The first kiss.
A/N: I wrote this chapter for a fanfic of mine that is being published and I thought it was so beautiful that I wanted to post it here too. I had to translate to English, so if there are any mistakes I apologize in advance.
Summary: Azriel takes Gwyn for training on an obstacle course in a forest on the outskirts of Ramiel, but there was more to it than the Valkyrie's training, a lake of warm, crystal-clear water that the spymaster asked Feyre to paint. a painting for Gwyn and gave her as a gift. What they both didn't expect was that that night they would have their first kiss.
Total words: 2163
Warnings: medium NSFW.
The sun was already setting and Gwyn could hear the roars of Illyria's beasts waking up, but she trusted Azriel to keep them away, and besides, she was so angry that she hadn't been able to make that path to hell in an hour that it would kill anyone just to take out the anger, even if she was staggering and tired.
The valkyrie braced her hand against a tree and looked ahead, her breath failing but turning fierce when she saw Azriel standing there, wings folded tightly behind him, hands behind, feet spread, shadows dancing around him and a damn smug smile on his face.
“I'll kill you,” she said his smile widened. “I definitely will.”
"Try your luck, Valkyrie," he said in a defiant tone and Gwyn drew strength from her that she didn't know she had.
She unsheathed a dagger and went for Azriel who quickly shifted into battle stance with a dagger in hand and they began a skirmish. Every hit she gave him was parried, as were the ones he gave her. Azriel didn't take it easy on her, had always been during his lessons.
Gwyn grunted and tried to hit him with a punch which amazingly succeeded, he even turned his face away, but her hand hurt badly. Azriel grinned more savagely than anything and quickly fought back and when Gwyn least noticed her back was to the ground, he mounted her with his knee against her chest and the blade of the dagger against her neck.
The valkyrie could hardly breathe and swallowed hard, looking at him with wide eyes as he looked at her in an even calm way and with a smile on his well-designed lips.
"Very well, you hit me, congratulations," he said and Gwyn narrowed her eyes making him laugh. His shadows coming to her and brushing against the cuts on her face. “ You are badly bruised.”
"Your fault," she said through gritted teeth.
“My? Who couldn't make such an easy ride without getting hurt was you” he said mockingly and Gwyn struggled trying to get him off her. “Whoa, whoa, calm down.”
“I'm furious with you.”
“With me? Or with you for not "beating" me?”
"Both," she said, slapping his thigh to get him off her and Azriel did so by getting up. He put the dagger away and held out his hand to Gwyn who snorted having to swallow her pride and took his wrist and he lifted it with a jerk bringing her to her feet.
"Let's talk later how it went," he said. “But now you need to clean up and rest.”
Gwyn put the dagger away and frowned like a child nodded.
"Then let's go home soon," she said.
“I don't think we need to,” he said turning his back and starting to walk.
Confused, she followed him through the trees and little by little a bluish light was emerging and when Azriel stopped and she stood beside him, she almost couldn't breathe at what she saw.
It was the blue lake in the painting that Feyre had given her as a welcome gift.
Much larger than she thought it would be, the water was crystal clear and a thin layer of steam hovered over it, white water lilies floating on the surface, small fireflies dancing through the warm white smoke, among the flowers and flying through the trees from the forest and when Gwyn looked up she saw Ramiel right there, the three stars crowning her.
"I thought you'd like to see it in person," Azriel said and she looked at he making him look at her.
Gwyn smiled and looked at the water, her body shivering under the battle leather and listening to a silent song as if the water called to her.
“I'll give you privacy” he said walking away and turning his back, but he stayed in a visible place.
The beautiful priestess then began to undress from her sweaty, blood-stained training clothes until she was wearing a white bra made of cotton and panties of the same fabric and color, not too small in the back. Gwyn released her sweaty hair and was soon ready to step into the water.
Slowly she put one foot inside the bank feeling the warm temperature and all the hairs on her body stood up and she took a deep breath feeling the pure smell of the water and as if she didn't command her movements she went in, very slowly, in total silence listening just the night bugs and the owls and the sound of the water lapping against your skin.
Gwyn then jumped into the water and her whole being seemed fulfilled, the deeper she went, more part of the water she felt, she could even dance in there and she was so deep that she could touch the sand at the bottom where hot water was welling up. She lay there submerged for long minutes, her red hair dancing along the water as she moved and her skin began to glow. She looked at the surface, seeing from afar the glow of the fireflies and the full blue moon that rose illuminating that clearing and then the priestess decided to emerge swimming with fluid until finally she was back on oxygen.
The ginger looked to the ledge she had come from and saw Azriel sitting there on a rock in silence and watching with his shadows dancing around him and Gwyn grinned at him which he returned with a small smile without showing his teeth. She then swam in strokes until she was close to him, in a place where she could stand up, but still covered her up to her shoulders.
“You not want to come in?” she asked and he raised his eyebrows. “The water is fine.”
"I imagine it is," he replied. “But I'll stop here.”
“Oh! Don't be boring, come on, come in” she gave a mocking smile. “Or are you afraid of the water, shadowsinger?”
Az narrowed his eyes and gave a smile that accepted the challenge. It was so easy to convince him.
The warrior rose and stood beside the rock. First he disarmed himself by placing all his blades on the stone and then off he took off his boots and socks, then the upper part of his leather suit and he was left with only his black pants. Gwyn wasn't going to ask if he was going to pull it out and she was sure he wouldn't when he started to enter the lake.
Shadows following him, huge wings trailing as he went deeper into the water and scarred hands skimming the surface until he was now close to Gwyn but keeping his distance.
“Then? It bited you?” she asked teasing him.
“Not yet,” he replied smiling small and she laughed. “Did you have fun down there?”
"It's wonderful," she said, wetting the red hair that floated around her again. “After the hellish day I spent, it was a treat.”
He gave a thick, rhythmic laugh.
“Don't be dramatic, it wasn't too bad” he said and she narrowed her eyes staring at him and then splashed water on him which opened his mouth in disbelief at her audacity.
“Was that an invitation to war, Berdara?”
“You bet it is” she replied confirming and he shook his head and then returned Gwyn's insult by throwing water at her who laughed.
Soon the two of them were throwing water at each other in a war, like two children, and she was laughing along with him, swearing at him, but they went on with it and she knew they would go on until one of them gave up, and Azriel knew that too well.
"You know, I have an advantage," he said.
“Oh yes? Which one?”
Before she had been silent, with his right wing Azriel practically threw a wave at her and Gwyn swore at him, which made him laugh.
“You bastard!” She said laughing and advancing on him. Surely she would try to drown him playfully, but the arrow came out backwards. Azriel grabbed her arms and lowered her into the water quickly sinking her and then lifting her up.
Gwyn had her eyes closed, breathing heavily, but she laughed as he did and then opened her eyes to meet his, both of them still laughing. She studied his wet face, his hair partially tossed back with a stubborn strand falling across his forehead, and looked at his smiling mouth. In that moment there was nothing but Azriel, except his mouth that seemed to be calling hers.
The action was faster than she thought when she brought her hands to his face and kissed him causing his laughter to stop. It wasn't a deep kiss, just a lingering lip seal that made her shiver like a green stick, her heart pounding madly in her chest, her belly cold and a feeling of fullness in her chest.
Gwyn pulled away from him, still holding that beautiful face in her trembling hands, their noses still touching, their eyes staring and her breathing was so labored that she wondered if she even knew how to breathe.
"I'm sorry," she said softly against his mouth and Azriel closed his eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath, his hands gripping her arms, squeezing there. “I shouldn't...”
" You should have," he said in a low voice, his breath blowing against her mouth. “By the gods, you should.”
Gwyn opened her mouth to say anything, but Azriel sealed her lips again and she didn't back down, on the contrary, she kept holding his face in her hands as his hands released her arms and one went to the back of her neck, taking it there and the other to your back.
She felt his tongue brushing against the line of her mouth asking for passage and still fearful she did and his tongue entered soon touching hers and sliding slowly over her. Hot, big, wet. A bolt of lightning seemed to pass through Gwyn's body and she put her hands in the spymaster's black hair, holding him there as their tongues danced slowly and willingly, making indecent little noises to be heard by both of them as their lips slid across the other's and the priestess moaned pulling her body closer to Azriel's and moaning again as her breasts pressed against his chest.
She wanted more, more of him, and she could tell by the growl that came from deep in his chest that he wanted more, too. Azriel's hands slid down Gwyn's back and down to her ass, going lower and he pulled her into his lap, this made their mouths separate for a few seconds, but then they met again with extreme urgency resuming that kiss and the valkyrie entwined Azriel's waist with her long, beautiful legs as his hands slid along them and up, going to her ass, her back, exploring every inch of Gwyn's skin.
Az stopped kissing her, however, the kisses went to her face and down her neck where he took a light bite and licked her making her moan and tighten her legs around him and sink her nails into his muscular shoulders. He pulled her closer so that her hips brushed against his and she could feel the hard bulge in his pants and that friction caused a shiver and pleasure in the top of her thighs.
She lifted her face, giving Azriel more freedom to kiss, lick, and suck on her neck as he pressed her against him, making her center throb even painfully. She wanted him, wanted him badly, but... When his kisses descended to her breast and that friction grew stronger between their hips, a painful memory came to her mind and she stopped him by pushing him lightly and Azriel looked her back.
"I don't think I'd go any further," she said, panting against his face and Az gritted his teeth hard, his body quivering as did his huge wings, but he nodded.
"Fine," he replied quietly.
She brought her hands to his face and stroked his cheeks with her thumbs.
"Kiss me more," she asked. “Please.”
"No need to beg," he replied, giving her a quick peck and biting her lower lip lightly, pulling it between his teeth and Gwyn shivered with a soft moan. “I'm going to kiss you until you beg me otherwise, until you can't take it anymore.”
He smiled wide and so did she and then he kissed her again, their tongues meeting instantly returning to the slow, sensual dance Azriel commanded.
That was Gwyn's first kiss, in fact, the first moment she felt safe enough to be in a male's arms, and she was happy, so happy that her skin again began to glow as they kissed, and kissed, until their mouths were swollen and red, and even then, she didn't want to stop, she wanted to keep kissing him until the world ended.
