warmth of his hand.
Taking a large strand of her hair, he ran the mirrored brush through it delicately, so as not to hurt her. “How could just brushing her her hair feel so intimate?” he thought.
He took his time gently sweeping the brush through her thick hair until it was as soft as a newborn Fae’s blanket. When Azriel finished, her shoulders seemed to tense again. “Is there something wrong?” he questioned, in hopes he wasn’t intruding.
She turned around so their mouths were in 6 inches of one another; sharing each other’s breathing space. Lifting her long lashes up to meet his eyes she said quietly, “Nothing. Nothing is wrong. It’s just, I haven’t been touched so delicately in a long time.”
He moved to get up, worried that he had offended her. “I’m extremely sorry Elain, I should leave you to enjoy your afternoon alone.” As he turned to leave, a small hand wrapped around his large bicep, tugging him back.
“Please, please don’t leave me. I-I just don’t know it is what I want from you, but I know I need you to just be with me. I feel something for you that I can’t explain...and I’m slowly beginning to understand my emotions.”
He understood everything. The mating bond had clicked into place for him the second Lucien had laid eyes on her. Which was another problem in it of itself. Lucien was destined to be her mate as well. A phenomenon of this magnitude had never occurred, and the only solution would be to allow Elain to choose who to be mates with or if she did not want to mate at all.
Lucien was persistent. Each day, he knocked on her door with a bouquet of flowers and breakfast. Gracious as she was, she accepted the gifts but soon after, resumed her solidarity. He tried to pull her from her room for small walks or to see a local florist in town but each time she politely turned him down, in favor of reading a book or tending to her garden.
Azriel felt sorry for the male and attempted as much he could to avoid the bond and go about his days. But it pulled on his heart tremendously, her beauty leaving him breathless each time he encountered her. he found little ways to see her without being a nuisance. And she seemed to welcome his presence, but he couldn’t help the guilt that crept in over Lucien.
But now, he stared dumbfounded directly into those hazel Archeron eyes, and couldn’t help himself. “You need me?” Was all he said, his hands shaking.
“I’m sorry if you don’t want to be with-” Was all she was capable of saying before he crashed his lips on hers. She remained frozen in his arms but slwly melted into him, allowing herself to deepen the kiss and taste him. Tongues clashed, and he placed his hands on either side of her head to bring her closer in any way to him. He was drunk on the taste of her lips, just couldn’t seem to get enough. And when she finally broke away, they were both breathless and wide eyed, unsure of what had just taken place.
Her fingers crept up to her lips as if to feel where his lips at just been and he watch her with interest. “We’re mates,” she said affirmatively, with a rosy glow to her cheeks.
He nodded, his shadows swirling throughout the room. Removing her hand from her lips to place on top of his hands, she said, “It would be my honor to be your mate Azriel, and I want nothing more.”