azrielwingspan

[azrielwingspan]

THE CYBORG WHO STOLE MY HEART (Bucky X F!reader)

A/N: I know I know, there's another Bucky fanfic that I'm already working on and yet here I am starting a whole new one. Why you ask? Because I'm a dumbass. The idea just popped up into my head and I HAD TO write it down. Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 1 :

Chapter summary: Bucky and Sam come across a woman who seems to have lost her mind. Literally. Using Bucky’s cyborg brain, they try to figure out who she is.

Chapter warnings: Mild swearing.

You know when you're having a great dream with a hot guy that could only possibly exist in dreams ? The happiness that breathing the same air as him brings you? That's what you were feeling right now.

Eyes as blue as the ocean, veins that were easy to put an IV in and that black shirt phew. Was it possible to drool in dreams? You were going to have a great day once you woke up. That was for sure.

Why was he looking at you like that though? Weren't they supposed to be flirting with you or puckering their lips in your dreams by now? Was this supposed to be a slow burn or enemies to lovers genre dream?

"Why is she staring at me like that?" the hot guy asks the air next to him.

"She's just coming into it, give her a second." it responds back to him.

Wait, what ?

"Are we sure she's alright and not having an absence seizure?" the air voice asks.

"She's alright. Probably in shock." another voice responds.

Shock? From seeing that beautiful man in front of me? Sure.

Okay, focus.

Wait, it's a dream. Why do you need to focus?

Eyes, the colour of piss , come into focus. "Cannn youuu hearrr meee?"

"Why are you speaking like that?" you manage to ask, still trying to figure out if you'd accidentally taken shrooms.

"Not a seizure then." the voice from earlier comments.

Piss eyes looks proud of himself. "I told you, she's in shock."

If this really was a dream, it would have to be the strangest one you have had in a while. What in the actual cockfuck was happening?

"Youu areee in theee hosp-ee-taalll. Weee---" piss eyes sounded like he was having the seizure.

"Stop talking like that." you say, blinking rapidly to clear the dark spots from your eyes. Things were starting to feel more...real. A heaviness settled over your head, every breath seemed to send a slight sliver of pain through your side and your arm felt numb.

Dreams weren't usually ultra-realistic, were they? Only one way to find out now.

"Is she...pinching herself?" hot guy asks, that strange look on his face.

A set of cold hands clamp your hands down.

"HEY." you say, the slight sting of your pinch confirming your doubts.

"Self hurt or mutilation can be a side effect. We need to restrain her for her own safety." Piss eyes speaks rapidly and you hear him muttering to himself.

"I'm not...is this not a dream?" you finally ask leaving the room in pin drop silence.

"I don't think so...unless Wanda is upto something again." air voice sounds a bit unsure himself.

"Wanda?" the name seemed familiar but in this state , you could barely remember your own name.

You try to get up only to be gently pushed back down by piss eyes. "You probably shouldn't be doing that. Bed rest for the next 10 days, I'm afraid." he says not sounding apologetic about it at all.

"What even happened? And---" you're cut off by air voice.

"Where are you? Well, the Avengers compound. Now, don't get too excited and all. We can make you sign a NDA , but we aren't going to because we're hoping you're trustworthy. Stark said you might be...useful. Now, if you're feeling upto it, how the hell did you end up in the middle of a cemetry half dead?"

You blinked once, twice, thrice.

"Who is Stark?"

"Listen, man. She's got to be living under a rock if she doesn't know who Stark is. That guy has been stuffed down everyone's fucking throat." Sam tells Bucky as he takes off he looks at their new visitor.

Bucky doesn't respond and instead stares at Sam with a poker face.

"What's going on in that cyborg brain of yours?" Sam isn't phased by Bucky and his staring anymore. He was however very sure that Bucky would not be bringing home any ladies with that serial killer look.

"What if she's lying?" Bucky finally says, turning to look at the CCTV recording of the room you were in. You were sleeping again, knocked out by the pain killers.

"Lying about not knowing Stark or not being able to remember what happened to her?"

"Both."

"What purpose does that serve her?"

"Well, that's what we're supposed to find out."

“How exactly are you planning on doing that?” Crossing his arms over his chest , Sam raised an eyebrow at his cyborg friend.

“I’ll think about it.” Bucky walked past him, grabbing his jacket on the way. “With my cyborg brain.”

“I understand that you want to get some answers” you said for what seemed like the 100th time, exasperation taking hold of you. “I honestly cannot remember what happened. I’ve thought myself into a headache. I’m sorry, okay?”

Sam looked defeated as he let he shook his head. “It’s been two whole days. Now, I don’t want to seem like a dick and question you in this state but we need some goddamn answers.”

“Too late for that I guess.” you muttered under your breath.

“Huh?”

“She said ‘too late for that I guess.’” The hot guy, Bucky, was his name chimed in.

How the hell did he hear that? As if reading the question on your face, he simply said “Advanced hearing.”

Okkayyyy.

Sam on the other hand was giving you a flat look. You gave him one back.

“I’m feeling much better now. Can I atleast get out of this damn bed?” you scratched near the iv line, wanting to just rip it out. “Piss eyes told me I shouldn’t but I cannot stay like this.”

“Piss eyes?” Sam was clearly running out of patience.

“The doc. Is he even a doctor? He’s very…”

“Sort of.”

That explains it.

“She’s right.” Bucky takes a step forward, looking at Sam. “Walking around will help her recover faster.”

“THANK YOU. See , I knew you were the smart one.” you give him a wide smile to which you get a poker face in return. Embarrassing. Not letting it deter you, you pull the iv out.

“Hey !!” Sam steps forward, surprised at your show of stupidity.

Before he can reach you to help you out of bed, you’ve already stood up. Which was another stupid move considering that the entire room was spinning around. Holding on to the wall next to you for support, you blinked rapidly.

“That’s another concussion waiting to happen.” Bucky commented dryly.

After regaining some semblance of direction, you managed to stand up straight ignoring the slight stab of pain in your chest.

“Much better.” you say, taking a step forward. The pastel pink tee and pants that had been given to you did not compliment your current condition, you knew. To be quite frank, you were a good looking woman too. Always have been. Then why the hell was Bucky looking at you like he was going to stab you right then and there?

“Uhhh…now what?” your suddenly felt extremely awkward in front of the two men.

“Don’t ask me, you were the one who wanted to do this.” Sam still had an arm out, ready to jump into action in case you cracked your head on the tiles again. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Bucky make a slight movement. Thank fuck you did because the next thing you knew , you were holding a dagger 2 inches away from your chest by the handle.

Silence engulfed the room for a good 20 seconds before it was broken by a very calm “What. The. Fuck.” from Sam.

You looked at Bucky who stood in the same spot like nothing shocking had even happened. Finally a crack of a smile appeared on his face.

“Told you she was lying.”

[azrielwingspan]

A TACTICAL PLOY (AZRIEL X READER)

Summary : You knew Azriel had been pining after you for a very long time but you NEEDED him to make a move. So in order to give him a little push, you made use of a very tactical weapon : Jealousy.

Warnings: None

Blue eyes. Green eyes. Brown eyes. Eyes trailing you across the room, whispering across your skin , feeding your ego. Yet your eyes sought out the hazel ones.

Shades of gold, green and brown that set a trail of fire across your skin. Eyes that made you feel. Eyes that made you want. The gold pierced through your skin, peering into your heart and soul. The green trailed across your flesh, making you yearn for things that plagued your dreams. The brown spoke of a future if you only dared to take that first step.

Ah, that was the obstacle. The first step.

You had one simple rule when it came to males.

You never chase.

So as you walked through the room, your blasé attitude making you all the more enticing, your heart betrayed you ignoring the rules your mind had set. It searched for him, desperate for the hit of ecstasy he would induce.

Once it found him, the decadent hit of euphoria rushed through your veins, leaving behind a crack in your mask. It was intentional. Every emotion, every 'slip' of the tongue, every word, every glance. He was the spymaster after all.

He glanced your way and tipped his chin in greeting.

You raised your glass, taking a sip and watched his eyes trail over you.

Longing, desiring and denying.

That was all he ever did. Denied himself of you.

You would be lying if you said you understood why he did what he did. You would be lying if you said it didn't make you doubt yourself. However, you knew for a fact he wanted you as much as you wanted him.

You would've been dense to not notice the heat in his eyes, the glances filled with unfulfilled promises, the softness behind his words and the kindness in his actions. It drove you mad some days. Drove you to the brink of breaking your rule.

You never chase.

You yearned to be wanted. You yearned to be fought for. You yearned to be loved, cherished and indulged in. So you had waited... and waited...and waited. A small part of you believed you were foolish enough to keep waiting for however long it took. Yet as a female, you had your wants and needs. There was only so much patience you could exhibit and you were currently running out of it.

Therefore, you decided to give him a little...push.

Tactic I : The art of heedlessness

You shook hands, kissed cheeks, hugged bodies , all the while never looking his way. Of course, you were aware of his presence acutely. It made it all the more fun. At one point, you had walked right past him talking animatedly with one of the guests. His scent had overtaken your senses and you had to physically stop yourself from responding to it.

His eyes, trailing you, lighting your skin on fire , the tension gasoline.

Watch me. Come to me. Talk to me.

Your eyes were fixed on your companions, their words a cacophony compared to the conversations the both of you had shared. The wine was making you bolder, impatient and lulling you into thoughts you kept at bay.

Tactic II : The art of flirtation

A subtle tuck of a strand of hair behind your ear, a soft tilt of your lips, a soft huff of laughter, an inch closer. You looked away from the male in front of you to glance down at your wine. Empty.

How many more glasses would you have to guzzle down before the spymaster grew some balls?

You pulled your hair to one side, the heat starting to stick to your neck. Looking up once again, you noticed that the males gaze in front of you was transfixed to the slope of your neck. Wonderful. Time to leave.

"Well, I should go." Turning around before he could respond, you walked away in the search of more wine.

Tactic III : The art of impelling

You didn't meet his gaze as a group of you stood near the balcony overlooking the Sidra. The flow of the water reached your ears, the sound a welcome distraction. Closing your eyes momentarily, you let the memory of the coolness of the water wash over you.

"I'll be heading home now." you spoke into the night, your companions voicing out their interjections. A small smirk and shake of the head later, you walked towards the exit not bothering to say goodbye to the male with no balls.

A few kisses on the cheek, soft smiles and polite goodbyes on the way to the exit.

"I'll drop you home." the voice swept over your skin like a shadow trailing its fingers across your skin.

"I'll be alright." you said, head turned over your shoulder.

There he was, finally...

"I insist." No arguments. That was final.

"If you insist." you say, wrapping your scarf around yourself.

Silence was the third being accompanying the both of you. You let it play its part, choosing not to say anything. It was entertaining, watching him struggle to say something...anything. He was doing a good job at hiding his emotions but he could never truly hide them from you.

After watching him suffer for a few more minutes , you say "If you're done struggling, we could teach you a thing or two on how to talk to females."

His face turned red, as his shadows skittered around.

Your house had come into view, the star lit night casting soft shadows around the both of you.

"Well.." you turned to him and said watching him under the moonlight.

"Well..." he replied watching you through his shadows.

A pang of disappointment rushed through you as you took a step back from him. "Good night then."

"Good night." he said, his voice dropping.

Giving him a final nod, you turned around not wanting him to see the look of disappointment on your face. You would never be desperate...no matter who it was.

Legs feeling like lead, you forced yourself to take that first step towards your house mustering all the will power within you. Just as you had lifted your leg off of the ground, a shadow wrapped around your wrist and tugged you backwards. A yelp made its way out of you as warm hands caught you, goosebumps making their way across your skin.

For a moment only two sets of heavy breaths could be heard. Maybe he could hear your heart thudding out of your chest. You lost track of what happened in the next few seconds as the shadowsinger pulled you into a ravishing kiss, igniting your body and jumbling your thoughts.

Lips coaxed your open, tongue sliding in to give you a taste of whisky and something darker and heady. Hands travelled down your sides, stopping at your hips only to give them a gentle squeeze. Your hands were on a path of their own, travelling into his hair and giving it a gentle tug.

All your senses were attenuated to the male in front of you. You were lost in another universe, a universe of want and need.

Suddenly, he pulls back to look down at you, his eyes wild and predatory. "I couldn't put into words what I felt..."

You brushed your lips against his, eyes fluttering shut. "Then show me...."

You could feel his lips split into a devilish grin before the both of you were engulfed by shadows.

[azrielwingspan]

RED SERPENT (Mob!Bucky x f!reader)

MASTERLIST

Chapter 4- Bloodhound and Loyalty

Summary: King and Queen of New York. The one who knows how to play the game, survives.

Warnings: Violence, mature content, sexual themes, foul language.

Disclaimer: I do not condone any of the actions written in this story.

"Pierce." you say, tone flat.

A smirk crawls onto his face, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Who would've thought that we would meet like this?"

"Not me." you replied in the same tone, an image of punching him right in the face flashing through your mind.

"Steve , Sam.." he says nodding at the two men in front of you. They don't respond to his greeting and move an inch closer to you. This action doesn't go unnoticed by Pierce. His smirk widens as he shakes his head.

"Looks like there's some sniffing out to do. After all..." he shifts his gaze to look at your directly "loyalty is hard to find these days."

You don't let his carefully worded threat phase you. "Every dog off of the street will show you loyalty once you feed them."

Taking great pleasure in watching the smirk slowly fade from his face, you got up and walked towards Bucky leaving behind Sam and Steve to deal with Pierce. It was time to form a new plan. Pierce would hold the information he had above your head and use you like his own plaything if you didn't do something soon.

How could you have missed this though? You were absolutely certain that you had him in the palm of your hand and yet he had been fooling you and working with Bucky. How long would he take to tell Bucky that his wife was the culprit and thought she could get away with it ?

Bloody hell.

You spotted him across the room talking with Helmut, another member of the inner circle. Helmut seemed aggravated but listened to Bucky as he spoke. Impatience taking hold of you, you approached them hands behind your back.

"Helmut, a moment with my husband please." you said looking straight at Bucky, face devoid of emotion.

"Yes, maybe you can fix this." Helmut said walking away. He was the only member who was bold enough to speak against Bucky right to his face. Holding back a smile at his ballsy nature, you stepped towards Bucky.

"I'm getting tired of your antics for the night, husband."

Bucky simply took a sip from his glass of amber liquid and studied my face for a few seconds. "Follow me." Without waiting for a response, he started heading towards the entrance. You walked by his side, anger simmering beneath your skin.

Ignoring the stares directed at the both of you, Bucky closed the door to the office behind him and headed to the small dark balcony that overlooked the dance floor.

He stood near the banister, one hand in his pocket and the other holding his glass. Joining him by his side, you followed his gaze and looked down at the figures dancing beneath, unaware of the tensions running high in the room upstairs.

"This is one of the best establishments in the city." Bucky spoke not looking at you.

"I'm aware." your gaze lifted upto him, noticing the sharp line of his jaw as his head remained turned.

"Your dad is one of the sharpest minds in the business. He knew what would work and what wouldn't. He was always right. Every single time." he let out a small sigh as he turned to face you finally.

You couldn't get a read on his expression. The dim lighting made it harder to see his eyes.

"When I was younger, I'd always wondered how he'd managed to do it. I'd asked my old man multiple times. He just asked me to figure it out." he stayed silent for a few moments.

I raised my eyebrow indicating for him to go on.

A tilt of the corner of his lips before he continued. "I was too young and reckless to ever trust anyone. Placed myself on a pedestal thinking that everyone was beneath me. Learnt the hard way that loyalty had to be earned and not demanded."

Your breath caught in your throat as he brought up loyalty again. That word would be plaguing your nightmares for quite some time.

"I needed to place my trust in...certain individuals to get somewhere in this business. It helped, a lot." he paused again, searching my eyes for something. The truth, perhaps?

"Where are you going with this, James?" you ask softly knowing very well where this was headed.

"The first time someone betrayed me, I didn't know what to do. Trusting someone was new to me but so was letting them go. After 3 days of no sleep, I shot him in the head."

He looked at the gulp you had taken, his eyes trailing over your throat and slowly coming back up to meet your eyes.

"So I'll ask you this once and only once." His tongue darted out to wet his lips as he took a small step forward, his height towering over you. His cologne that had once comforted you felt like a cocoon of danger where escape was a wild dream. Head tilted down to meet your eyes, he whispered, his voice spreading goosebumps over your body.

"Why did you do it, sweetheart?"

A/N: I know this is very short but I promise the next one will be longer !!

Taglist : @greatenthusiasttidalwave @ordelixx @mrsnikstan @scott-loki-barnes @marvel-wifey-86 @tenderly-hopeful-collection

[azrielwingspan]

I do hope you continue the bucky series, it's the only thing keeping me grounded lol it's sooo goood

This made my day thankyou so much ! Its a bit hard to get myself to write it down most days but messages like this motivate me.

I'll try my best to put out a few more chapters in the next couple of days.

[azrielwingspan]

RED SERPENT (Mob!Bucky x f!reader)

MASTERLIST

Chapter 3- Backstabbers

Summary: King and Queen of New York. The one who knows how to play the game, survives.

Warnings: Violence, mature content, sexual themes, foul language.

Disclaimer: I do not condone any of the actions written in this story.

"Shipment diverted. There's been no attack though. We made sure there was a leak about the cargo. Yet, no one showed up." Sam said at the briefing that morning.

Bucky listened, deep in thought. You could practically see the cogs in his brain working, trying to figure out a solution to this problem.

"But.." Sam continued on "I have a suspicion."

Here we go.

"Go on." Bucky said gruffly.

Clearing his throat, Sam seemed to gather his thoughts before speaking up "I think he's always one step ahead of us not due to lack of intelligence or skill on our part but rather due to...access to information."

You almost smiled at his very careful choice of words. It would be a direct hit to Bucky's ego if he had said it out straight. After all, Bucky handpicked the inner circle who knew mostly everything about the workings of his business. Well...everyone except you. You had been handpicked by his father. His last decision before he had passed away. A damn well good one at that or you thought so at least.

You could sense the change in Bucky's demeanor almost immediately. Silence plagued the room for the next five minutes and neither you nor Sam dared say anything. Your husbands anger could be quite explosive at times. Best to let him be.

After what seemed like ages, he finally spoke up. "Shut down cargo operations. I don't care how much money we lose. I'll take care of the mole."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The bass boomed through the speakers making you aware of your own heartbeat. You were at one of the clubs that your family owned called Mordoe. Nodding to the bouncer stationed near the private rooms, you walked through the doorway, your silver satin dress reflected on the black marble floor. The short train swept the floor as you made your way upstairs to one of the private rooms where the meeting was to be held.

Bucky had summoned the inner circle for a quick meeting. You knew what it was really for though. He had been on edge the entire day, jaw clenched, fingers twitching at his side. It had been a bigger hit to his pride than you had expected. How could James Bucky Barnes not realize he trusted a fucking snitch. You almost smirked to yourself as you reached the meeting room.

Here's the start to a long bloody night.

The bodyguard outside the room opened the door, his face a blank canvas. Stepping into the room, your eyes darted around taking in the six figures present in the dimly lit room perfused with the smell of whisky and smoke.

Steve was the first one to meet your eyes, his head dropping into a small nod. "Hello, Rogers."

He gave a familiar smile. "Looking radiant as always, Y/N. How have you been?"

"Better I suppose. Ready for tonight?"

"Do I have another choice?"

The both of you looked towards where your husband was seated. He had his head bent and was talking to Sam, a cig dangling between his fingers. Almost like your gaze had alerted him, he lifted his head and looked right at you.

Handsome bastard.

There were days when his face took your breath away, made you stumble upon your thoughts and give you wild satisfaction that the man in front of you was yours.

His intense gaze pierced into yours for a few moments before looking away again. Tonight was going to be a blood bath fucking hell. Steve realized it as well and let out a deep sigh.

"Tonight..." the room dropped into pin drop silence as Buckys' voice cut through. He spoke and everyone listened, always. "Tonight...I want to introduce to everyone a new member."

You tried to keep the shock and confusion off of your face. This was out of the blue. He wouldn't just add someone to his inner circle, especially when he knew there was an active mole.

"Some of you may know him. He's decided to join hands with me for a...short period of time. He'll he here in a few minutes but I wanted to tell you all that no fucking violence tonight. Got it?"

The fuck is happening?

He went back to his whisky and cig. Confusion swirled through your mind but you kept the rush of thoughts at bay. Walking towards him, you sat down on the table facing him. Sam walked away, his face etched in confusion as well.

"James..." Bucky took a sip of his whisky as he looked at you, face giving nothing away.

"What are you upto?"

"Didn't you listen to a word I said earlier, doll?"

"Don't you think it's too dangerous to bring someone in? Especially someone we don't know?"

"Oh believe me..." a hint of mania lit up his eyes as he spoke. "You know him, alright."

Your heart thudded in your chest as your intuition kicked in. This was bad. He had figured something out. Not the entire plan but a piece of it at least. Did he already know that it was you? Was he trying to get you to confess?

"Have a seat. It's going to be an interesting night."

You dropped into the seat next to him, face impassive. Your mind was flitting through all the possible scenarios. One wrong move and you could end up dead. You might be his wife but that didn't excuse you from the consequences of being disloyal.

His hand came to rest on your thigh and you tried to stay relaxed. Anxiety was coursing through your veins, the clock ticking towards a certain doom.

"Everything alright?" he whispered in your ear, his voice sinister. Or was that a figment of your imagination?

Turning to look at him, eyes colliding, you gave him a small smile. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Lies.

His eyes danced with unrestrained humor as he kept his gaze on yours.

"Just making sure." he said dropping a kiss on your shoulder. It would have been intimate if it weren't for the smirk stuck on his face.

This fucking mother---

The door opened.

Your breath caught in your throat, heart thudding painfully against your chest. It's all gone to shit. Everything you'd planned and prepared. Everything you'd worked so hard for. Gone to shit.

Alexander Pierce entered the room a smug smile on his face as he looked around at the astounded faces in the room. It was quite comical really. Steve looked at everyone else to make sure that they were seeing the same thing.

But the most concerning issue of all was the way your husband was looking at you. You could feel his gaze drilling into the side of your face noting every minute reaction.

"What are you doing?" you ask him voice lowered.

"You look quite...flushed from this angle."

He stood up suddenly, his voice cutting through the shock encompassing the room.

"Alexander. Good to have you here."

Speak for yourself, dickhead.

"Mr.Barnes, never thought I'd see this day." They shook hands as everyone watched on with guarded expressions.

"Let me get straight to the point. I know all of you are used to seeing him work for the other side. However, tonight onwards, Alexander Pierce is our man. He has been reporting to me for the past few weeks and will continue to do so. Thanks to him, we've been able to capture the fool who attacked our warehouses. He's proven his loyalty to me and will be rewarded accordingly."

What.the.actual.fuck.

He had played you. He played you so well, you fell right into the trap that your loving husband had set.

No one spoke for a minute. You bet this never happened even in their wildest dreams.

Bucky went on. "Now onto another little problem. There's a snitch among us. One of you in this room has forgotten where your loyalty lies. It's quite unfortunate really but the consequences must be paid. Our new friend here." he says gesturing to Pierce. "will help us exterminate the pest. Saves me money and time. I really hoped it wasn't from the five of you but...here we are."

Your hand clenched into a fist. The bastard had openly declared that he didn't trust his own wife. Anxiety was replaced with anger. He was stripping you of your dignity as well.

"That will be all. Enjoy your evening." Alexander and him went off to a side to talk quietly as you remained stuck to your seat. Steve was the first to approach you.

"Did you know?" he asked still looking a bit dazed.

"How the fuck would I know? Do you think I would have let this happen?" you spoke through clenched teeth, eyes trained on your husband and his new pet.

"Just asking, sorry. Do you think he's losing his mind?"

Your head snapped towards Steve's eyes blazing. "These...circumstances might be new, Rogers but the next time you talk about my husband that way...Pierce will be the least of your problems."

His eyes flashed with alarm as he raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry..I'm still a little alarmed. We've been hunting him down for as long as i can remember. suddenly, he just appears? I'm just worried that he has a bigger plan that's playing out.

You pondered on his thoughts for a minute. It was true. Pierce had hard to catch unless he wanted to be. Where and how did this partnership with Bucky start?

"You're right...but Pierce is nothing compared to James. If anything, I'm worried about James not telling us something. There's something much much bigger happening and we're blind to it...for now."

Sam approached the both of you and leaned in to speak in a low tone. "Up until now, I thought I knew everything...I guess not."

You rubbed your temple as a headache started to set in. "I'll speak to him. See if I can get an idea of where his head is at right now."

Sam shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"What?" you asked, an underlying edge of annoyance tinging your voice.

"No offense to you ma'am but...he did make it sound like you.." he trailed off but enough was said.

A tinge of red blossomed on your cheeks. "Well...that is there I suppose. A couple of nights on the couch should set him right."

Steve stifled a snort. The array of emotions going around sent your head spinning. You had to sort this out and fast.

"Mrs.Barnes" a voice spoke from behind Steve and Sam. Alexander Pierce stepped into view, a knowing smirk on his face. "Pleasure meeting you...again."

Fuck.

Chapter 4

TAGLIST:

@ordelixx @mrsnikstan @scott-loki-barnes @marvel-wifey-86 @tenderly-hopeful-collection

[azrielwingspan]

RED SERPENT (Mob!Bucky x f!reader)

Chapter 2- Bastards and Pawns

Chapter 1

Summary: King and Queen of New York. The one who knows how to play the game, survives.

Warnings: Violence, mature content, sexual themes, foul language.

Disclaimer: I do not condone any of the actions written in this story.

"Came back at 3am and went to his office." the maid whispered as you cut into your omelette with a silver knife.

"Hmm....pour me a glass of orange juice, will you Betty?"

"Yes, Mrs. Barnes." Your thoughts rang through the silence as you chewed on your omelette, your hunger long gone.

"Oh...and Mr.Barnes hasn't had his breakfast yet." Betty whispered again, her urge to please beyond satisfaction.

Nodding in understanding, you quickly wiped your mouth with a napkin and stood up.

"Thankyou, Betty. You've done well...as always." Giving her a small smile, you grabbed the glass of orange juice and made a beeline towards Bucky's office, a plan forming in your head.

Something had happened last night. Something crucial. You'd stayed up most of the night trying to figure out what could have gone wrong. The security was on high alert and Bucky hadn't returned to the room at all.

Damping down the irritation rearing its head once again, you walked into his office. Sitting there, his lip busted open and stains of blood on his white shirt was your beloved husband.

"Good morning." Walking leisurely, you placed the glass of orange juice on the table. His eyes stalked your every movement as you took a second to scan him all over. He still had his jacket on, the first few buttons on his shirt unbuttoned giving a view of his blood smeared chest. Only James Bucky Buchanan Barnes could look sexy half beaten up.

"I hope the other guy is dead."

A smirk crawled onto Buckys face as he gave a slight nod.

"Good." You redirected your gaze to the documents spread across the table, taking a quick glance at the titles in bold. "When were you going to tell me?" you ask, voice deceptively calm and composed.

The only response from the man was a heavy sigh as he leaned back in his chair.

"I asked you a question, James." your sharp edged voice cut through the silence left behind by your husband.

"I know." his eyes had never left your face, a certain coldness in his gaze.

So this is how he was going to play. Bastard. Over the year, he had come to trust you with his business operations but it was never a hundred percent. Some days, like this, you could see the mistrust and the hesitancy in his eyes. To be fair, if the positions were reversed, you wouldn't have trusted him either. However, you had the innate need to know everything.

Every. Single. Thing.

As they say, knowledge is power.

Letting out a breath and loosening up the tension in your body, you walked around the desk to Bucky's side not breaking eye contact with him. Once you were in front of him, you gave him a small smile and sat down on his lap.

"James darling..my dear husband." Running a knuckle down his face you leaned closer to him, a pulse of satisfaction shooting through you as you saw his eyes darken. His hands were still placed upon the arm rests but you knew he was struggling to hold back. Good.

"I am your wife. Your partner. Your biggest ally." Running a thumb across his split lip, your gaze momentarily dropping and his hands slowly making their way to your hips, you dropped your voice to a whisper.

"So when someone tries to fuck with OUR business, I need to know." His hands gripped onto your hips as you pushed yourself down onto him, the growing tightness beneath his pants making you smug.

"Now tell me.." you continued. "Why did Tony Stark send a hitman after you ?"

His hands loosened immediately, surprise flashing across his features. It was your turn to watch him silently as the cogs in his brain worked. The lust filled haze had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

"It doesn't involve you, Y/N." he said sternly. "It goes way back. Old rivalries."

"Hmm." Placing your hands on either side of his face, you made him meet your eyes. "Being a widow doesn't suit me, James. It's...detrimental to my image and capabilities."

Scoffing in amusement, he took his bottom lip between his teeth. You decided to stay silent and let him spill the beans soon.

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five...

A deep breath and...BINGO.

"I blocked one of the more important deals of his life. He would have been unstoppable if it had gone through. But now...he'll never get the opportunity again."

"So you've been trying to kill each ever since?" you asked sarcastically.

Men and their stupid fragile egos.

Bucky held back a laugh as he said "No..I must admit this attack was quite out of the blue."

Your thoughts were going so fast that you barely keep up.

This changes things. This changes everything.

"Well...go take a shower. You need it." You got off of his lap abruptly only to be yanked back.

"Ja—"

“Now doll..I do admire your incessant need to know the ins and outs of my life but I do not appreciate your maid snooping around.” His hands slid down to your ass and grabbed it. “I think she’s done enough. Don’t you think?”

You tried your best to maintain a poker face. Of course he knew. He was the white wolf. He could sniff out bullshit from a mile away.

He must have been satisfied with the look in your eyes because he said “Good. I’ll see you at lunch.” And that was that.

Shooting a cold look at him, you left the room grabbing the glass of orange juice on the way.

The headlights of your car cut through the foggy night barely illuminating the surroundings.

He was late. Idiot.

This was such a delicate game. One wrong move and you could end up dead. That was the thrill of it. So as you waited in the car drumming your fingers against the steering wheel, adrenaline rushing through your veins, you went through the possible outcomes of your actions. All of them equally deadly. Perfect.

A break in the fog ahead of you cut through your thoughts.

Finally. 10 minutes late.

You got out of your car grabbing the envelope of cash with you. Heels clacked against the pavement as you reached one of your pawns.

"Took you long enough." you said sharply, handing over the envelope. "Twenty in cash. The rest in cheque."

A brisk nod followed by "It's always a pleasure doing business with you...Mrs.Barnes." The mocking tone used to address you did not escape your notice.

You smirked at him and his impudence. "I wish I could say the same."

That was that.

Getting back into your car, you watched as Alexander Pierce disappeared once again.

Chapter 3

[azrielwingspan]

Hahah..I'm glad you liked it !!!

Never underestimate anyone 🙃

RED SERPENT (Mob! Bucky x f!reader)

Summary: King and Queen of New York. The one who knows how to play the game, survives.

Warnings: Violence, mature content, sexual themes, foul language.

Disclaimer: I do not condone any of the actions written in this story.

You had always associated the colour blue with peace. Clear skies and vast oceans , their expanse making one seem insignificant. It grounded you and reminded you that there are greater forces at play.

That was a year ago.

Now, you associate the colour blue with James Bucky Buchanan Barnes.

King of New York.

The White Wolf.

Your husband.

Smoldering blue flames blazed in his eyes, all consuming and enrapturing. You were yet to figure out how they made you feel. For now, you watched as the steel blue gaze was directed at the man in front of him.

"This is the second time this month , Wilson. I'm going to give you a minute to explain." His tone indicated that he was anything but patient, brewing with explosive anger.

Sam Wilson was Bucky's head of security. His loyalty and discipline throughout the years was the only reason he was given time to explain himself. If it were anyone else, they'd be dead.

Reading the underlying threat in Bucky's words, Sam explained tensely, "There was a fire. Half the men were pulled to control it and the rest were reassigned. Whoever it was, struck then. The fire was the distraction."

A muscle ticked in Bucky's jaw as he restrained himself from lashing out. You sat by his side, ever the pretty wife, not moving an inch. Face devoid of any emotion, you leaned forward with feline like grace.

"Sam, how are you planning on luring the culprit?"

His eyes flicked to you, the slight relief passing through them not escaping your notice. You were far less intimidating than your darling husband. Albeit, far more venomous than anyone realized. One couldn't be married to a madman without having a certain...mental disposition.. as you liked to put it.

"We narrowed it down to Alexander Pierce. Haven't gotten the proof yet but his men's movements over the past few days suggest so."

"Interesting." you lean back in your seat, watching your husband from the corner of your eye. He seemed to calm down and collect his thoughts. Good.

That's how it had been over the past year. Bucky would lose his cool at the snap of a finger and you would garner attention in your direction to give him time to collect himself. A game. Every single moment of the day.

Power came to those who knew how to play the game.

"Did you deal with the police?" Bucky asked finally, his voice steady.

"Yeah, covered it up as a generator blast. Told our man in the department that we would deal with these fuckers on our own." Sam spat out, anger clouding his eyes.

Ugh, men. This was exactly what the other side wanted. Anger to cloud their vision.

Letting out a quiet sigh, you decided to intervene yet again. "Set up a bait."

Bucky's head finally snapped in your direction as you held back a smirk. You'd merely thrown a hint. They could build on it, couldn't they?

"That could work." Bucky said, his eyes roaming over your face. Turning back towards Sam, he continued "Another shipment scheduled a week from now. No product at all, just empty cargo. Increase security around the yard. Meanwhile, I'll redirect shipments and deal with the clients."

Sam nodded his head in agreement and stayed for a bit longer as the two smoothed out the plan. Not finding any reason to pipe in, you spent your time listening to them sipping on a glass of old fashioned.

After what seemed like hours, Sam finally left giving you a small nod in acknowledgement.

Silence ensued as Bucky got up with a groan and poured himself a glass of whisky.

Taking a sip, he smacked his lips before saying "You know the difference between you and me, Y/N?"

He took another sip of his whisky and flicked the glass with his other hand. “We’re drinking the same damn thing. The only difference is I like my whisky neat and you decorate it with fancy shit to make it seem more sophisticated.”

I scoff at his words, shaking my head in amusement. He continued on. “We’re the same, you and I. You hide behind a mask of false politeness and practised smiles. I don’t.”

“What is the point you’re trying to make, James?” you leaned your head back against the couch as the buzz from the alcohol settled into you.

“I must either be foolish or recklessly brave to have married a fucking serpent. You amaze me, Y/N.”

Letting out a genuine laugh at his choice of words , you tip back the rest of the drink, licking your lips as the bitterness leaves its mark behind. A warm hand encircles your hand partially as Bucky takes the glass from you and places it on the table.

Closing your eyes to lean your head back against the couch once more, you let your husbands cologne encompass you.

Let's get one thing clear.

You and Bucky weren't in love. No, this was purely transactional. You got along well , you were able to satisfy each others needs but love was an emotion that didn't come easy to either of you.

So, when his lips trailed soft kisses along your neck, the only emotion involved was lust. Letting out a soft sigh, your eyes still closed, you let yourself enjoy the feeling of his hands running across your body and his lips brushing underneath your jaw.

"You look devastating today." he whispered in your ear, nipping it lightly. Back slightly arching off the couch in pleasure, you turned your body towards his, looping your hands around his neck. "I hadn't noticed." you say breathlessly as his metal arm slips down the strap of your dress and your senses are at his mercy.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stepping out of the steam bath, you put on a bath robe and start doing your skin care. Sleep was ready to take you under. Having sex with Bucky always tended to get you tired...not that you were complaining really.

Like he was summoned by your thoughts, Bucky walked into the bathroom with a somber face.

"What is it?" your hand was halfway to your face, focus honed in on your husband.

Not bothering to respond, he reached around you to grab the spare gun from the overhead cupboard.

"James."

No response yet again.

"JA--"

"Go to sleep." were the three words you got before he slammed the door to the bathroom and left you fuming in the silence of the house.

This. This was why you could never fall in love with him. No matter how good Bucky Barnes could fuck you, make you laugh and protect you, he would never respect you fully.

Soon.

Soon...this world would bow down to you.

Soon.

[azrielwingspan]

RED SERPENT (Mob! Bucky x f!reader)

Summary: King and Queen of New York. The one who knows how to play the game, survives.

Warnings: Violence, mature content, sexual themes, foul language.

Disclaimer: I do not condone any of the actions written in this story.

You had always associated the colour blue with peace. Clear skies and vast oceans , their expanse making one seem insignificant. It grounded you and reminded you that there are greater forces at play.

That was a year ago.

Now, you associate the colour blue with James Bucky Buchanan Barnes.

King of New York.

The White Wolf.

Your husband.

Smoldering blue flames blazed in his eyes, all consuming and enrapturing. You were yet to figure out how they made you feel. For now, you watched as the steel blue gaze was directed at the man in front of him.

"This is the second time this month , Wilson. I'm going to give you a minute to explain." His tone indicated that he was anything but patient, brewing with explosive anger.

Sam Wilson was Bucky's head of security. His loyalty and discipline throughout the years was the only reason he was given time to explain himself. If it were anyone else, they'd be dead.

Reading the underlying threat in Bucky's words, Sam explained tensely, "There was a fire. Half the men were pulled to control it and the rest were reassigned. Whoever it was, struck then. The fire was the distraction."

A muscle ticked in Bucky's jaw as he restrained himself from lashing out. You sat by his side, ever the pretty wife, not moving an inch. Face devoid of any emotion, you leaned forward with feline like grace.

"Sam, how are you planning on luring the culprit?"

His eyes flicked to you, the slight relief passing through them not escaping your notice. You were far less intimidating than your darling husband. Albeit, far more venomous than anyone realized. One couldn't be married to a madman without having a certain...mental disposition.. as you liked to put it.

"We narrowed it down to Alexander Pierce. Haven't gotten the proof yet but his men's movements over the past few days suggest so."

"Interesting." you lean back in your seat, watching your husband from the corner of your eye. He seemed to calm down and collect his thoughts. Good.

That's how it had been over the past year. Bucky would lose his cool at the snap of a finger and you would garner attention in your direction to give him time to collect himself. A game. Every single moment of the day.

Power came to those who knew how to play the game.

"Did you deal with the police?" Bucky asked finally, his voice steady.

"Yeah, covered it up as a generator blast. Told our man in the department that we would deal with these fuckers on our own." Sam spat out, anger clouding his eyes.

Ugh, men. This was exactly what the other side wanted. Anger to cloud their vision.

Letting out a quiet sigh, you decided to intervene yet again. "Set up a bait."

Bucky's head finally snapped in your direction as you held back a smirk. You'd merely thrown a hint. They could build on it, couldn't they?

"That could work." Bucky said, his eyes roaming over your face. Turning back towards Sam, he continued "Another shipment scheduled a week from now. No product at all, just empty cargo. Increase security around the yard. Meanwhile, I'll redirect shipments and deal with the clients."

Sam nodded his head in agreement and stayed for a bit longer as the two smoothed out the plan. Not finding any reason to pipe in, you spent your time listening to them sipping on a glass of old fashioned.

After what seemed like hours, Sam finally left giving you a small nod in acknowledgement.

Silence ensued as Bucky got up with a groan and poured himself a glass of whisky.

Taking a sip, he smacked his lips before saying "You know the difference between you and me, Y/N?"

He took another sip of his whisky and flicked the glass with his other hand. “We’re drinking the same damn thing. The only difference is I like my whisky neat and you decorate it with fancy shit to make it seem more sophisticated.”

I scoff at his words, shaking my head in amusement. He continued on. “We’re the same, you and I. You hide behind a mask of false politeness and practised smiles. I don’t.”

“What is the point you’re trying to make, James?” you leaned your head back against the couch as the buzz from the alcohol settled into you.

“I must either be foolish or recklessly brave to have married a fucking serpent. You amaze me, Y/N.”

Letting out a genuine laugh at his choice of words , you tip back the rest of the drink, licking your lips as the bitterness leaves its mark behind. A warm hand encircles your hand partially as Bucky takes the glass from you and places it on the table.

Closing your eyes to lean your head back against the couch once more, you let your husbands cologne encompass you.

Let's get one thing clear.

You and Bucky weren't in love. No, this was purely transactional. You got along well , you were able to satisfy each others needs but love was an emotion that didn't come easy to either of you.

So, when his lips trailed soft kisses along your neck, the only emotion involved was lust. Letting out a soft sigh, your eyes still closed, you let yourself enjoy the feeling of his hands running across your body and his lips brushing underneath your jaw.

"You look devastating today." he whispered in your ear, nipping it lightly. Back slightly arching off the couch in pleasure, you turned your body towards his, looping your hands around his neck. "I hadn't noticed." you say breathlessly as his metal arm slips down the strap of your dress and your senses are at his mercy.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stepping out of the steam bath, you put on a bath robe and start doing your skin care. Sleep was ready to take you under. Having sex with Bucky always tended to get you tired...not that you were complaining really.

Like he was summoned by your thoughts, Bucky walked into the bathroom with a somber face.

"What is it?" your hand was halfway to your face, focus honed in on your husband.

Not bothering to respond, he reached around you to grab the spare gun from the overhead cupboard.

"James."

No response yet again.

"JA--"

"Go to sleep." were the three words you got before he slammed the door to the bathroom and left you fuming in the silence of the house.

This. This was why you could never fall in love with him. No matter how good Bucky Barnes could fuck you, make you laugh and protect you, he would never respect you fully.

Soon.

Soon...this world would bow down to you.

Soon.

CHAPTER 2

[azrielwingspan]

Gentleman's Sins Masterlist

After her boss's son falls victim to a mob hit, Maggie is forcibly tasked with the impossible: infiltrate the infamous 107 crime family and prove their leader, Blackjack Barnes, is responsible for the murder. With each piece of evidence that is uncovered, the stakes get higher, and Maggie finds herself not only entangled in her webs of lies and recollection, but reluctance.

*don't be a hoe and copy my writing, that's just r u d e*

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

[azrielwingspan]

Somewhere out there in the Multiverse exist a pair of alternate universes where Ahsoka Tano is raised by Bruce Wayne to become Robin meanwhile Jason Todd becomes Anakin Skywalker's padawan, and the latter universe is starting to terrify me.

[azrielwingspan]

He’s a fictional, psychotic, depressed and dangerous man who could probably kill you in the blink of an eye !!

Me: But Daddy , I Love Him !!!

(Taylor swift told me it’s okay)

[azrielwingspan]

THE CHOICES WE MAKE - PART 2 (AZRIEL X READER)

Summary : Things escalate as you hastily try to find a solution.

Warnings : Swearing

PART- 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Vallahan council chambers)

"I've given you one duty, Y/N. Just ONE." your king seethed at you as you stood in front of him with your head bowed. "How could you be so ...useless?" The words sent a sharp pain through you, but you ignored it. Later, you'd let it hurt you. "The border is nothing more but rot as far as the eye can see. What are you going to tell those who've lost their homes?"

You stood in silence, head hung in shame, taking the verbal blows. Pathetic. That's how you felt.

"Get out. I'll deal with you after I've dealt with this." You left obediently, not letting him see the tears lining your eyes. People had lost their lives because of your inability to do your job. Silence echoed in your mind as you tried to think of something...anything.

There was only one thing left to do.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(The River House, Velaris)

"I don't care about the cost. I need the book, Rhys. PLEASE"." you almost begged. You could see the conflict in his eyes. He was hiding something, you were sure about it.

"Y/N..." taking in a deep breath, he blurted out "it's a trap. Koschei, he...wants the book. He's trying to lure us."

You let the words sink in, understanding dawning upon you. "We're just supposed to watch people die then?" He didn't respond, choosing to look away.

"W-we'll prepare for it. We'll set up a legion to stop---"

"He's too strong. A legion won't be able to stop him. I didn't want to say this Y/N...but the lives of a few over the lives of many is a tough decision I have to make."

A beat of silence passed, the words sinking in. Your vision turned red, the words spewing out of you like wildfire "A TOUGH DECISION YOU HAVE TO MAKE?! I have blood on my fucking hands, Rhysand! I stood and watched as my people were fucking slaughtered. DO THEY NOT DESERVE TO FUCKING LIVE?!?!"

He almost flinched as you raised you tone. You didn't feel guilt though. You felt pure undiluted anger coursing through your veins at the entire situation. "The most powerful high lord cant manage to save a couple of people ?! Fucking pathetic. You sit here in your nice little city watching over your people that aren't fucking aware of anything, those shit---"

"THAT IS ENOUGH." Rhysand roared, a pulse of his power rushing through the room. It washed over you, momentarily stunning you into silence. "Don't you dare bring my people into this. They don't deserve your anger."

The door to Rhysand's office burst open revealing Azriel, Nesta and Cassian.

"What's going on?" Azriel asked, eyes flitting between you and Rhys.

"Your darling brother just told me to stand by and watch my people die." you sneered.

"Y/N, we'll figure out another---" Rhys started.

You raised a hand to silence him. "I know where your loyalties lie Rhysand. If it were the people of Velaris, you wouldn't have thought twice."

"You're right." Nesta spoke up, eyes brimming with a challenge. "Then why are you still here?"

"Ness!" Cassian admonished her, which she ignored.

"Watch your fucking mouth." you said flatly to her turning your gaze back to Rhysand. "You told me you'd always be there no matter what. I see there was a limit to it."

"Y/N, please." Azriel followed you out the door, pushing past Cassian. "Just calm down and listen.."

You whipped towards him , anger flaring again "Calm down?! Do you know what I've been through the past few days Azriel? Everyday I wake up to a list of dead fae. They died because I didn't do anything. They died because I had a solution and I couldn't carry it out because your shithead of a high lord and your fucking sister in law would not let me. So no, Azriel, I will not calm down."

"Hey...hey.." he stepped closer to you cupping your face in his hands. His warmth and scent did nothing to calm you but you let him speak. "I'm sorry. I will never stop asking for your forgiveness for this moment but I need you to keep a clear head. I promise I'll help you out. We'll find another way okay? If not, I'll speak to Rhys again. He'll understand."

"Just...leave me alone. I don't need false promises." you walked away from him not paying attention to the hurt splashed across his face.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Your private chambers, Vallahan)

"It's a bargain." The sting of the bargain across your skin filled with you hope once again. You'd found a solution.

"I hope you won't go back on your word Lady Y/N." the male seated across you spoke, a tinge of suspicion in his voice.

"I couldn't even if I wanted to." you wiped the blood on your palm with a wet cloth and traced a finger along the cut across you palm.

"Very well." he stood up "you have a week to fulfill your side of the bargain."

"You have a day." you say flatly, not wanting to extend the conversation any further.

A dark chuckle echoed through the chambers, the fire casting eerie shadow across the walls. "It shall be done."

Footsteps walked away from you, each one in sync with your thudding heart. It had to be done. You had no choice. You told yourself repeatedly.

"Oh and Y/N...." you turned to face him at the sudden change in his tone. "when you're done breaking the shadowsingers heart, come find me. Your fire is best suited for the Autumn court."

You almost scoffed at his offer but instead chose to stay neutral.

"Goodnight, Eris."

He gave you a mocking bow and left the chambers, his red hair glinting in the firelight.

TAGLIST:

@lilah-asteria @anuttellaa @paankhaleyaar @blackgirlmagicforever @thebeautifulmysteriesoflife @fxckmiup @koffeevibes @starryhiraeth @mx13sworld @mp-littlebit @brieflyclassymortal

[azrielwingspan]

THE CHOICES WE MAKE (AZRIEL X READER)

Summary : An unexpected turn of events puts Azriel and you to the test.

Warnings: Angst, mentions of kissing, fluff if you squint.

(The River House, Velaris)

"The Book of Breathings sets us a few steps ahead of our enemies. Do you understand the extent of magic the book contains? The power that could be wielded?" Amren says, eyes widening with astonishment and wonder.

"In the wrong hands...it could be the end of everything." Nesta fixes her gaze upon Amren, eyes stalking her like a predator. "It should be locked away."

"I'm sure we can find ways to utilise it and keep it a secret. None of us in this room will ever speak of it." you say firmly, casting a look at everyone in the room. The inner circle had gathered in the River House for a meeting. A meeting which had turned too dark too fast.

"Nesta is right." Rhys spoke up, surprise flickering through you at his agreement. You couldn't remember the last time the both of them had agreed on something. "It's too big of a risk to use it. Even if we do, the magic is so strong, someone will track it to us."

"Someone is always going to be looking for it though. Keeping it within our court is a risk in itself." Feyre adds and you agree with her. Azriel and Cassian had already voiced their opinions earlier. They'd suggested locking it away in the court of nightmares under a ward of spells.

"A show of hands then." Mor sighs. "All for using the book?"

You, Feyre and Amren are the only ones to raise up your hands. Letting out an irritated sigh, you drop your hand as Mor takes the book to be locked away.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Later in your room)

Strong hands wrap around your waist from behind, a warm body pressed against yours. Letting his scent invade your senses, you relax your tense body allowing yourself to find comfort in his presence.

"Still annoyed?" Azriels voice rumbles through his chest. Not bothering to respond, you let your thoughts drift once more. A defeated exhale slips out his mouth as he drops his head to your shoulder.

"It's for the good Y/N." he mumbles against your skin, lips dropping a soft kiss.

"The good of whom Azriel?" you say calmly, your voice quite flat. "The good of whom, tell me? The good for the people or for us? Us...the people who are meant to protect and help those around."

You turn around in his grasp, placing your hands on his forearms for stability. "We have the power to help people. We have the power to change lives. Yet we choose to lock it away like an artifact?"

Azriel looked down at you warily as a strange look appeared in your eyes. He had never seen you this worked up before, it was quite disconcerting. "Don't we deserve happiness and peace as well, Y/N? Don't we deserve a break? There are other ways to help."

Cupping your face in his hands, he leaned down to touch his forehead to yours. "I want to spend my life with you without having to look over my shoulder for threats. I want to wake up to you by my side. Not in a war camp. In a home. OUR. HOME. Is that too much to ask for?"

Guilt smashed through your irritation, giving you a whiplash. He was right. Of course he was. The hope in his eyes snuffed out the remaining bits of anger that had accumulated over the past few hours. He was standing so still, waiting for a reaction, a reply, anything to indicate your agreement. Placing a peck on his lips, you mumbled "I got carried away, sorry."

"Don't apologize. You weren't wrong either. It shows how much you care and that's what I love about you." Azriel responds, going in for a longer kiss. You wrap your hands around his neck as he takes his time to ravish your lips.

The both of you had gotten together three years ago , a few months after you met at a council meeting in Vallahan. He was everything you had hoped for and more. You weren't mates but you were hoping that the bond would click into place one day.

"I love you..." you breathe onto his lips earning a beautiful grin from him.

"Let me show you how much I love you." you yelp as he lifts you off of your feet and carries you towards the bed, his laughter music to your ears.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Vallahan council chambers)

"The situation at the borders is getting out of hand, my lady. We've sent one unit to monitor, but nothing has been reported so far." councilman Freda states.

A headache starts to set in and you rub your temples to ease the pain. “I’d say it’s progressing too fast , wouldn’t you councilman ?”

“Uh yes …my Lady. I guess we could say that.” He shuffles.

“Then kindly tell me why we haven’t relocated the people. I’ve given the orders last month. Do we have a problem ?” your voice rose in intensity along with you anger.

“N-No my lady we…” he took in a deep breath before explaining “the people of the other towns and cities won’t accept them because they think the border fae are cursed due to the recent …situation.”

“So they’ve decided amongst themselves that it’s a curse then ?” your mind starts sprinting thinking of different solutions and possibilities.

“If I may say so my lady, I do think it’s a curse. A spell of some sorts.” Your attention snapped back to focus upon hearing his words.

“Explain.”

“There have been rumours of a death lord…Koschei living on Prythian. They say that he might have been the one to place the spell.”

“Who is this ‘they’ ?”

“Me and a few other councilmen , my lady.” He has the decency to look a bit apologetic but you knew it was a good possibility.

“Hmm… I’ll go pay a visit tomorrow. The last time I went it was just starting to breach the forest line.”

Councilman Freda steps forward in surprise “ I do not think it is such a wise idea. It’s quite dangerous…”

“There are people living there everyday. I’m sure I’ll be fine for a couple of hours. Thankyou for your time.” Understanding the dismissal , the councilman simply nodded and left .

——————————————————————————

(At the border village of Vallahan)

“I’m glad you asked me to come along.” Azriel said casting a cautious glance at the black rot that had taken root. “I can feel the magic permeating the air. This is dangerous magic Y/N. I don’t want you near it.”

“I need to find a solution in the new two days Az. This is spreading faster than I had expected it to.” You hands trembled at the sight before you , but clenching them into fists you forced yourself to push the fear down. Now was not the time.

“I’ll speak to Rhys. See if there’s anything he can do about this.” Turning to face you, he let you see the nervousness in his eyes “There’s a bog in Prythian ..that dark creatures have made their home. I get the same feeling here…it’s far too sinister.”

The fear in his eyes and the warning in his tone made a shudder rush through you. The shadow singer of the night court was scared. Azriel was never scared and yet here right now, he was almost terrified.

Letting out a shaky exhale, you intertwined your hand with his leading him away from the rot.

——————————————————————————

(Your chambers in Vallahan)

“Azriel wasn’t exaggerating. It is dangerously similar to Koscheis magic.” Rhys stated , running a hand over his face.

“What do you suggest I do ?” You ask twirling the glass of wine in your hands.

“I can ask Helion for a spell that could keep the curse at bay for sometime but it’ll only be a temporary solution.”

“For how long ? I need to fix it before it gets worse Rhys.”

“I know I know. Atleast we can give ourselves more time to think.”

You did think. You’d spent the last two sleepless nights thinking and worrying and planning. You had an idea but weren’t sure if Rhys would be happy with it. Nevertheless , you finally decided to bring it up.

Leaning forward in your chair you blurted out “What about the book of breathings ? Do you think—“

“I know what you’re going to say. Yes I’ve thought about it but I think it should be the last option.” he said firmly , maintaining eye contact with you , challenging you to say something against him.

You held back a scoff and shook your head in disapproval. “It’s getting a bit tiring don’t you think Rhysand? Having the solution and yet not willing to recognise it?”

“Enough.” The high lord of the night court commanded , standing up from his seat. “We’ve had this conversation before. You know why. Get some sleep Y/N. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Alone in your chambers, you let the silence engulf you, the sound of blood rushing through your ears fill your head.

——————————————————————————

(The River House, Velaris)

“It’s Koschei. No doubt.” Nesta stated flatly, her eyes burning in anger. Rhys and Cassian had taken her to the Vallahan village earlier to confirm their suspicions.

“I can feel the darkness and the depth of the magic. It feels cold and…like death.”

Azriel ran a hand through his hair, his shadows moving agitatedly around him. The last few days had been tough on him as well. He couldn’t stop thinking about the fear and the worry in your face. Couldn’t stop the guilt and disgust that enveloped him when he realised how useless he was in the situation.

“It’s a trap for sure.” Nesta continued “he knows we have the Book. I don’t know how , but he knows.”

Rhys hummed in agreement while Cassians face morphed into that of the General of the Night Court. He was already planning, strategising.

“So if we were to use the book to find a spell, he would track it down immediately.” Cassian confirmed.

“Yes. He knows it’s with us but he wants to lure it out. Somewhere far from us. Somewhere he can overpower us. Somewhere where we don’t have the upper hand.” A flicker of anger lit in Rhysands eyes.

“We should tell Y/N.” Azriel spoke up.

“No.” Rhys and Nesta spoke at the same time, Azriel looking at them in shock.

“What do you mean no? It’s her territory. She deserves to know.”

“Az…she’s been acting strange lately.” Rhys said steadily trying not to anger the shadow singer. “It might be the stress but it’s a huge risk to our court and Prythian.”

“She’s OUR FRIEND. Someone we can TRUST.” The coldness in Azriels voice made Cass step forward in reflex.

“Easy, Az.” Cass muttered softly.

“She wants to save her people.” Az ignored Cassian.

“And we have to save ours.” Nesta said firmly. The words felt like a cold shower to Azriel. He finally realised the position he was in.

Help his court or the woman he loves?

PART-2 COMING SOON.

Tag: @lilah-asteria @anuttellaa

[azrielwingspan]

This made me cackle 😂😂

Advice of the day: if your man starts dressing up like this be careful

[azrielwingspan]

SOON (THEO NOTT X READER)

Summary : Theodore Nott was just another Slytherin asshole to most of Hogwarts. But to you, he was something much much more.

Themes : Mild kissing and swearing.

A/N : This is my first Theo fic AHHH. Just thought I would give it a shot. Let me know how it is!

P.S.- This is strictly a one shot. There will be no part 2.

"He is quite charming isn't he?" Ginny commented sneaking a glance at Theodore Nott. Seated at the Slytherin table between his usual rowdy gang of friends, he smirked at something Lorenzo had said.

"I think the word you're looking for is enigmatic, Gin. For all we know, he could be Voldemort in disguise." you stated flatly, stabbing a piece of potato on your plate. Earning a smack on the arm for using You-know-who's name so boldly, you ignored Ginny's attempts at convincing you to attend the party being thrown tonight.

"Help me understand why you're so bloody against the idea?! Is it because you have to bring a date?" she raised her eyebrows in question.

"That may be a part of the reason." you refused to meet her owl like stare, instead choosing to focus on the copy of the Daily Prophet in front of you.

"Why would that be an issue ? I can name five people off the top of my head who would say yes instantly." she prodded further, thankfully choosing to redirect her gaze towards the mail she'd received. Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, you snuck a glance at Theodore again. The sleeves of his uniform were rolled upto his elbow and you greedily took in the sight of his veiny forearms.

"What are you looking at?" Ginny broke you out of the reverie, your eyes immediately flitting towards the shawl Pansy was wearing.

"Pansy's new shawl. I can't recall which store I've seen it in but it looks very familiar." The lie rolled out smoothly, misleading Ginny. The pang of guilt ,that never lessened in impact, hit you yet again.

"Oh. Yeah, it does look quite familiar now that you mention it." She went off on a tangent about clothes and you let out a relieved sigh.

Ginny couldn't know. Not for now atleast.

The morning went on, your focus elsewhere during most of the classes. Ginny hadn't brought up the party again but you knew it was unavoidable. You were definitely acting quite strange. Not being the one to turn down an invite, your sudden refusal to attend this massive party did come as a surprise to your friends.

You had your reasons. Utterly selfish reasons.

However as the evening rolled by, Ginny had cornered you into agreeing. On bringing up the issue of the date, she'd simply shrugged and said "I took care of it."

That did not sound very reassuring.

It was worse than you had expected.

"CORMAC MC FUCKIN LAGGEN ?!?" you hissed at Ginny , your back to the boy in question.

Ginny looked away sheepishly and said "He told Hermione who told me that he had a thing for you. So I thought you guys could talk? I mean you don't have to really. Just drop him off in a corner."

"Drop him---" pinching the bridge of your nose in frustration, you whipped around to face Laggen and gave him a saccharine smile.

"Nice to meet you Laggen but I'm not interested."

He looked astounded, trying to wrap his head around the rejection. After a few seconds, he managed to sputter out "We haven't talked yet. How can you--"

"Yes. Yes I can. You have my permission to tell everyone I'm your date but please don't approach me again. Bye." you sauntered off into the party, Ginny keeping up behind you.

"Where's Harry anyways?" you asked, straining your neck to see past the crowd.

"Running late. Neville set his pants on fire so Ron and Harry are helping him out."

Shaking your head in amusement, you let your eyes run around the room searching for him.

There.

Theo sat on the couch near the fireplace, one arm thrown around the back , a glass of amber liquid in the other. The smoke from Mattheo's cigarette made his figure hazy.

"I'm gonna go grab a drink." Ginny said her voice floating by. You nodded distractedly , your attention held captive by Theo.

As if sending your presence behind him , he turned his head around and met your eyes. Slight confusion marred his face making his eyebrows furrow. He hadn’t expected you to be here.

Signalling to you with a quick nod of his head, he excused himself from his group of friends and made his way to his dorms. You stayed down for a couple more minutes , getting yourself a drink to throw off suspicion.

“Hey, I didn’t think you’d come tonight. Ginny change your mind?” Pansy popped out of the blue , startling you.

“Uh.. Pansy, hey. Yeah you know how Gin is.” Pansy was a bit of a talker. Aware that this conversation could go on forever , you tried to come up with an excuse. “Hey listen, I’ve got to use the bathroom real quick. I’ll find you again alright?”

Not waiting for a response , you made your way in the direction of the bathrooms and took a sharp turn in the opposite direction once you made sure Pansy had redirected her attention. Sneaking up the stairway to the boys dorm, you took a moment for yourself outside Theo’s dorm room, straightening out your clothes.

“Took you long enough.” His voice drawled as you entered his room, the familiar surroundings providing a sense of comfort.

“Pansy almost started a conversation.” You said laughing lightly at his wide eyed expression.

“Didn’t take you long then.” He corrected his previous statement , prowling towards you.

“No. I guess it didn’t.”

Wrapping an arm around your waist, he pulled you into a searing kiss that had you holding onto his shirt for balance. The words 'I missed you' played at the tip of your tongue struggling to be let out.

He nipped at your lower lip , a breathy sigh leaving you as you tangled your hands in his hair.

"Cormac Mc fuckin Laggen? Seriously?" Theo muttered , lowering his head to place soft kisses across your jaw. Leaning your head back to give him more access, you let out a soft laugh. "That's exactly what I said. Ginny is the real culprit."

A strangled moan left your lips as he sucked at your neck, immediately soothing it with a sloppy kiss. "T-Theo..you idiot. That's gonna leave a mark." He just hummed in response seemingly lost in the pleasure. Tugging his head back, you made him meet your gaze head on.

"If we stay up here for any longer, they'll suspect." A shiver passed through you as his hands trailed lower and cupped you arse, pulling your hips to his. "Let them." he said dropping his head to capture your lips once more.

"THEO, YOU IN THERE ??" Blaise Zabini's voice boomed through the door making you jump. A string of Italian curses left Theo's mouth as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah give me a minute!"

Cupping your face in his hands, he leaned down to your face placing you at eye level. "It'll all be over soon alright? We won't have to hide anymore. We can be free." The promise in his eyes lit a spark of hope within you, a rush of adrenaline coursing through your veins.

"Soon." you whispered , your eyes fluttering shut as you placed a kiss on his Dark Mark.

[azrielwingspan]

SHATTERED (AZRIEL X READER)

Summary : You finally scraped up enough courage to tell Azriel how you felt. Unfortunately, not everything is meant to be.

Warnings : ANGSTTTTT, ANGSTTT.

Joy rushed through you as you took a moment to pause and look around. Your closest friends and family were gathered in your house taking a break from all the chaos plaguing your world.

Laughter poured out uninhibited, memories were shared and a cocoon of comfort and love was created. This was all you had ever wanted. This was everything you fought for. This was everything you had sacrificed the innocent part of yourself for.

Sighing in contentment, you let a memory from a couple of years back wash over you.

"I-I don't want you to go." you sobbed holding onto Azriel's hand. "P-Please Az. What if you---" you couldn't finish the sentence, just the thought of it sending more tears running down your sweaty and blood stained face.

"Y/N, I have to help them. I can't stand by and watch the others get slaughtered. I can't live with that regret Y/N, it's a slow death. At least this way, death might find me faster." Azriel pulled you to him, holding the back of your head close to his chest as you sobbed harder.

You couldn't be selfish. You knew your chance of winning would increase drastically if Azriel went out there. Even if it was at the cost of his own life. Yet, you couldn't help but regret all the moments you didn't have because you couldn't confess to him your true feelings.

You had been close friends for so long, you couldn't recall your life before him. The days felt brighter and happier, the nights were filled with drinks and laughter. He knew everything about you.

Almost everything.

You didn't know exactly when your feelings blossomed into something more but it was all you could think about most days. The colour of his eyes, the way he laughed with his head thrown back, the warm hugs he gave when he greeted you , the comforting touches on your arm when you were anxious about something.

Soon enough, you had started to notice the more...physical aspects. The way his tanned skin glistened with sweat after a training session, the curl of his biceps as he lifted his sword, the way his powerful back muscles stretched and defined the lines of his back and his tattoos. For the love of the Cauldron, his tattoos. Once, after a particularly intense training session, he'd taken off his shirt to cool off. A bead of sweat had trailed down his shoulders over the lines of his tattoos. You had wondered what it would feel like to chase it with your tongue and lick it off. A cold soak was how you had spent the rest of your afternoon.

You'd been so conflicted with your own emotions, you didn't have the nerve to tell him how you'd felt.

But now ? When this might be the last moment the both of you would ever share together ?

No. No. You couldn't do that to him. He needed to be focused out there. You wouldn't do that to him. Instead, you drew away from his chest and placed your hand on the back of his neck pulling his forehead to yours.

"You come back to me. Okay? You come back to me and I will tell you something I've never had the courage to tell you before okay?"

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion and yet he nodded in agreement, his eyes hardening with resolve. Good. Placing a chaste kiss on your forehead in farewell , he left you alone in the dark confines of the room.

"Where did you go ?" a voice broke you out of your memory, bringing you back to reality. The stark contrast between the both made a rush of gratefulness encompass you.

"Was thinking about something." you said, shooting a smile at Cassian. His eyes darted across your face, understanding dawning upon him. "It's real." he said softly, gently squeezing your hand. "The war is over. We're all here and alive."

Emotions welled up inside you filling you to the brim and lining your eyes with tears. Sniffling lightly, you turned your head to discreetly wipe away a tear that had escaped.

Cassian's arm wrapped around you, tugging you closer to him. "Bask in the moment, Y/N. Everyone here loves you, let it heal you."

The both of you made your way to the seating area where everyone was sprawled. Your eyes met Azriel's, who was already looking at you with a slightly concerned look on his face. You gave him a reassuring smile gesturing to him that everything was alright. Satisfied with your answer, he continued his conversation with Feyre.

You needed to tell him tonight. It didn't matter if he reciprocated it or not. You needed to get it off of your chest so you could move on with your life. Your mind pulled you back into another memory reminding you of what had happened the last time you tried telling him.

It was over. They were alive. He was alive. You waited at the entrance to the healers tent where he was being treated with your hands trembling and heart pounding. You had to see him with your own eyes. Drink your fill. You thanked the Cauldron and the Mother and every other entity that the people of Prythian believed in for keeping him alive.

The healer stepped out of the tent and got startled when she almost ran into you. "Sorry." you said sheepishly, trying to peer around her into the area within. Following your line of sight, the healer let a small smile come onto her face. "He's fine. He'll be out in a moment."

Bowing your head in thanks, feet tapping to expel the nervous energy, you continued your vigil for a few more minutes.

Your felt him before you saw him. His scent enveloped you in a warm embrace dispelling your nervous energy and replacing it with relief. A grin broke out on your face, hands reaching out to him to tug him into an embrace.

You buried your face in his neck, making sure not to put pressure on his wounds.

"It's over Y/N. It's all over." Azriel's voice cracked as he held you close.

Tell him. Your mind screamed at you trying to overcome the barriers you had kept up. Pulling back , you stared up at his face your mouth opening and closing as you tried to gather your thoughts and form a coherent sentence.

Steeling your resolve, you pushed yourself over the line you'd drawn.

"Az...I---"

You paused as you watched his eyes widen at something behind you. Relief and something else..something you couldn't decipher but spoke volumes morphed his face.

"Mor..." he breathed out before letting go of you, the loss of touch feeling like a punch to the gut.

He rushed towards Mor who had been standing behind you at a distance nursing her own wounds. The cold air slammed into you at the loss of his body heat as if reminding you of your place in his life. Temporary.

You felt horrible. Mor had been injured as well and instead of helping her out, here you were feeling pitiful as you watched Azriel walk away. You couldn't move. You were frozen to the spot, a few tendrils of your hair whipping around you as the sting of the cold reddened your cheeks and cracked your lips.

You watched unblinking as he made his way to Mor , cradled her face in his hands and crushed her into a hug. You watched unblinking as his posture turned from tensed to relaxed the moment he hugged her. You watched unblinking as he shuffled away with her deeper into the camp.

Leaving you behind.

"You're doing that thing again." a voice broke you out of the memory yet again. This time it was Azriel. He'd switched places with Cassian, settling down on the floor next to you.

"Sorry. Long day." you said scooting closer to him as he draped an arm around you casually. You clinked your glasses and took a sip of your drinks settling into comfortable silence.

You'd noticed over the past few months that he'd stopped giving Mor longing looks and heated glances. The hope and feelings that you'd buried deep inside had come back to life despite your efforts to ignore them. Maybe you were foolish. But you'd never know unless you finally let it out. It was becoming too heavy for you to carry on your own.

"Az.." you said softly.

"Hmm..?" he leaned closer bringing his ear to your lips. Head buzzing at the proximity, you tried not to stammer as you said "I need to speak to you about something. Can you come to my room later?"

"Yeah sure. Everything okay?" he asked pulling back to look into your eyes.

"Y-Yeah."

"Liar." he murmured, eyes darting over your face. "You're nervous."

You gulped instinctively, his eyes taking note of the small action. He didn't miss anything. Except the one thing that mattered the most. He had somehow never figured out that his best friend is in love with him.

"Let's go now." he said bracing his hands on the floor to stand up.

"No...but..." you looked up at him dumbfounded.

"Everyone is going to head to bed soon. They're just waiting for someone to make the first move." he grinned holding out his hand for you to take.

Letting the warmth of his hand ground you, you stood up and dusted off your pants. You didn't notice the set of eyes that trailed you both as you left the room.

You went through all the possible scenarios in you head , braving yourself against the whirlwind of emotions that were about to be exposed. Now or never.

"Y/N." You stopped in your tracks noticing that Azriel wasn't beside you. Turning around, you saw him observing a flower pot that you had purchased from the market recently.

"Since when did you stop and stare at flowers?" you laughed walking back towards him.

A slight blush rose up on his cheeks making your smile broader.

"I got it at the market. Redecorating the whole place because I wanted it to be more lively. Do you like ?"

"Yes." he whispered as your face started giving way to confusion. He was acting very strange.

"It's just a plant Az. If you like it, have it. I'll just get another one." you watched his face closely.

"No..no I won't take it. I was just admiring it." He straightened up, pulling his eyes away from the plant.

"Ooookay, if you say so." you said brushing away the confusion. Yet, a bad feeling had taken root in your stomach. Nerves, you told yourself brushing that away as well.

"Actually..." he cleared his throat. "Can you give me the name of the seller. Maybe I'll get one for...myself." He wouldn't meet your eyes instead choosing to look right past you. He looked embarrassed, maybe shy even.

The bad feeling pushed its roots deeper, curling itself around you and making its way to the heart. You suddenly found it difficult to breathe.

However, you managed to choke out "Yourself? Or...someone, Az?"

He shuffled his feet , scratching the nape of his neck.

The roots reached your heart, slowly squeezing and fracturing the already delicate thing. You didn't need him to say the name. The sweet beautiful girl who had caught his eye. The female who was everything you weren't. The stark opposite.

"E-Elain?" you rasped, willing yourself to not show any reaction.

A faint smile appeared on his face at hearing her name.

Oh.

Oh.

You know the moment in time when you realise that something will impact you so detrimentally , you will never be the same again?

This moment defined it.

You almost heard your heart shatter...all over again.

Unfortunately this time, you didn't know if you had the energy to pick up the pieces and put them back together.

You felt hot and cold at the same time, frozen in time but feeling the burn in your eyes and heart. You'd gone still, oh so still wondering and horrified about how you would deal with this.

You'll never be his first choice. Your mind whispered making your heart clench painfully.

"Y/N?" Azriel stepped forward , concern etched into his face.

You instinctively stepped back, hoping that physical distance could repair something ..... anything within you.

Hurt flashed across his features as he noted the movement. You were exhausted . You were so tired of hiding your emotions behind a shield.

So you let him see.

You let him see the pain, the love, the anger, the regret and the fear behind your eyes.

You let him see the tears that trailed down your face and the tremble of your hands.

You let him see what you could've been and what would never be anymore.

Once the understanding dawned upon him, you turned around and walked away leaving behind the fragments of your heart at his feet.

A/N: That was DRAMATIC SHEEESH.

[azrielwingspan]

THE STRINGS OF FATE (AZRIEL X READER)

A/N: I've wanted to write a series based on a dark , mystery themed vibe for so long and I thought this would be a good way to start it off. I get to write about my favourite characters and transform it into something a bit darker and mystery fuelled. So I'm hoping you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed imagining it.

!! The image below does not belong to the author !!

Genre: Suspense thriller, Romance

Summary : The Prophecy. A band of words that incited terror in people but you had long since learnt that the fear of the unknown strikes deeper.

The prophecy was just the beginning of the end.

Warnings : Mentions of violence

PROLOGUE

"You would be a fool to not involve your cousin, Rhysand." Amren said coldly for the umpteenth time that night. "There is a reason the prophecy refers to the both of you. Don't try to change the course of fate boy. Not even a Lord of the Night can cross the Mother."

"I would be a fool to lead her into the arms of a certain death. If ignoring a prophecy is what must be done to keep her safe, I will do it." Rhys was growing more agitated as the conversation turned south.

"Saving one girl is worth the lives of millions?"

Silence prevailed at Amren's question. The office in the River House enclosed a dark and gloomy atmosphere as if detecting the undertone of the conversation and the issue at hand. The faelights flickered casting deep shadows across the Fae and Illyrians that had gathered in the room.

Hands clenched on the table, Rhysand took in deep breaths appearing to fight an internal battle. He had too much to lose. Too many to fight for. What was the purpose of being the most powerful high lord the world had ever seen if he couldn't keep his own family safe? He was tired of losing people, tired of fighting, tired of wondering if tomorrow would be someone's last.

"I promised her that no harm would come to her as long as I live." He said softly, seeming to speak to himself. "I made sure she was safe from Amarantha, from Hybern and mostly from myself. If it were to become public knowledge that we are related, they will hunt her down. They will torture her, use her and kill her mercilessly."

Amren's eyes softened at the agony in his voice. "The world is a cruel place, Rhysand. We do not have say in the destiny that has been chosen for us. We must simply walk, trudge and crawl along the path."

He let out scornful laugh, running his hands through his hair agitatedly. "It has been especially cruel to us I think."

Feyre's eyes lined with tears at her mate's heartache. She'd known about the things he had done to keep his cousin far away even if it hurt him. To see him unravel now because of a Cauldron damned prophecy was distressing to watch.

"Rhys." Cassian spoke into the silence that had claimed the room yet again. "I promise you, I'll keep her safe. No matter what comes her way."

"So will I." Azriel stepped up, his shadows stirring over his shoulders.

"All of us will." Feyre declared, her hand coming to rest on her mates shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. Her touch seemed to relax Rhysand immediately, his shoulders drooping underneath her hand.

Placing his head in his hands, Rhysand took in a deep breath, the battle within his mind coming to a conclusion. Feyre's grip tightened lightly, giving him the energy to push through yet another decision that would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life.

"I'll go visit her myself. Explain the situation. The Prophecy. All of it. Whether she comes or not , is upto her." The others nodded in agreement.

"That is the least I can do for her. Give her a choice..... live or die."

A/N : Comment below if you want to be added to the tag list !