jayfeather323

[jayfeather323]

"Blue Annis, who was a terror to behold—cobalt skin and iron claws and like Lubia, a taste for female flesh. Lubia, at least, swallowed her prey swiftly. Annis... she took longer. Annis was like Lanthys in that regard." His throat bobbed, and he tugged back the collar of his shirt to reveal another scar: the horrific, thick one above his left pectoral. She'd spied it the other day in the training ring. "That's all that remains of it now, but Annis had shredded through my chest with those iron claws and was nearly at my heart when Azriel intervened." — A Court of Silver Flames

A very massive thank you to @jayfeather323 for bringing Cassian and his sexy scars to life in this beautiful charcoal piece for @cassianappreciationweek

Please do not repost without credit and do not feed into AI programs.

[jayfeather323]

I’m almost finished with the watercolor version so I’m just going to throw this little teaser out there.

Inspired by The Other Side of the Apocalypse by @separatist-apologist and @the-lonelybarricade

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Still working on this 😭

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if you’re gonna introduce me to something new you have to defeat my 7 evil ex hyperfixations

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A Z R I E L | Through Elain’s Eyes

For @bird-on-the-wire33

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Starving, Darling

Chapter 1

Rating: Mature

Read on AO3

Cassian

The three males had reached the age Rhys’ father liked to call “the age of fighting and fucking.” At least Cass and Rhys had. Even though Azriel was older, he only ever seemed to be interested in the fighting part.

It wasn’t for lack of female interest either, Azriel was all lean muscle and lethal grace. He was far prettier even than Rhys, which gained him plenty of attention. The few dates Az had been on, he had stormed back into the house hours too early and locked himself in his room. Neither Cass nor Rhys could get him to talk about it, stubborn as he was.

So, when he finally broke down and told them what was going on, they were shocked, to say the least. They were shocked, but it was Azriel, and after everything he’d been through, it was a wonder they didn’t figure it out sooner.

Azriel was resistant to any kind of physical affection – to any touch, really. Now that Cass thought about it, training (or outright brawling) was the only time Cass’ skin had ever touched Azriel’s.

In the years they had shared a home in Windhaven, Cass had always been affectionate with Rhys and his mother. Hugs, a clasp on the back, and friendly punches were just part of how he communicated with the only family he had ever known. He learned quickly, though, that that was not something he could do with Az.

The few times he had gone in for a hug or a friendly nudge, Az had flinched. The response pained him enough that he avoided that sort of contact with him.

The time he struck an arm out in an amused punch to Azriel’s shoulder, he landed flat on his back, wings flared out awkwardly before he could even make contact.

Cass had seen Az talking to Ezra’s sister, Maya, earlier that day. When he disappeared after dinner, he mentioned it to Rhys who gave him a knowing smirk.

Maya was pretty with long, dark eyelashes set against high cheekbones and softly curling black hair that fell nearly to her waist. Her pale green eyes were in stark contrast to her dark skin, and freckles dotted her nose and cheeks. She was gorgeous. He could see why Az liked her.

But only an hour after he’d left, he returned, the front door slamming behind him, shadows writhing angrily. His face was as hard and emotionless as always, but the twitch of his wings and his coiling shadows gave him away. Az was wearing denim pants and a pressed black shirt, a rare change from his fighting leathers.

Cass was tired of Az angrily shutting himself away anytime he met with a female. He needed to know what was upsetting him so much. Azriel was his best friend and Cass hated to be shut out.

Before Az could make it through the kitchen and up the stairs, Cass launched himself in front of him, arms and wings spread wide, blocking his path.

Cass really miscalculated. The spot he threw himself into was only a few inches in front of Azriel and he…flinched.

All the air and determination went out of him as Az’s hands came up in front of his face, mangled scars in plain view, and for probably the hundredth time, he wanted to murder Azriel’s father and stepbrothers. Az was good and he deserved so much better than the hand life had dealt him.

Cass took a step back but kept his wings spread to block the way to the stairs.

“Az,” he said. “Just tell me what happened. I care about you.” I care about you. They were Illyrians. Mean and brutish and good for little except fighting and fucking. But they made a pact. To be brothers. To have each other’s backs no matter what. To care.

All at once, the hard, irritated line of Azriel’s shoulders fell. The tightly held fold of his wings that Cass knew still felt unnatural drooped down. His carefully blank face fell to reveal his frustration.

At this sudden change in body language, Rhys stepped closer toward them. Cass had forgotten he was standing near the window, ostensibly watching the snowflakes as they fell and collected on the ground.

“What’s wrong, Az?” Rhys asked in a velvet voice meant to soothe.

Azriel stepped back to slump into a chair pulled out from the kitchen table and put his head in his hands. Like he couldn’t look up at his friends. It was several long seconds before he spoke. Several long seconds in which Cassian could only hear Az’s stuttered, forced breaths as he tried to calm himself.

“I don’t understand what’s wrong with me!” The frustration in his voice panged through Cassian’s chest. “No one can just touch me! I freak out every time!”

Oh. So that’s what this is about.

“What do you mean?” Az looked up when Rhys spoke, revealing watery hazel eyes and a vulnerability Cass had never seen in him before. That pang in his chest sank and curdled into a protective fury. He just wanted to tug Az into his chest. To slaughter everyone who had ever hurt him.

“Today, with Maya, I went to her house. I’d talked to her a few times, and I guess she wanted to fool around when I went over today. When she reached out to hug me, I flinched! And she got this sad look in her eyes, but that wasn’t even the worst of it.” Az just sounded so defeated. Cass could tell he was trying not to let tears fall and he had never seen Az so vulnerable. Not even when he admitted he couldn’t fly.

His words came out in a rush. “We were fooling around, just kissing a little and…and I was shaking. She kept asking me if I was okay, I kept brushing her off, but my…my hands were shaking so bad. It was just so much, and then she was kissing me and her hand slid down, and I…”

Az dropped his gaze to the tile floor and moved his arms, so his lap was now visible.

Cassian’s jaw nearly dropped at the wet spot on Azriel’s thigh. He looked at Rhys, the same expression of soft surprise mirrored on his face.

“I just ran out of there. She looked at me so surprised.” Az’s gaze remained fixed on the floor.

Az had come in his pants. From barely a touch.

“Az, there are far worse things than coming in your pants. I doubt Maya even really cared.” Rhys saved them from the silence.

Az only gave him a skeptical look.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Cass said. A half-baked plan began to form in his head. “I think…we could help you.”

“Help me?” Az only sounded more skeptical.

Rhys seemed to pick up on where he was going with this. “If you’re overly sensitive to touch, if you flinch when people get too close, you just need to get more used to it. With people you trust.”

The doubtful stare didn’t let up.

“You trust me, right? Trust us?”

His gaze shuttered. “Of course, I do.”

“Then let us help,” Rhys said, his calm, velvet timbre doing wonders to broach the topic to Azriel.

“Okay.” The trust in his eyes made Cass smile. “How…exactly do you plan to help me?”

“We can start with you letting someone take care of you for once. We can get you cleaned up and then go from there.”

Azriel nodded and his gaze flicked back and forth from Rhys’s captivating violet eyes to Cassian’s hazel ones.

“Can I touch you?” Cass pitched his voice low and soft and stepped right in front of Az where he sat on the wooden chair.

He nodded, and Cass reached out slowly. He ran his fingers through the silky soft strands of Azriel’s hair. He brushed away the yet unmelted flakes of snow and scratched his blunt nails lightly across his scalp. Affection swelled heavy and warm in Cassian when Az’s eyes fluttered shut and he leaned ever so slightly into Cass’ touch.

He trailed his hands down to grasp Azriel’s scarred ones, pulling him up from the chair. He had never had so much contact with Az in his life. At least not outside of grappling in the dirt.

“Come upstairs. You can take a hot bath,” Cass said. He knew that while Az may never admit it, he was rather fond of bubble baths ever since he had discovered them.

Rhys led the way and they all walked up the stairs to the bathing room they shared. Rhys waved a hand and the bath, at least big enough for two Illyrian warriors, filled with hot, soapy water. The male didn’t have his wings out today, which Cass thought was a good thing considering the size of the bathing room.

Sinking to his knees, Rhys held eye contact with Azriel.

He kept all his movements slow, deliberate. Rhys began to unlace Az’s boots, never once breaking eye contact, telling him with his eyes and his actions exactly how he intended to help him.

Cass understood what Rhys was trying to communicate. He was heir to the Night Court. Kneeling to anyone was not in his nature. Rhys communicated through action, and this, this supplicating reverence begged Azriel to trust him, to allow him to take care of him, to show him that there is more to the world than pain.

As Rhys made his way to the ties of Azriel’s pants, Cass unbuckled straps and undid buttons on his leathers. He gently eased the sleeves down his arms, oh so careful to avoid his wings. Cass pressed a gentle kiss to the warm, tan skin of his chest. He just couldn’t help himself.

“Is this okay?” The soft, shuddering sigh from Azriel at the contact told him that it was, indeed, okay, but he wanted to hear him say it. Cass’s gaze flicked up to Az’s. His lips were parted in soft shock, as though he couldn’t believe anyone would ever touch him like this.

“It’s…it’s good.” His voice shook a little as he spoke and as Rhys gently removed his pants from where they were tangled around his feet, Cass pressed another soft kiss to the side of his jaw, where the barest beginnings of dark stubble tickled his cheek.

A sigh escaped Az’s lips and as they made eye contact, he could see the nervousness he was trying to hide. His scarred hands shook where they were clenched at his sides and his shoulders and wings were tight with tension.

Rhys stood and pressing his hands to the sharp bones of Azriel’s hips, he nudged him over to the bath.

“Relax,” Rhys said, pressing a tender kiss to Az’s shoulder. “Bathe. We’ll be right here.”

By some miracle of the hot water or of Rhys’s soothing whispers, some of the tension in Az melted away as he settled into the bath. Az dunked his head, wetting his raven’s feather curls. Cass watched the water trickle down his face, the little bit of stubble filling in around his jaw, the corded muscles of his neck.

Rhys trailed feather-light fingers down his spine, and Cass watched, enraptured, at how his eyes fluttered shut, at the shiver he tried to suppress.

As Az scrubbed his body, Cass stepped forward to run shampoo through the male’s hair. His chin tipped back, and he didn’t even try to keep his eyes open this time. Az just relaxed into his touch.

Cass didn’t know how to feel. He had never seen Az this open before. He was relaxed, enjoying himself, even. His shadows were settled along the stretched-out curves of his wings and pooled around his legs. He thought if they could purr, they would be doing just that. Hell, maybe they could, and he just didn’t know.

Rhys never stopped running a soothing hand down the ridges of Az’s spine. Scars littered his back, another reminder of the male’s cruel past. He didn’t stop the calming motion until Az stepped from the bath, and Rhys wrapped him in a fluffy towel.

The water dripped in little rivulets from his lightly curling hair and down his face. Az always had a haunted look about him, like maybe the only thing beneath the masks he wore, beneath the cold fury, was a scared little boy still trapped in his father’s dungeon. But now, wrapped in a cream-colored towel, water dripping from his eyelashes, his rage seemed to have melted. He looked almost innocent…cute even.

They followed Rhys to his room. His bed was thankfully big enough for three winged Illyrians. Cass darted to his own room to grab a change of clothes for himself and for Az before returning.

Cass handed Az a pair of underwear and a soft sleep shirt that was just a tad oversized on him. He and Rhys slept shirtless, but he knew Az preferred clothing.

As they all sat on Rhys’ oversized bed, Rhys spoke, “Azriel, I want you to know that you have all the control here. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Just say the word and everything stops. If you want to slow down, if you want to do something different, all you have to do is say so, okay?”

Az nodded, and when his too-vulnerable gaze flicked over to Cass, he said, “Do you want to do this? Do you want us to take care of you? Do you want our help with…this?” Cass’ questions betrayed his nerves, but he so desperately wanted Azriel to say yes. He so desperately wanted to show him the care he deserved, the care no one had ever bothered to give him before.

“I…I want this, but there have to be some rules.” Az had a kind of shyness in his eyes, in his voice that Cass had never seen before, never thought he would see.

“Of course, what do you propose?” Rhys asked.

Cass couldn’t understand how Rhys was so level-headed and calm. He wanted this, yes, but it also felt like their whole dynamic could change completely and some fear that their relationship could change forever made his hands shake just slightly, made his heart beat just a little faster in his chest.

Rhys, however, seemed entirely unruffled. His violet eyes were clear and the way he sprawled against the dark wood of the headboard was cool and confident and relaxed. Rhys was always better at hiding his emotions than Cass was, though.

“I think we should keep this,” Az motioned between the three of them, “confined to the house. We can’t bring any of this to the training ring.”

“I agree. Is that alright with you, Cass?”

“Yes, of course. I really don’t want to know how Devlon would feel about an arrangement like this. Anything else?”

Az shook his head.

“Stay here tonight? With me?” Rhys asked.

Cassian nodded, but Azriel’s eyes widened, full lips parted.

“I’ve…I’ve never…I,” Az stammered.

“I know Az. That’s part of this. You don’t have to; we can always try another night.” Rhys’ voice was low and smooth and already tinged with sleep. It was quite late, and they were all tired and still processing the day’s events.

“No, I…I want to. I’ll stay.”

Rhys smiled, eyelids drooping slightly with his need for sleep. Cass smiled at Az, too, pride lacing his features. He knew this was a big step for Az. He knew how hard he tried to hide his nightmares, how often his past still kept him awake.

Rhys made himself comfy on one side of the oversized bed, wings still tucked away to create more space. When Az settled in the middle of the bed, Cass threaded an arm around his waist, slowly and not too tight, allowing Az to push him away if he wanted to. But he didn’t. He seemed content with the contact and Cass draped a wing over their bodies, cocooning them in warmth.

Cassian wanted to stay awake. Even as Az’s breathing settled into a slow, steady rhythm, he wanted to stay awake just a little longer. To make sure he was okay, to be there if he woke up. But the steady hum of their combined breathing and the warmth enveloping them lulled him into an easy, dreamless sleep.

[jayfeather323]

I wanted to finish this for @officialrhysandweek, I did. But it’s like a month past Rhysand week and it’s still not finished but y’all can take a look at the wip if you want.

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Rhys and Feyre - A Court of Thorns and Roses

Artist: @searland_art

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I actually have a funny story about this line. I had surgery over the summer and for some unknown reason, while I was high out of my mind on anesthesia, I kept repeating this line just over and over?? Nobody in my family had any idea what I was talking about. So when I say it lives rent-free in my head, it REALLY lives there.

that part in acowar where azriel says "chain me to a tree, rhys... go ahead. I'll rip it out of the ground and fly with it on my damned back" lives in my head RENT FREEEEEE !!! hottest line in all the books if u ask me

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Chapters: 5/5 Fandom: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Feyre Archeron/Rhysand, Feyre Archeron & Rhysand Characters: Mor - Character, Cassian, Azriel, Amren, The Inner Circle Additional Tags: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trauma, Canon-Typical Violence, very slightly canon-divergent, inner circle love, Rhys needs a hug, bat boy angst, Post-UtM, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Angst Summary:

“I landed at the Night Court, right as Mor was waiting for me, and I was so frantic, so…unhinged, that I told her everything. I hadn’t seen her in fifty years, and my first words to her were, ‘she’s my mate.’ And for three months…for three months I tried to convince myself that you were better off without me.”

Rhys' pov for the three months after he comes back from under the mountain.

Chapter 5 is posted! Let me know what you think!

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I know it’s been forever, but I’ve gotten really busy and been dealing with some health issues. I’m almost finished with chapter 5 of For Three Months, so with any luck I’ll get that posted tonight. Thanks for your patience, I’ve really put a lot of effort into this final chapter and I think y’all will love it.

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Get hyped for The Most Handsome High Lord!

09.24: Lord Of Nightmares: Rhysand is the most fearsome High Lord. What does he look like when he's at his meanest and scariest?

09.25: The Illyrian Warrior: Beyond being the High Lord, Rhysand's half Illyrian heritage meant he trained in the Illyrian war camps and and earned the coveted-and rare-title of Carynthian. What did this journey look like for him?

09.26: The Most Powerful High Lord: Rhysand is the most powerful High Lord Prythian has ever seen. How did he learn to control his magic? How does he grapple with that much power?

09.27: The Court Of Dreams: Despite his feared reputation, at his core, Rhysand is a dreamer. What does he dream about when he looks at the stars?

09.28: Family Man: From the family he lost, to the family he chose and the family who chose him, Rhysand's family is numerous. What does a glimpse into their life look like?

09. 29: Past times: When he's not working, Rhysand likes to have fun. What do you envision the High Lord of the Night Court gets up to in his spare time?

09.30: Free Day: The sky is the limit when you have wings (and a good imagination)!

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“Kiss me again. Kiss me until I am sick of it.”

A little Cardan fanart!

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Lord of Nightmares & the Cursebreaker

Art by x.lisscreative.x

[jayfeather323]

🧙‍♂️🪄✨✨✨ You’ve been visited by the Wip Wizard! If you feel comfortable, gush a little about the three wips you’re most excited to work on! Then send this to another inbox to keep the magic going!

Hi anon! I love sharing what I’m working on, it gives me some accountability lol.

1. Starving, Darling

This is a Rhys/Cassian/Azriel crackfic set when the batboys are still in Windhaven. This is such an indulgent fic for me and I love their dynamic so so much. The premise is basically that our dear Azriel is touch-starved and struggles with physical affection. Cass and Rhys are all too eager to help him out with this! I have a lot done for this but I’m trying to focus on finishing For Three Months, so aside from the little excerpt of it I posted, It won’t be posted for a little while.

2. For Three Months

For Three Months is a Feysand fic from Rhys’ pov set during the three months after they return from under the mountain and before he calls in the bargain. I thought it would be really interesting to see the dynamics between the Inner Circle after Rhys returns and the trauma and emotional turmoil Rhys is facing during that time. It’s pretty angsty as our favorite High Lord is dealing with a lot of self-doubt, regret, ptsd, and being separated from his mate whom he thinks hates him, and all the while he can feel her suffering through the bond. I have 4/5 chapters posted and the last one should be out by the end of this week! Poor Rhysie is losing his shit over Feyre’s engagement.

3. Fanart for The Other Side of the Apocolypse by TheLonelyBarricade and Separatist_Apologist

This is a watercolor painting based on this quote from the fic: “Poised every inch like a huntress of old, with her steady hands and fearless heart. She was the very thing they used to make religions about.” This one has taken me a very long time because I had to do a lot of research on bows, bow hunting, shooting, etc, and good reference images turned out to be rather hard to find and I ended up with around 2 dozen sketches before I even put it on watercolor paper. Then I ended up trashing the first version. On the bright side, version 2.0 I’m liking a lot more and is about half way finished. I’m a huge perfectionist when it comes to my art, and I’ve had a busy summer, but I’m really excited to post it as soon as I can!

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If you haven’t read “What Bloomed in the Dark Garden” yet, you must. This fic is one of my favorites of all time. It is so beautifully written and the writing style holds true to the characters so well. It truly captures every intense emotion between Azriel and Elain and just makes you feel it! I am so in love with this fic, I don’t even need the next acotar book because this is it for me, this is my head canon.

Elain goes on such a journey and really comes into herself in this and I’m just so proud of her! I’m brought to tears nearly every chapter it’s so beautiful. Thank you, Ehoney, for writing this because it is everything I need.

A Canon-Compliant ACOTAR Story on AO3

Elain Archeron is not the wilting rose everyone believes her to be. Two years after playing her part in the war against Hybern, she has a vision of herself harnessing a power she is only beginning to understand. So perhaps a little more softly, a little more lethally, the third Archeron sister starts down the path unknown. For there’s something beginning to bloom within her- something darker, softer, and wilder than she can name, reaching for the song of the Void.

Chapter 1: Belladonna | Chapter 2: Winter Jasmine | Chapter 3: Ivy

Chapter 4: Marigold | Chapter 5: Foxglove | Chapter 6: Willowbark

Chapter 7: Iris | Chapter 8: Witchazel | Chapter 9: Starflower

Chapter 10: Orchid | Chapter 11: Hawthorn | Chapter 12: Mountain Ash

Chapter 13: Stinging Nettle | Chapter 14: Magnolia | Chapter 15: Peony

Chapter 16: Delphinium | Chapter 17: Passionflower | Chapter 18: Zinnia

Chapter 19: Moonlilly | Chapter 20: Dahlia | Chapter 21: Hyacinth

Chapter 22: Water Poppy | Chapter 23: Begonia | Chapter 24: Forget Me Not

Chapter 25: Henbane | Chapter 26: Aster | Chapter 27: Bellflower

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So I always thought that at some point when Azriel, Cassian, and Rhys were young, they definitely had a more intimate relationship than just friends if you get what I’m saying. And I was reading the ACOMAF bonus chapter, Wings and Embers, and now I’m pretty damn convinced. Like maybe I’m wrong but I feel like this section of it proves that they had a thing??

“He wasn’t stupid. He knew she [Mor] and Azriel were…whatever they were. Knew Azriel had been in love with Mor from the moment she strutted into the Illyrian war-camp five centuries ago. And Cassian had been jealous - of Mor’s shy glances at Azriel in those first few weeks, and the fact that his dearest friend and brother…was looking at someone else. That she’d appeared, and then Azriel had changed. Only slightly, but Cassian had known his friend did not belong solely to him and Rhys anymore.

So when Mor had asked him to bed her…he’d done it. A jealous, stupid prick, he’d done it…”

Cassian was jealous of Azriel’s attraction to Mor, specifically that he was “looking at someone else.” I enjoy literary analysis way too much, and maybe I’m reading way too much into this, but I feel like this kinda proves my theory?