azsazz

[azsazz]

Damn I forgot how god this one is 😅

Infest (Part 2)

Stalker!Azriel x Reader

Summary: Azriel is on assignment to watch over you. He really really likes you.

Warnings: Stalking, mentions of guns.

Word Count: 2,116

(Part One)

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You’re sound asleep, and Azriel’s never felt more awake.

It’s been an hour and sixteen minutes since you stumbled back home without a care for your surroundings and your phone falling halfway out of your purse.

Azriel kept his distance, as he always does. As he was told to do. He’s always been a good soldier. Never gone rouge. Never abandoned a soldier even when he maybe should have. His finger has never slipped from the trigger.

There’s something about you that makes him want to, though. Remove his finger from the trigger just to run it down the slope of your jaw, tuck that piece of hair back behind your ear that falls dangerously close to your soft, parted lips.

You barely made it home. Barely made it out of your costume that sits in a crumpled pile on the floor, heels kicked off in two different directions and red cape draped over one of the posters of your bed. He can hear the snores of your friend Cassian from the living room, each rumble of his chest grates on his ears, the serenity he usually has when he stands at the foot of your bed and watches you sleep.

Cassian is a fly buzzing in his ear, is what he is. He could barely hold himself up better than you, and he wasn’t in seven-inch platform heels that looked as heavy as cinder blocks. Azriel wondered if he was going to have to scrape you off the sidewalk if your friend tripped and took you down. At least his mission would most likely be over.

But there’s something about spending his days and nights watching over you, waiting for the inevitable other shoe—heel—to drop, that keeps his head screwed on straight, keeps him calm. Keeps him ready.

His eyes trail your body again. Arm folded up beneath your pillow, the other resting over your side. The fabric of your sheets draped barely over that sinful red bow tied at the waistband of your panties. The oversized shirt you managed to wrangle yourself into hides the curve of your breast, the smooth skin of your stomach and shoulders that he wants to sink his teeth into to taste.

You didn’t have it in yourself to scrub the makeup from your face. After a pit stop at the local late night pizza joint with your friends, you parted with Cassian in tow, bright-eyed and giggling about your favorite rom-com you were going to force him to watch. Your favorite. You’ve watched it nine and a half times since Azriel started assignment.

If he never hears Matthew McConaughey’s voice again it will be too soon.

He stays by his spot at the end of your bed. Watching. Never touching. He hasn’t even lain himself upon your cozy looking comforter, the one scrunched between your legs right now, hasn’t slipped between the sheets and held you to the mattress like he’s thought about.

There will be time for that.

You shift, murmuring something incoherent beneath your breath, and roll, taking the silky sheets with you. Azriel watches for a long moment, counts in his head the time it takes you to sigh, for your shoulders to ease as you fall back into that heavy slumber.

He strolls lightly to the window, dodging abandoned jeans, a yoga mat that he’s never seen you unroll, but he uses when you’re otherwise occupied. There’s a pair of well-worn slippers that he avoids, along with a shoebox stuffed with photos you dug out of your closet and never put away.

Your apartment is lived in. Azriel’s not sure he can remember a time where he had things that would clutter his room. His life has been hospital corners on beds and a gun tucked under his pillow. Fully geared up while he slept on the cold, hard ground. Leaning up against a wall with a gun cradled to his chest. He would never have photos or trinkets that could compromise him, not that he has anyone nor anything that could be used against him. He is a solid, steel trap of apathy.

A void.

The sky is dark with cloud cover, no moon in sight. He scans the skyscrapers that surround your apartment, searching for any signs of movement. It brings him back to his time in the military, scoping out perimeters, keeping an eye out for snipers. He hates the location of your apartment. Anyone in a higher level could peer into your open windows, because you always forget to close your curtains. If there were anyone like him out there, you’d already be dead.

Motion in the corner of his vision rips his gaze to the boulevard. Streetlights line the street, the second one from the corner flickers, going dark for one long second, and when it bursts back to its short-lived brightness, a figure stands below it.

Azriel recognizes the body in point one seconds flat.

His jaw grinds as he examines the figure. Arms crossed over his chest, sleeves of his black shirt rolled up to his elbows, top button undone. One leg crossed over the other as he leans casually against the pole. He’s sure there’s a satisfied smirk on the pricks face, knowing that Azriel has clocked him in an instant, and is already making his way to the door like the well-trained hound he is.

It's easy to skirt the hibernating giant on your couch. Azriel shoots him a dirty look on the way out, just because he can. He reaches behind into the waistband of his pants, palming his pistol, the metal of the weapon a comfort against his hand.

He takes the stairs, never the elevator. Shoves his way out of the lobby door and scans the street quickly. Not a car in sight, not another soul besides the one still lounging beneath the light. If he had a soul, Azriel might be surprised.

The closer he gets, the wider that foxlike smile grows. The harsh, yellow glow makes his teeth look sharp. Amber eyes glow like hot coals as Azriel approaches, halting just outside the ring of light.

Azriel doesn’t start the conversation. He never does. He gets his assignments, makes his reports, and finishes the job. He doesn’t ask questions, and his boss doesn’t question him.

 So, what the fuck is Eris doing here?

There’s a reason his boss chose Azriel for this particular assignment, because Eris would have already thrown a bag over your head and tossed you into the back of the sleek, black SUV parked at the corner and towed you back to the mansion. Azriel isn’t Eris, doesn’t think they share a single trait, and he’s never been grateful about anything in his life, but he sure is about that.

Eris’ eyes flicker to your apartment window and if it were possible, Azriel would still. He’s well-trained. He keeps still. Doesn’t let a sliver of the white-hot rage that flashes through his body reach the surface, even when Eris’ gaze seeps that familiar glimmer of wickedness.

“What were you doing up there?” His voice is silky, a prowl almost. He quirks a brow, and it’s always been his mission to try to get Azriel to crack. Not once has his little jibes worked. “Aren’t you supposed to be keeping watch from your car?”

Azriel doesn’t respond, only stares at Eris.

If only he could unleash a bullet from the chamber and empty it in his pompous face.

Following a long beat, Eris releases an impatient exhale. He rolls his eyes so hard that it’s a surprise they don’t stick. A glimmer of pride builds into nothing more than a whisper of a hair dragging across Azriel’s skin. He plucks it away easily; lets it float away with the gentle breeze.

“It’s been over a month. Boss is getting antsy.”

Boss. As if it isn’t his father that’s one of the most powerful mafia dons on the east coast. As if he’s not his son.

“She hasn’t shown any signs of knowing,” Azriel gives him this. The same seven words the reports he’s sent back to his boss every week has contained.

“Maybe she knows you’re following her.”

Azriel’s features sharpen in the darkness. Hazel eyes narrowing a fraction. Muscle of his jaw popping. Lips thinning a hairsbreadth.

“She doesn’t know,” he refutes, tone monotonous. “She doesn’t know anything.” Not about him, not about the world he lives in, not about herself.

He’s beginning to think that this mission is a lost cause. That you’re not the girl they’re looking for. Azriel doesn’t give up on missions, he sees them through, and he’ll wait as long as he has to, as long as he’s told. It’s not like it’s a hardship watching over someone so pretty.

“You can’t tell me she’s flown under the radar for this long without slipping up,” Eris exhales in frustration, shoving himself from the lamp post. So quick to anger. If Azriel knew anything about choosing an heir to a mafia empire, Eris would not be the next in line. He wouldn’t even be fourth in line, the pretentious asshole.

But Azriel is just a soldier, a mercenary at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Perhaps it was the right place at the right time.

“Read my reports. They’ll tell you all you need to know.” Azriel beings to turn to head back to his post. He’s been gone for just over six minutes now, and he knows better than anyone how much can happen in such a short period of time.

As always, Eris opens his fucking mouth. “Your reports don’t say shit. One might think that you’re sleeping with her for Mothers—” He doesn’t see it coming. Doesn’t have the chance to get the last word out of his mouth before the muzzle of Azriel’s pistol is pinning his jaw shut.

“Want to say that again?” Azriel asks, voice gruff. He’s not fucking around. He never does. His hands aren’t trembling like Eris is in his grip. His finger is poised, steady on the trigger, waiting for the moment to pull.

He doesn’t care that he’s aiming a gun to his don’s son. Doesn’t give a fuck if Eris runs right home to tell daddy what he’s done. It’s not the first time Azriel has pulled a gun on the impatient heir, and it isn’t the last.

Right now, Eris is a compromise to his mission. You don’t leave his sight, yet he had to leave his watch post in order to entertain the amber-eyed fool that glares up at him. Fucking idiot.

Not even the harsh metal of Eris’ gun digging into the flesh just above Azriel’s hipbone does anything to strike fear into him. He’s felt worse.

“Get…the fuck off me, man,” Eris bites, carefully so he doesn’t trigger whatever hairline tripwire Azriel lives on. He’s a fucking psycho. Which is probably why his father employs the ex-military man.

Azriel’s credentials never fucking lie. He wouldn’t feel an ounce of remorse if he pulled the trigger right now. Boss has six other sons, even if most of them don’t show any promise to take over the family business.

Well, maybe one. Azriel always keeps an eye on that one.

“Get the fuck out of here, Eris,” Azriel says, deathly calm. He releases the auburn-haired man who stumbles back like Azriel pushed him. “If you compromise my mission again, you won’t be so lucky.”

“Fuck you,” Eris spits. His gun is clutched tightly in his grip, white-knuckled. He won’t use it. Azriel wouldn’t be surprised if he’s never killed a person a day in his life. Privileged in a fucked-up world, but privileged nonetheless. Eris takes another step back, the darkness of the city block draping his shoulders in black. The familiar blacked-out SUV screeches to a halt at the curb. Azriel knows who’s driving, who sits passenger, and the number of guns pointed in his direction. Eris’ hand lands on the handle, he tosses one, final scathing look over his shoulder, pinning Azriel with the harshest look he can muster. It’s all for naught, since it doesn’t affect Azriel in the slightest. “He won’t wait forever, you know,” he spits, and climbs into the van.

Azriel watches the vehicle take off down the street before the door even closes behind Eris. The engine revs, and whoever is driving blows right through the stop sign.

Azriel watches until the taillights disappear from view, and then some, before he tucks his gun back into the waistband of his pants and treks his way back to your apartment.

He’ll wait however goddamn long Azriel wants him to wait.

_________________________________________

Taglist: @prettylittlewrites @ushijima-stits @peaceandcrackers @sveretrice

[azsazz]

Giiiirllll have you ever thought of adding another baby bat into the Az fam🤯!?

Haha yes actually 🤣😅 picked out a name and everything but ultimately decided six is a fun number for them.

But their lifespans are pretty dang long so ig you never know!

[azsazz]

Have you ever thought of like writing an argument between reader and the bat babies,I mostly think she would maybe argue w Zuzu but idk..😇

hmmm...no, to be honest i haven't really put much thought into writing a fic like this, but since i have the time rn to answer, i'll do that

I def think reader vs bat babies arguments would def most likely be between reader and baz or reader and zuzu. that's not to say there wouldn't be arguments with any of the other children, because i could def see a moment where reader and malos are arguing, but i think malos is too apathetic for it to really be an argument, and i see less in terms of arguing with jax vs a heated conversation....i think he's probably the best at articulating his emotions since he's an empath. our sweet little knox rarely gets into arguments lol. same with wren, i think he argues the most with his siblings rather than his parents tbh.

[azsazz]

I can’t be the only one who imagines Azriel in a modern au as a chef.Like a chef and a biker at the same time.Istg he would be so so so attracted in modern world.

Gawd yessss that’s so hot

100% approve

[azsazz]

Do you ever think of writing more smut with daddy Azzz??:>

I meannnnn I love daddy azzy with all my heart 💙 I’m sure some day I would def write more smut for him 🤭

[azsazz]

hiya first of all i hope you’re doing well <3 i just had a small inquiry that crossed my mind about your acotar next gen works

if you ever write something about zuzu would she be wuh luh wuh or straight 😔😔 cause idk in my head it would make sense that she likes women but that might be the raging lesbian talking

hope i didn’t cross a boundary if that’s the case feel free to ignore (i love your work your bat babies lore is amazing i would die for jax and knox)

hi! thanks, I'm doing pretty well!

I definitely think all of the kids are curious, and yes, i def see zuzu being with all sorts of types of fae...maybe even a human or two if she's feeling particularly risky! i could def picture something with her and a woman for sure :)

[azsazz]

I just saw the fanart of Harriet and Ben for Burn Bright (KBR posted it on their Instagram an hour ago) and omg!! I’m in love! It’s so pretty and both of them look amazing, especially Harriet - I love her outfit! Your were right, it most definitely did not disappoint.

Will the same artists be doing art again for your second book in the Vulcan Series?💙 - 🪷

Yesssss it’s so good!! They look great.

Yes, they’ll be doing my art for book 2! I’m so excited I already saw the sketch of what im having done and they do not miss! I’m so excited to share it im obsessed! 💙💙

[azsazz]

Over Ice (Part 14)

Hockey!Rhysand x Reader

Summary: Anon Req: She’s walking around Campus and BOOM right smack dab into Broody McBrooder!! She THEN finds out he’s the tutor for one of her hardest courses (personally Psych would be a good one) and they become super duper close with him and the team!!!

Warnings: None

Word Count: 3121

(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7) (Part 8) (Part 9) (Part 10) (Part 11) (Part 12) (Part 13)

_________________________________________

Rhysand’s professor has been droning on about the innerworkings of counseling psychology for the past forty minutes, and his body has been fighting sleep for the past thirty-seven.

He really should be listening to this, especially since the slide projecting on the screen says something about positive well-being, and his has been in the dumpster all semester.

It’s been the busiest six months of his life. Between rigorous hockey practices and homework, mixed with tutoring sessions that always seemed to run longer because he just couldn’t seem to say goodbye to you, Rhysand’s been running on fumes. And now his low energy has started bleeding into his classes, hence why his eyes keep fluttering with exhaustion.

Rhysand shakes his head and slides his phone from his pocket, checking the time. Ugh, he still has ten minutes, and then it’s onto the next thing in his long list of to-dos for the day. He has weight training with his team, and then he has a research paper to find sources for, and then, maybe then can he fall face first onto his mattress and pass out for the night.

The damn paper can wait to be started until tomorrow.

He doesn’t even realize he’s zoned out until his phone vibrates in his hand. The girl sitting beside him shoots him a look from the corner of her eye. He offers her an apologetic look, but not that apologetic because she’s the one who spent the first six minutes of class relentlessly organizing her colorful pens across her desk while he was still actively trying to listen to Professor Hybern. The rampant click, click, fucking click of her retractable pens as she tested the colors across the top of her notebook page tested his fucking patience. He was close to moving seats entirely, but class had begun and she was blocking his exit to the aisle.

He's trapped between the wall and her, but what’s a little payback between classmates?

Rhysand opens his texts. He hopes it might be you, but even after the conversation you had during your last study session together, you’ve still been giving him the cold shoulder. He’s found out quickly that you’ll reply to messages regarding studying and occasionally an off-hand comment about what you’re doing, but nothing else. He’s tried everything from flirting to joking, pleading. He’s invited you to parties and games, but nothing. No response. You’re much more stubborn than he ever gave you credit for, but dammit, he’s going to be friends with you, one way or another.

He almost groans when he sees the three messages from Amarantha. As much as the both of you tried, she still isn’t believing that you’re a couple, and it’s probably because you haven’t attended that last home game, nor the party that followed. Rhys hadn’t allowed her to corner him, though, sticking to Azriel’s side throughout the night.

He must say, leaning up against the wall while his own party rages around him isn’t as interesting as Azriel makes it seem. Rhys quickly found himself abandoning the party to wander aimlessly around his neighborhood, the entire time spent wondering what you were doing.

Rhys would never admit this out loud, but he considered standing outside your window in hopes to catch a glimpse of you.

He talked himself out of that quickly.

He ignores the messages from his ex, eyes brushing over your name. His heart tightens in his chest. He can still feel your lips against his, how they parted so easily for him. The soft noises you made as his hands wandered up the soft skin of your legs, wrapped tightly around him. His cock twitches at the thought and he blinks, hard, glancing at the girl beside him. She doesn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, or if she does, she thankfully keeps her eyes to her notes.

There’s a new message from his sister. Rhys clicks into the thread.

Araphel: Hey. You coming home for Thanksgiving break?

He frowns. He hasn’t been home since freshman year because his team always has a game, so why would this year be any different?

Rhys: I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it this year, A. Everything alright?

Araphel: No worries.

But that’s exactly what Rhys does. Something is definitely up with his sister, something she doesn’t want to talk about over text. Something he doesn’t have the time to dig further into because the room flickers dark for a split second while the slides switch at the front of the room, and he’s drawn away from his phone.

It’s now he realizes he missed writing notes about the last slide. Rhys swallows a sigh. Only a few more minutes until class is over, then he’ll get his quiz back, pick up a coffee, and meet his team at the weight room.

He’ll text his sister later, he decides, locking his phone and stuffing it in his pocket. He picks up his pen and quickly scribbles down the information at the front of the room, trying to keep his notes as legible and organized as possible.

His mind wanders to you. What are you doing for the holiday break? If you’re hanging around campus, would you want to come to his game? The extra days off of class would give you ample time for studying, and maybe he can even convince you to come over to his house, or he can go to your dorm. Mor always travels back to Phoenix for the holidays, so she wouldn’t be around if something were to naturally happen…

He knows you’d want to hang out. He’s irresistible, for one. It’s only a matter of how hard you’re going to fight against what you want. And he thinks he knows that answer to that, too. You’re going to fight pretty damn hard against your desires.

He’d never curse his cousin’s name, but right now, he’s pretty close. Why did she have to put a no-pursuing-her-friends rule out there? Of course, Rhys is going to want what he can’t have. The thrill of breaking such a rule just makes the forbidden fruit that much sweeter.

“Mr. Cunningham.” He jumps, head snapping out of the clouds. He swivels in his seat, ignoring the girl beside him who fails to hide her smile in her notebook. Rhys manages to keep his eyes from rolling, turning his attention to Professor Hybern, who holds out a paper to him.

“Thanks,” he says sheepishly, taking the quiz. He didn’t even realize Professor Hybern had stopped talking. The projection on the screen has switched again, showing his outline for his final paper is due next week and for no one to leave until they have received their quizzes back. The TA is on the other side of the room, handing out more.

He settles back into his seat as Professor H continues up the aisle. The girl noisily packs her pens away, and Rhys might be annoyed if he didn’t just flip his paper over to see a C+ written and circled in red. There’s also a question mark, insinuating this is unlike you, and it is.

This isn’t good.

His brows furrow in confusion. Shit, he’s never done worse than a B in this class, so this is new. It proves he’s been slacking more than usual. Everything he’s been trying to dip a foot into this semester is finally starting to take its toll: hockey, tutoring, partying.

If his grades start suffering, coach will be on his ass about it. He wants to be a good role-model for the players on his team. He wants to lead them into victory in the Frozen Four this year. He needs to focus. And that means not thinking about you during class. It means focusing on his own studies. It means being a good captain and not abandoning his friends at hangouts or parties.

Rhys sighs and stuffs his paper into his bag. The girl beside him is still packing up, and he won’t ask her if he can sneak by, because with the looks she was throwing his way, she probably wouldn’t move anyway.

Just like the rest of the things in his life, he’s stuck.

“How are things with Amarantha going?” Cassian asks, casually, and Rhysand’s arms give out.

He squeezes his eyes shut. The last thing he’s going to see in his very short life is the rack of weights falling. He didn’t get to graduate or win the championship or experience anything more than a kiss with you. This is it. What a sad way to go out.

Azriel curses, and the bar never slams into his chest. Never crushes his bones. Rhys peeks an eye open just in time to see his broody teammate lifting the bar back onto the rack, a deathly glare pinned on Cassian.

Rhys nods in thanks to his friend. His heart is beating so hard in his chest, adrenaline pumping, that he barely remembers Cassian’s question. When it pops back into his head, he scowls. “Things with Amarantha?” Rhys sits up, swiping across his forehead with the back of his arm, collecting sweat. He stares up at his friend, confused. “What things? There are no things?”

“Woah,” Cassian holds his hands up in surrender. “Dude, chill.”

“No, I will not chill.” He’s worked up now, could probably add another plate to the bar with how much fire fills his veins. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Cassian shrugs, shuffling back to his own bench. He picks up his free-weights and settles onto the bench. If he thinks Rhys isn’t going to question him while he’s the one with something heavy in his hands, he’s sorely mistaken.

“Cass,” Rhys grits. He really doesn’t have the energy for this. He’d forgone coffee in favor of calling his sister, but she wasn’t giving anything about why she wanted him home for the holiday so badly away. He’s even more confused than before, and by the time their conversation ended, he’d only had time to change into his gym gear before weight-training started.

Coach grunts from somewhere across the gym, but the noise spurs Rhys into motion anyway. He doesn’t need to be caught slacking in hockey like he has been in his classes. He stands from the bench when Azriel motions for his own turn, laying back. Rhys takes up position to spot his teammate.

“That’s not what she was saying last weekend,” Cassian mumbles between breaths. His muscles glisten, straining with each press of his arms up. He’s the only one to have whisked his shirt off as soon as he stepped over the threshold into the gym. He probably wouldn’t be wearing one at all, if it weren’t for Coach’s rule about being fully clothed while walking from the locker room to the gym.

“The fuck?” Last weekend? When was this? Where was this? And who was she talking to?

Rhys opens his mouth to ask when it hits him. The party. The one he left because you weren’t there. Amarantha must have been spouting off about him and he hadn’t been there to deny any of the allegations.

Fucking hell. This is the last thing he wants to deal with.

He grinds his teeth. “What did she say?”

Cassian glances at Azriel, who shrugs, as if telling him ‘You got yourself into this mess, you get yourself out.’ Cassian rolls his eyes, then sets his weights down to face Rhys more fully.

“I don’t remember everything she said,” he starts, and Rhys really doesn’t like the sound of this. Confront Amarantha. He adds it to his never-ending list. “But there was some giggling over how you’d gone back to her apartment to get her coat for her.”

Rhys groans and threads his fingers through his dark hair. He’d left the party that night because he couldn’t get you off his mind, and he didn’t want to be anywhere near Amarantha.

Apparently, she’d taken that to her advantage.

“And…” Cassian continues sheepishly and Rhys almost wishes Azriel didn’t save him. “She said something about how she doesn’t think your relationship with (Y/N) isn’t real, which is funny, because I didn’t even know you were in one with her.”

The entire room seems to go silent. Rhys can feel his friends’ gazes on him, waiting for an answer.

“As far as Amarantha knows, we are,” is what he finally mumbles, lifting his head from his hands. All he can think is, you’re going to kill him.

Azriel and Cassian share a glance. “I think you have some explaining to do, captain.”

Ugh. He hates when they call him that. But they’re his friends, and he doesn’t take kindly to the betrayal in their eyes. He needs to come clean.

Rhys takes a deep breath. He’s not ready to air his relationship out right here in the middle of the gym, but he owes it to his friends at least. He knows that if he explains, they’ll keep their mouths shut. He can’t have Mor finding out about this. If she does, his neck is on the line, and since you’ve been so adamant in your worry about the same thing, he feels like he’s betraying you, too. “I—”

“Rhys—” Balthazar cuts in.

Rhys whirls. Fire ekes into his voice before he can stop it. “What?”

His goalie’s steps falter. His features pinch in confusion, and Rhys’ shoulders lose their defense when he sees the dark circles under Balthazar’s eyes.

It seems like he’s not the only one on the team who’s sapped of energy.

“Sorry, B,” Rhys sighs. Standing, he shoots Cassian and Azriel a pleading look. They both nod in response, understanding to stay silent until he can explain. Relife falls over him like a raincloud, but not for long. He strides closer to his teammate, placing a hand on his shoulder. It does nothing to wash away the thread of worry in Balth’s brown eyes. Fuck. He’s been a shitty captain, hasn’t he? He should be making more time to talk to his teammates, not avoiding them in favor of his cousin’s best friend. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Balthazar replies distractedly. He shakes his head, floppy chestnut hair flying. “Coach wants to see you.”

Rhysand’s stomach drops faster than the bar had slipped from his grip.

He plasters on a fake smile and claps Balthazar on the shoulder. “Thanks, man. If you need anything…” He trails off. ‘I’ll be around’ is what he should say, but that would be a lie.

He needs to get better at this whole captain thing.

“Thanks, Rhys,” Balthazar nods anyway, and takes the spot Rhys vacated, spotting for Azriel.

“What kind of coach would I be if I didn’t check in with my captain?” Coach asks, but it sounds rhetorical, so Rhys doesn’t answer.

He sits in the chair across from his coach. It feels like he’s in the principal’s office, about to get in trouble. It feels all too similar to the last time he’d been called in here, though that time, he’d been offered the role of captain of the Velaris Bats.

He wonders if this time, Coach is going to take it away from him. It’s a silly thought, but a possibly outcome nonetheless.

“How’s my team looking for the rest of the season?”

Rhys is stunned. He’s the coach, he knows exactly how the looks. Is this some sort of test?

Rhys’ response is immediate. “Strong, coach.”

Coach Devlin gives him a look before he returns to shuffling the papers scattered on his desk. “This is a place you can speak your mind, son.”

He swallows hard. His mind is frazzled, but he tries his best to sift through the unnecessary drama he’s been dragged into, past the images of you, racking his mind for what upcoming games they have.

“I think we have a chance at making it to the Frozen Four this year, Coach.” It’s true, the Bats only need to beat the Badgers and the Sealions to enter the tournament. They’ve already slaughtered the Wasps in a 5-1 game. “The Badgers have the best defense. From what I’ve seen, if we go aggressive on our offensive break-ins, we should be able to create a power-play. Those Badgers are hot-headed, and will have no trouble hooking or tripping to keep us from getting to the net.”

Coach Devlin looks at him like he’s never seen him before. Rhys has been giving as much attention to the game as he can. It’s his senior year. He knows scouts are watching the team. Velaris Hockey have made a name for themselves in the time Devlin’s been coach. He has a decent chance at being drafted. He hopes.

Devlin looks at him over the brim of his glasses, giving Rhys his full attention. It should worry him, the scrutiny of his coach, but he’s used to being watched. Putting on a show. And hockey is what he knows best.

“And the Wasps?”

“They’re a little trickier.” He leans back in his seat to think. Now that he’s thinking about his team, the sport he loves, everything else that he thought was going to make him explode outside seems irrelevant. In the grand scheme of things, nothing outside of this room, this facility, matters. “They’re strong and confident,” he begins.

“So are my boys,” Coach defends. He accentuates his statement with the slam of a closed fist to his desk.

“I couldn’t agree more, sir,” Rhys placates. “They’re cocky, which leads to turnovers. And our team is quick. We can easily slip through the Wasps gaps to take control of the puck. If we skate fast enough, we can get men by the net and they won’t even know what hit them until the pucks in the back of the net.”

Devlin contemplates. Rhys wipes his sweaty palms down the thighs of his jeans. He hopes he’s said the right things.

Eventually, his coach answers. “I like the way you think, boy.” Rhys almost melts into the chair in relief. “We’ll push agility drills this week.” He nods to himself, tugging on a random paper and jotting notes down.

Rhys takes his as his cue to leave. “Sounds good, coach.”

“You’re doing good work out there, boy,” Coach calls. His head is still buried in his work, so he doesn’t see the grin threatening to overtake Rhys face. He manages to keep it under wraps. “Keep it up, and keep your head on straight.”

It’s the most praise he thinks he’s ever gotten from Coach Devlin, and he’ll take it. Pride surges in Rhys chest as he stands, showing himself out. “Yes, sir.”

_________________________________________

Over Ice Taglist:

@saltedcoffeescotch @acourtofbatboydreams @mrsjna @velarisdusk @bionic-donut @tenshis-cake @eleganttravelercloud @lilah-asteria @serena05 @bwormie @soph1644 @house-husband-of-castlemurdock @tothestarsandwhateverend @topaz125 @judig92 @se7enteen--black-blog @thecraziestcrayon @cherry-cin @itsinherited @justafictionalnerd @bookishbroadwaybish @405rry @w0nderw0manly @bbykaixx @marina468 @taechvita @marigold-morelli @esahintzkanen @miakxn @ssmay123 @webvics @shylahstarzz @yourallaround-simp @manicmanuscription

[azsazz]

Silence Isn't Quiet Anymore

Azriel x Reader

Summary: Azriel finally understands.

Warnings: None

Word Count: 892 (short but so good?)

Notes: This might be one of the most interesting concepts I've ever written. I'm obsessed.

_________________________________________

Azriel finally understands.

He’d caught a Suriel once. It hadn’t been anything more difficult than, say, crossing a river, which Suriels cannot do. He’d tracked it for an hour, two, the wind whistling through the trees as his only companion. His shadows had cowered away from the creature that belonged to something other. Another life, perhaps one before even the first of the fae or humans or animals that inhabit the continent found their way here. Before plants had taken root and clouds poured rain from the skies and the sun and the moon had been together, not forced apart by day and night.

There wasn’t a trap to be laid. A crossing of rivers had done enough.

The creature's tattered robe pulled from its bony body as a gust of wind brushed through the woods, sending shivers up his spine. He could’ve turned away right then. Should’ve. He wasn’t looking for answers to any questions, too stubborn in the fact that it was his job to know more about anything at any given time.

The Suriel stared into his soul as he stared into the cavity of its presence. A stalemate. Death looking at Death, a boy looking at his truth.

And its words were nothing but.

“One day, Shadowsinger, when the world has gone still around you, you’ll find out why silence isn’t quiet anymore.”

The harrowing words had haunted him for centuries. Azriel had shrunk in on himself, retreating further and further inside of the cavern of his mind as the words clung to his brain matter, always there. 

In times where he might’ve forgotten the roughness of the Suriels voice, the pondering of so few words spoken, as if they were a curse branded into his soul, even his shadows would remind him. Curling behind the backs of his ears in a movement that reminded him so much of ragged, bony fingers reaching out for him in the same way. As he stared into those empty eye sockets, puzzling words falling from lips that didn’t move, a tongue that wasn’t there, from a jaw broken and swinging with the breeze.

Azriel finally understands.

Azriel finally understands why silence isn’t quiet anymore.

It’s your soft breaths, fingers brushing against the crisp page as you turn it. The cracking of the stiff spine. Your quiet gasps as the story goes wrong and the rubbing of your thighs when it goes right. He watches you from his place next to you, blankets shifting as you draw your knees to your chest, completely lost in the novel settled in your lap. You don’t even know it, that his hazel eyes are drawn to you like a maggot to rot. You’re lost in your own world, the quiet of the room a friend, a safety that allows you to immerse yourself in letters on pages.

It’s the wooden spoon scraping the bottom of the pot as you stir, staring at him with those heated eyes as if this is as tough for you as it is for him, keeping away. It’s the constant constricting in his chest, a yearning slowly stoked into a wildfire, cracking in the quiet as he waits. It’s the way your skirts whisper against your skin as you move around the kitchen. The sprinkle of spices, coarse salt pinched between your fingers, dripping into the stew. It’s bubbling, it’s meat so tender it falls apart with the spear of his fork, it’s a slurp of broth that burns him up just like you do, accepting the bond.

It’s your body curling into his while you sleep. The crumple of the sheets as you roll. Your fingernails against the mattress as you feel for him, mind buried deep in sleep. He wonders what you dream of, when you cling to him like that, the contours of your body fitting perfectly within his own. He can feel it, almost, the warmth in his chest as you dream.

It’s the flap of his wings in the night sky. You, cradled in his arms. The whipping of your hair across his wind-burnt cheeks. The light scratches at his scalp as you run your fingers through his unruly hair. It’s the steady thump of your chest, your heart against his as you cling to him, the scream you hold in but your body is tight with it.

It’s when you’re gone and he’s all alone. The silence doesn’t stop, but neither does the noise. It’s filled with voices, shadows cawing in his ears, sliding against his skin, chasing his footsteps like predators. It’s the voices in his head, the roaring of his beating chest as it screams at him to find you, even though you’re only gone a few more hours. 

It’s clothes peeling away from skin. Buttons flying to the ground, fabric tearing. Footsteps stumbling closer to the bed. It’s nails scraping down his muscles, his around your waist, pressing bruises into your flesh. All the words that need to be said aren’t words at all. They’re tongues pressing against each other, soothing along each other. It’s teeth clicking, sticking to skin when you bite. It’s your flushed body peeling from his with every move, sticky with sweat. It’s the roiling inside of him, his mating bond coiling with yours, tighter and tighter and tighter until—

Azriel finally understands.

[azsazz]

I’m happy that the art made you excited! I have no doubt that it’s beautiful! It’s cool that the art is made by the same ladies who did fanart for Midnight Muse. This just made me even more excited for Burn Bright. - 🪷

ps, do you have their Instagram so I can go support them?💙

💙💙 yes of course, I’ll link their insta here

[azsazz]

Over Ice (Part 13)

Hockey!Rhysand x Reader

Summary: Anon Req: She’s walking around Campus and BOOM right smack dab into Broody McBrooder!! She THEN finds out he’s the tutor for one of her hardest courses (personally Psych would be a good one) and they become super duper close with him and the team!!!

Warnings: Mentions throwing up a few times. Not graphic.

Word Count: 2476

(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7) (Part 8) (Part 9) (Part 10) (Part 11) (Part 12)

_________________________________________

The sweet scent of freshly baked cookies slams into you as soon as you walk through the door to your dorm room.

Your stomach would growl, but instead it roils, still twisted in knots after the conversation you had with Rhys. The one where you had to tell him that your relationship has to strictly stay what it is: tutor and tutee. There can’t be any more secret kisses, lingering touches, or yearning looks. Unless Amarantha is in attendance…that’s where things become confusing all over again.

But you don’t have time to think about that. You need to study. Laying down the law with Rhys had left you more than exhausted. You hadn’t wanted to study, the air between the both of you thick with awkwardness. All you wanted to do was go home. You made plans to meet up on Sunday to study, since Rhysand had a rare day of no practice. He promised to help you for as long as you needed.

You blink, confused. You even go so far as to back out into the hall to make sure you have the right room. Yep. Room 254. This is the right place.

Tentatively, you step inside, eyes immediately catching on the double chocolate chunk cookies that are cooling on the counter. Despite your terrible night, your mouth waters at the sight. When you first met Gwyn, she’d always have these cookies on hand. She made them for every occasion, you swear you gained five pounds from the number you ate in the first week of living together. It’s been a while since she’s made them, and you didn’t realize how much you’ve missed the chocolatey goodness until this very moment.

The room is empty. She must’ve gone to her room, and there’s no sign of Mor, either. You let your backpack slide off your shoulder and hastily kick off your shoes, eyes latched onto the cookies. Surely, she won’t miss one, right? You have to try. You’d lie down your life for one of these cookies, that’s how delicious they are.

You feel like you’ve broken into your own dorm with how stealthily you try to cross from the door to the kitchen. You trapeze around the living room, avoiding the coffee table littered with magazines and two half-burnt candles, past the cream-colored sofa that’s as soft as a cloud, curtesy of Gwyn’s family.

You wince as the water crashes loudly into the sink filled with measuring cups and bowls streaked with traces of cookie dough. You don’t have time to groan about the loss of sugary dough you would’ve more than happy to lick from the whisk, washing your hands as quickly as possible.

You toss the towel to the other side of the counter. Your mouth waters at the perfectly round, fluffy cookies sitting, waiting for you like a prize. You’re a hairsbreadth away from victory being yours when you’re interrupted in your robbery of sweet treats.

“Freeze!” A shout startles you. You jump in your spot, though you contemplate disregarding the warning for a taste of the sugary dessert within you reach. You eye the glistening chunks of chocolate that peek out from the perfectly cooked dough and swallow hard. Lifting your gaze, you meet the very turquoise you’ve been avoiding all week. “Hands where I can see them!” Gwyn calls, raising her hands in a finger gun, as if she’s seconds from taking you out. You’d deserve it, really, for what you’ve done, for what she walked in on.

Reluctantly, you raise your hands, but don’t step away from the cookies.

You have to face the music at some point. And right now, might be that moment.

If you get a cookie out of it, you’d consider yourself lucky.

“Secret agent Sugar,” you tease. At the sparkle of amusement that lifts the corner of your roommate’s mouth, you continue joking. “I thought I’d seen the last of you.”

“Hey, that cake betrayed me,” Gwyn grimaces, and just like that, the playful air surrounding you is replaced by the guilt. She’s referring to the night of her party. The wine you and your roommates had been drinking wasn’t the only thing that made a reappearance after she walked in on you in Rhysand’s arms.

You drop your arms at the same time as Gwyn holsters her pretend gun and walks further into the room. “Yeah, it was totally the cake,” you force a playful grin and hope it doesn’t come off as a grimace.

Gwyn rolls her eyes and stalks to the oven. You didn’t realize that there was another batch inside, and you seriously consider sneaking one of the cookies off the cooling rack in front of you and retreating to your room before she turns back around from checking how the current batch is cooking. “I’m still never eating cake again. Cookie cakes for the rest of my years,” she comments, deeming the batch done. You don’t know how she does it, knowing when they’re done by sight alone, but you don’t question her methods because the cookies always come out softer than your pillow.

“Is that what the cookies are for? A redo of your birthday?” You ask, carefully gauging her reaction for any sense that she remembers what happened between you and Mor’s cousin in the middle of your failed prank. You’d been more than distracted from finding the trophy Gwyn wanted to steal.

Gwyn crinkles her nose, probably remembering her hangover the following day. While you were sick with the thought of her mentioning something to Mor, Gwyn was couch-ridden for most of the day, arms clenched around her stomach and three bottles of different flavored electrolyte drinks and crackers scattered all around her. “No, though we are celebrating something.”

You rack your mind for what you could be celebrating. It’s not Mor’s birthday, that isn’t for three months, and it sure isn’t yours, unless your mother lied about the month and day you were born. You’re certainly not celebrating anything to do with psychology, though maybe you should plan a party if you pass. It’s more likely you’ll be throwing a funeral for your GPA with the way things are going lately, though.

“We are?” You question, tapping the counter with your finger in contemplation. Gwyn slips her hand into the oven mitts. A wave of heat blasts out of the oven when she opens it to pull the tray of cookies out. She shuts the door just as quickly, setting the sheet on top of the stove to cool. She punches the off button to turn the oven off and then she’s removing the mitts and leaning her hip against the counter to meet your gaze. She doesn’t seem like she remembers, otherwise you’d think she’d have mentioned something already, since Mor isn’t in the room. Gwyn’s not one for confrontation, though, she might keep this secret to herself no matter what. Your guilt only weighs heavier on your shoulders. You need to know if she knows, you just don’t know how you’re going to find out without bringing it up yourself. “And what are we celebrating?” You glance toward Mor’s room, the door shut tight. Unusual for your outgoing roommate. You twist your fingers together. “And where is Mor, anyway?” You need to know how much time you have before you make your escape.

Yes, you’re a coward, a big one.

As if she’s been summoned by the word ‘celebration,’ Mor’s door opens. She peeks her head out, looking like a floating head. Her long, blonde hair cascades in soft waves, and her brown eyes are alight with a smug excitement.

“Did someone just ask what we’re celebrating?” She questions.

Gwyn shakes her head in amusement. She cuts you an exaggerated look, raising her hand as if to whisper to you, but her voice level is loud enough for Mor to hear by the doorframe she continues to hide behind. “She’s been waiting for you to get home all day. Wouldn’t stop telling me we needed something special for dinner tonight, but wouldn’t tell me what the cookies were for.”

Mor frowns from the doorway. “Well, if you’d just let me speak, we’d already be celebrating!” She protests, but doesn’t step further into the room. Whatever she’s hiding, it must be good.

You glance at Gwyn, who only shrugs in response. “Is whatever Mor’s hiding better than the cookies?”

Laughter bubbles from her throat. “No, probably not.”

“Hey!” Mor snaps, face contorting into an exaggerated pout. She even goes so far as to stomp her foot. “Gwyn doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Of course, my surprise is better.”

“Okay…” You trail off, waving Mor into the room. “Can you please tell us what we’re celebrating? These cookies aren’t going to eat themselves, and I’m about two seconds away from breaking what little control I have left.”

“I was trying to build the anticipation,” your roommate remarks.

“It’s killing me,” you reply. Not the anticipation for whatever she’s going to bring out of her room, but for the cookies calling your name.

“You’re no fun,” Mor sighs. Before you can refute, she continues. “Remember our little prank last weekend?” Your playfulness shrivels in your stomach. Uh-oh. This might not end as well as you thought it might.

Has she found out about you and Rhys? You look to Gwyn, but she isn’t shooting you a look of accusation, instead tucking a strand of her red hair behind her ear. She grimaces and mutters, “No.”

Your shoulders drop. So, she doesn’t remember a thing? That’s as good for you as it was bad for her.

You nod, unable to speak.

“Well,” Mor says smugly. She inches her way out of her room until only her arm is hidden behind the wall. “While you two were busy…” She shoots Gwyn a sympathetic smile. “Cleaning up, I found this.” She brings her other arm into the room, and clutched in her fingers is the very thing you set out to steal from the hockey house that night: their beloved trophy.

Holy shit.

Mission accomplished.

“You didn’t,” Gwyn gasps, but she’s grinning like the cat that got the cream. You guess her throwing up was a good distraction after all. By the time you’d gotten your arm around Gwyn’s waist to keep her from falling into the mess, a small crowd had amassed. Rhysand quickly jumped into captain mode, shooing people away and he ordered Balthazar to assist you in helping Gwyn to the bathroom. His brows were furrowed in a deep frown as he all but scooped Gwyn into his arms, cradling her gently to his chest. You know she and Balthazar have a strained relationship, though you don’t know why, but Gwyn wasn’t protesting, probably didn’t even know who was helping her out.

As you trailed behind them, you noticed Azriel striding down the hall, arms filled with towels to help clean up the mess. You hesitated, but he waved you on to follow your friend with a nod. You were grateful for the silent, brooding hockey player with a caring heart.

Mor hadn’t been anywhere to be found, and when you pulled your phone out to message her while Balthazar held Gwyn’s hair back for round two, your screen had lit up with a text saying she’d escaped and to meet her back home. You thought it was because she also wasn’t feeling great, not because she’d found and successfully snuck the trophy from their home.

“Where did you find that?” You ask, moving closer as she sets it in the middle of the counter. You and Gwyn stare at the trophy in awe, as utterly entranced as the boys must have been when they won the thing. It gleams gold. The light reflects off of the hockey player on top, posed to strike the puck into the net.

“I found it in Cassian’s room,” Mor explains with a roll of her eyes. Yeah, that would be the obvious place it would be. “It was buried under a mound of clothes and hockey pads.” Her nose crinkles and she shudders as she remembers something. “Smelly hockey pads. You have no idea what I had to dig through to get this.” She turns her back on you and Gwyn, pulling open the fridge. She returns with the milk. You grab three cups from the cupboard behind you, sliding them over to Mor, who fills them up.

“Are you sure we should be touching this, then?” Gwyn grimaces, eyeing the trophy like it’s no longer a prize, but diseased. “Maybe you should wash your hands.”

You splutter a laugh while Mor does just that. She sidles up to Gwyn, nudging her with her shoulder. Gwyn responds in jest, and the three of you fall into a fit of laughter.

You can’t believe you actually have their trophy. You wonder how long it’s going to take them to notice it’s missing, and how they’re going to react.

You imagine Rhysand’s face, twisted in confusion. His brows would scrunch together, forming a line between them that you always want to smooth out with your thumb. His eyes would narrow, his thick, dark lashes dimming the vibrant color of his eyes. And his lips…they’d purse in thought, pressing into a pout that makes something warm converge between your legs.

“Helloooo,” Mor waves a cookie in front of your face, breaking you from your trance. Your cheeks flare with embarrassment and guilt. Fuck, you need to stop thinking about Rhys. Starting now. “Earth to roomie!”

She and Gwyn have their glasses of milk raised, cookies in their other hands.

“Shit,” you fumble for your own glass and a cookie, appetite lost. Okay, not completely lost. The cookie looks delicious. “Sorry.”

“What were you thinking about, anyway?” Gwyn asks, concern laced across her features.

“Yeah, you were grinning like a lovesick fool,” Mor comments offhandedly.

“Uh,” you scramble for something to say. Think, think, you scold yourself. Psychology? No, why the fuck would you be smiling about your failing grade? You couldn’t pass your smile off as a potential new fling, that would open up way too many questions. You decide to go with the truth. Or, half of it, at least. “I just can’t believe our plan actually worked. I was thinking about the boys’ reaction when they find out their trophy is missing.”

Matching grins swallow your roommates’ faces. “Here, here!” Mor hoots, raising her glass in cheers. You and Gwyn follow suit.

“To the real winners!” Gwyn tacks on with a wicked glint in her eyes. She eyes the trophy with pride, and you wonder for a moment exactly why she has a problem with the hockey boys. But then you take a bite of the soft cookie, chocolate bursting on your tongue, and all is forgotten.

_________________________________________

Over Ice Taglist:

@saltedcoffeescotch @acourtofbatboydreams @mrsjna @velarisdusk @bionic-donut @tenshis-cake @eleganttravelercloud @lilah-asteria @serena05 @bwormie @soph1644 @house-husband-of-castlemurdock @tothestarsandwhateverend @topaz125 @judig92 @se7enteen--black-blog @thecraziestcrayon @cherry-cin @itsinherited @justafictionalnerd @bookishbroadwaybish @405rry @w0nderw0manly @bbykaixx @marina468 @taechvita @marigold-morelli @esahintzkanen @miakxn @ssmay123 @webvics @shylahstarzz @yourallaround-simp @manicmanuscription

[azsazz]

“Idk if you’ve seen this yet but edit from may 5th: I mayyyyy have seen the artwork for Ben and his love interest but it hasn’t been posted by KBR officially so I’ve been shrieking about it to myself but it’s amazing and I’m obsessed”

I just now saw this, I’m sorry! I don’t think I have seen the art work of Ben and Harriet … Would you please share it if that’s okay? Did the artwork make you excited for them?💙 - 🪷

I feel like I can’t share since they haven’t officially posted yet 😅 but yes, it made me so excited! It’s by the girls who did the fan art for my book and they do a lot of Acotar and cruel prince drawings too, you won’t be disappointed!

[azsazz]

Let my friend borrow midnight muse. She's obsessed and won't give it back.

I was like girl you've reread it 3 times in the last three months time to give it over so I can reread. Still haven't got it back!

She's equally as obsessed as me!!❤️❤️❤️

omg that's hilarious. thank you so much for sharing and i hope you get it back soon! lol 😊 your support means the world to me!!!

I just got my manuscript back from my editor for book 2, so i'm getting really excited about that and will hopefully have some more news coming soon 💙💙 i can't wait!

[azsazz]

Growing Pains

Daddy!Azriel x Mommy!Reader

Summary: Anon Req: Will we ever get more info of how Az was during readers pregnancy with each baby(I really want to see his reaction when he found out you were having a girl for the first time),Just asking ;)))))

AKA: Snippets of Azriel's family growing.

Warnings: Fluff

Word Count: 3117

_________________________________________

Wren:

“Azriel, I’m fine,” you insist, though your back aches as you try to pick up the kitchen towel that had accidentally fallen to the ground. You have no idea how you’re going to pick it up. You can’t bend over like you used to, not with your full, round belly in the way. “I still have an entire month, and then some.”

Rhys has decided to send your mate on a mission. He’d argued vehemently, asking the High Lord to send one of his spies instead, but Rhys had been adamant Azriel was the one to go. Why, you’re not sure. Azriel hasn’t divulged that information, not wanting to worry you.

What he doesn’t know is that it only worries you more.

“Love, you can’t even pick up the towel,” he argues, sliding around the counter to pluck it from the ground. You sigh, setting your hip on the counter, but it does little to ease your muscles. What you really want to do is sit down and not get up until the babe arrives.

“I don’t need to pick it up,” you argue. “I was just doing it to be nice since I know how tidy you like the house.”

Azriel raises a brow. “So you didn’t need it for anything?”

“No.”

“And what would you have done with it if I weren’t here?” he teases. “Left it on the floor?”

“Maybe,” you shrug. “I could’ve just gotten a new one from the linen closet.”

“That,” Azriel steps in front of you, swooping down to peck a soft kiss to your lips. You melt into him immediately, falling into his warm embrace. His hands come to the base of your spine to knead at the tight muscles there and you sigh in pleasure. Those shadows must have told him about your tender back. They can be useful, sometimes. “Sounds like it would’ve been a good idea.”

You hum in response, lost to your mate’s touch. He’s a godsend, this one. The cauldron picked perfectly. “I still don’t need a babysitter.”

“I know,” Azriel soothes. “It will make me feel better about leaving you though, love. I don’t want to worry about you while I’m gone.”

You don’t want that, either. Don’t want him distracted while he’s on a mission.

“Okay,” you give in when he kneads against a particularly tight knot in your spine. Gods, those hands…you could take him right to bed, maybe even convince your mate to give you a full body massage instead. Yes, that would be nice. “Cassian can stay.”

You refuse to move to the House of Wind. You’d rather be comfortable in your own home, especially since you’ve just begun nesting. Hence, the towel on the floor. Weirdly enough, you wanted that very piece for part of your nest because of all of the times you’ve seen it in Azriel’s hands, twisting it aimlessly between his fingers while conversing while he cooks, thrown over his shoulder while he slices and dices fruits and vegetables. Strange, but you haven’t stopped thinking about it since you felt the urge to collect objects from around your home to comfort yourself with.

So, if Azriel wants you to have a babysitter while he’s gone, the babysitter can join you here.

“Cassian’s going to have the best time rubbing my feet and making me breakfast,” you smile, thinking of all of the things you know you can get your mates best friend to do for you. You know he’ll do it without compliant, because he’s secretly trying to get you to name your first born after him.

Not happening.

“Give him hell, love.”

Basil:

“He wants cake, the baby wants cake,” you defend, stuffing another bite of cake into your mouth. “The baby wants the cake.”

Azriel huffs a laugh, more than amused at your sweet tooth during your second pregnancy. It’s been difficult to get you to eat anything that isn’t coated in chocolate or pumped full of sugar.

Wren, nearing a year old, giggles in his father’s lap. He reaches his hand across the table to your plate, eager to share in the sugary goodness. You lick the icing from your lips and scoot your plate closer to his grabby hands, more than happy to share your treat with your son.

You’re surprised your mate, who has an insane sweet tooth of his own, isn’t getting in on this cake. It’s delicious, the icing creamy and fluffy. The cake is moist, and the moan you let out when you bit into it was almost one you’d be embarrassed about, if you were paying attention to anything other than the dessert.

He’s been letting you eat your fill before even attempting a bite, more so because only a few weeks ago, he’d eaten the last macron, the one you’d been saving for a midnight snack. This babe did not want you to sleep, kicking and squirming inside of you nonstop, more than eager to meet the world. You’d burst into a fit of tears when you noticed your treat was gone, and couldn’t reign in your emotions until Azriel had come home with more than half of the pastries in the case from your favorite shop. Elain even threw in some of her freshly baked pastries after hearing what happened, and you almost lost yourself to another fit of tears at how nice that was of her.

“We’re supposed to be choosing a cake for Wren’s first birthday,” Azriel reminds you gently. Then, teasingly, he says, “Have you even actually tasted the cake with how quickly you’re eating, love?”

You peg him with a look, swallowing down the bite of cake in your mouth. He’s right, this is about Wren, not the baby inside of you who only seems to wiggle around more with a sugar high.

It’s difficult to place the fork down in front of you, but somehow, you manage. You turn toward your son, who hasn’t seemed to notice the way you’d been sampling all of the cakes in front of you. By sampling, you mean inhaling. You’d been inhaling the cake samples in front of you. All seven flavors.  

“Wrenny,” you ask the boy currently mashing a bite of cake onto a napkin. He’s enthralled in the texture, and doesn’t even notice your grimace at the ruined treat.

Azriel slips his hand into yours in comfort.

“What kind of cake do you want for your birthday, baby?” You ask, grabbing a fresh napkin to help him clean up. He protests with a shout, squirming on his father’s lap. Azriel tries his best to soothe the boy, but you’ve disturbed his playtime, and you’re going to pay.

“Come on, buddy,” Azriel smooths the furrow between Wren’s brows. You sit back in your seat, smoothing your hands across your stomach when your son kicks close to your bladder. It’s only a matter of time before he hits his mark, and then your day out at the Rainbow with your mate and son will be over. “Which one do you like best?”

Wren stares at the cakes. Some more gone than others. He reaches for a red cake that’s almost entirely full. You liked that one, but it wasn’t better than the chocolate slice with chocolate frosting. That one only has a small bite left.

Your son grabs a handful of the cake and flings his arms around in excitement. You plant a hand over your mouth as the cake goes flying, only to land in Azriel’s hair. Your shoulders shake with laugher, tears welling in your eyes at the look on your mates face.

Azriel’s grin is blinding. He laughs freely, something he might not have been comfortable doing in public years ago. This, this is all he’s ever wanted. You. A family. A life.

You help your mate rid the cake form his dark locks as much as you can. Frosting sticks to the strands, pulling them this way and that. You swipe at a glob of icing that made its way above his lip, and he stares at you with simmering eyes. The kind of eyes that got you into this situation in the first place. He’s going to need a shower when he gets home, and, if you can put Wren down for a nap, maybe you can join him, too.

When you’ve successfully cleaned as much of Azriel as you can, he plops your son down into your lap and shoves the pile of napkins closer to you before standing.

“Where are you going?” you ask as Wren reaches out for his father. You snag a napkin and his chubby arm, beginning to clean him up.

“I’m going to tip the staff for the mess we made,” he says easily. His eyes are sparkling with amusement and something more, something you can’t wait to get home to. “And I’m going to buy a chocolate cake to bring home with us, since you liked it so much.” He nods to the nearly gone slice on the table, and your heart swells in your chest. You love him so, so much.

Zuzu:

“It’s a girl?” he whispers, voice raw with emotion. Tears flood your eyes at the utter awe in your mate’s eyes. Of course, she has her father wrapped around her finger already.

Azriel places his hands across your stomach. He’s kneeling in front of you, and you don’t think you’ve ever seen him so vulnerable, not even when he admitted he loved you for the first time, nor when you gave birth to your first and second child. But this little girl growing inside of you, she’s unlocked something special inside of Azriel, and you know that in this moment, that she’s going to have the most loving, protective father there is. And you’re sure her brothers won’t be far behind with that mentality.

She’s the first female born into one of the Inner Circle’s families. Four boys, but not a single girl. And now, everything has changed. You know she is going to be surrounded by so much love, she’s going to be so spoiled. You’ve had conversations with Feyre and Nesta, Elain too, about how cute the female toys and clothing were in the shops lining the Sidra. They all begged you to have a girl when you announced your third pregnancy, placing bets with their mates on whether or not you’d bring a little girl into the family, and their pleading has all paid off.

You can’t wait to tell them.

Azriel kisses across your stomach. You thread your fingers through his hair, allowing him this time with his daughter. It’s sweet, more than, to see him like this. He’s so in love with her already, you can see it in the way his wings wiggle with excitement, the way his thumbs stroke the soft skin where his daughter is growing inside of you.

“I can’t believe it,” he whispers, finally raising his gaze to look at you. He doesn’t move away, instead resting his chin on your stomach. “We’re having a girl.”

You can’t help your smile, a tear escaping your eye. He’s wanted a daughter for just as long as you have, and you promised not to stop having children until you had a girl, but soon, with two boys and one girl, you don’t think you’ll stop until this little one has a sister to play with as well.

You can see the same sentiment in your mates eyes.

“We’re having a girl,” you agree, lifting his chin so you can kiss your mate.

Jax:

“Azriel,” you squeeze your eyes shut through the uncomfortableness of a contraction. Your mate’s hand is strong on your lower back, his other arm gripped tightly in your grasp. “I love you, but are you sure you’ve thought this through?”

“Easy,” Azriel replies gently. His touch is soft but firm as he helps you to your bed. It’s set up with all of the essentials for giving birth, and with this being your fourth child, you’re more than prepared. The little one has been a fairly easy pregnancy, as if each moment spent in your womb was better than the last. He wasn’t eager to meet the world like his older brother, Baz, who kicked you relentlessly for nine months straight. It was almost as if the babe inside of you enjoyed the comfort you provided, but his father and siblings are more than excited to meet the new member of the family.

Your water broke this morning over breakfast with your family. Baz had burst into a fit of giggles over his waffles, pointing and shouting about how you’d peed your pants. Wren, your oldest, perked with excitement, knowing exactly what that meant. He’s slipped from his chair, offering you a tight hug before scampering to his room with his little brother in tow, talking all about how they were going to get to see their cousins while you had another baby.

Zuzu, just one, was covered in whipped cream, giggling and gurgling and making a mess with the sweet cream. You had torn Azriel’s attention from where he bopped a bit of cream onto her nose, and, after a quick once-over, worry lacing his hazel eyes, his face melted into something sweet when he caught your smile, the happy tears in your eyes.

Your son couldn’t choose a more perfect day to enter the world.

“What do you mean?” Azriel asks, pulling back the covers. He’d be latched to your side until the babe entered the world, whenever that may be. Could be nearly an entire day, like Wren, or mere hours, like Baz and Zuzu.

“You’re talking about letting the male who gifted Baz a real blade for Starfall when he was only 3, watch our boys for the night.” You had agreed to the plan at first because you didn’t think Cassian was all that serious about it, but now that it’s really happening, you can’t help but worry.

“Cassian wants this more than anything, love,” Az replies, helping organize the pillows behind your back. When all is to his liking, he sits on the edge of the bed, caressing your face. His hazel eyes are soft, a comfort that you lean into, or as much as you can with your belly in the way. “He’ll be fine. Rhys and Nyx are going to be there too,” he reassures. And well, that doesn’t make you feel that much better. Rhys and Cassian and four children under 6. They’re in for a night. “And Zuz is getting all loved up by her aunties tonight.” Your daughter is spending the night at Feyre’s with her sisters, and you know that if anything, Rhys will have no problem calling in backup for the mischievous little boys.

“You’ll check in on them ever hour?” You ask, trying your best to get comfortable. The babe in your stomach gives a little kick, and you place your hand on your stomach, whispering down to him. “Soon, little guy, soon you’ll meet the world.”

“I’ll check on them every ten minutes if you want me to,” Azriel promises, placing his large hand over yours. Like the babe knows you and your mate are showing him affection, he kicks again. “But I don’t want you to worry. You need to focus on getting little Jax out.” He says the babes name like it’s the best he’s ever heard. He’s done that with all of your children, though. It fills you with warmth, his strong presence eases you into the comfort of your bed.

Malos and Knox:

“A sister!” Zuzu screeches in her uncle’s arms. You wince at the sheer volume of your four-year-old daughter, but you won’t scold her even through one of the hours old newborns in your arms squirms at the sound. She can’t help her excitement at the sight of her little sister, kicking out her tiny legs in demand to be released from Rhys’ clutches. He laughs and tries to situate Zuzu better in his arms. He looks to you for action, and with a soft nod of your head, he lets your daughter down.

Azriel, who has just handed Knox off to Feyre, who has tears in her eyes, quickly catches his oldest daughter around the waist before she can launch herself onto your bed and disturb the snoozing babe.

“Daddy,” Zuzu whines, but clings tightly to his shirt. Azriel immediately smooths her hair back from her face, disheveled from playing with her brothers all morning at her uncle’s house while you gave birth to the two newest members of your family. “I want to see my sissy!”

“Sissy’s sleeping,” he parent’s gently, bringing her closer. He sets Zuzu on the bed but stays close. “You need to be gentle, Zuz. She’s brand new.”

“Brand new,” Zuzu echoes, but you’re not entirely sure she knows what it means. She’s completely distracted by the small bundle in your arms anyway, her dark eyes glowing with delight. She looks up at you, wide-eyed, and you can’t help but smile at your daughter. “She’s mine?”

“She’s your sister,” you laugh softly. You position Malos in your arms so Zuzu can see better.

“Wow,” she whispers, awe in her tone. She softly reaches out and brushes a finger across her sister’s chubby cheeks. The babe makes a noise and Zuzu snatches her hand back to her chest.

“It’s okay, Zuz,” Azriel says gently. “She’s just saying hello.”

Zuzu nods at her father eagerly, then returns her attention to Malos. “Hello, little baby. I’m Zuz. I’m going to be the bestest big sister ever! I’m going to teach you so much, and nothing like our naughty brothers can show you…” She babbles while you share a loving look with your mate.

You were worried how Zuzu might react to a sister. She’s been surrounded by boys for four years, and right now, you can see that this is something special, something pure between the two girls.

“What are their names?” Feyre asks, placing Knox carefully in your arms while your sons join you and the rest of your family on the bed. Jax climbs directly into Azriel��s lap, clinging to him like a monkey. He peers down at the babes in your arms with curiosity.

Wren and Baz settle on your other side, leaning over to see both of the babes. They look just as excited as the rest of your family, and this moment right now, surrounded by your family and the people you love the most, makes everything worthwhile.

You smile at your mate, who gives you a soft nod of encouragement.

“Their names are Malos and Knox.”

[azsazz]

🪷 Anon response - like us series

I liked the sass too. Moffy allowing himself to be vulnerable with Farrow was so lovely. Marrow (Moffy & Farrow) reminded me of Rose & Connor - just a little.

I loved how Lily walked Farrow down the aisle while Loren walked Moffy. And the parents throwing a party over Moffy getting his license suspended 😂. What were your thoughts on Marrow adopting Ripley? Donnelly started crying, and Farrow making him best man. Made me so happy. Loren & Lily becoming grandparents is so adorable. In NLU there was a cute scene with Ripley and Lo. And in Unlucky Like Us a cute scene with the Hale family having a Taco Bell drive through.

Lily and Lo are elite haha. They came such a long way and it really paid off for them in the end. It’s sweet. I didn’t really make it to the part where they adopted Ripley. I know it happened, but I didn’t read exactly how it happened.

It’s been confirmed that six books are in the Cobalt Empire series and one book for one Cobalt child. Ben, Tom, Eliot, Beckett, Charlie and Audrey. We don’t know which order it’ll be but each sibling is getting their own book. Xander’s book isn’t in the Cobalt Empire series so I’m not sure why he’s board it titled “Cobalt Empire”. I’m not sure what his - or Kinney’s (his sister) - series will be called or if they’re only getting one book. I hope Xander gets more than one book. I’m excited for Kinney since she’s a lesbian and looks up to Rose. When she tried to unlock Xander’s door because she thought he was trying to hurt himself broke my heart.

Oh darn, well, either way, I’m excited for the Colbalt empire series. Oh I didn’t know that about Kinney! Cute! I hope Xander gets more than one book too, but we’ll see. I know, those scenes where Xander isn’t doing too well break my heart too!

As for why Charlie and Ben don’t get along, well … Charlie lowkey bullies Ben. He calls him too soft and weak all the time. Some of the stuff Charlie says to him is a bit much. They have a complex relationship. In NLU, there’s a lot of tension between them because they - plus Luna & Eliot & Xander - are competing for a place on the board. But even if there is tension, at the end of the day they are still family and will protect one another. Charlie did something in CLU to expose a member on Moffy’s board and Maximoff was grateful. One of my favorite things about Luna’s books (other than Donnelly & Farrow’s friendship) are the interactions between Donnelly and Loren. Their back and forth is funny 😂. Loren did NOT approve of Donnelly at first and there was some tension. But Donnelly has been through a lot and Loren becomes quite protective of him once finding out about his childhood. We also get to see Luna and Charlie becoming friends which was unexpected but I liked it. He actually edits her fanfics (we find this out in Charming Like Us).

Aw Charlie, come on man, those are your siblings! I get arguing and stuff with your siblings but that’s just mean. Yes, love that they all go to bat for each other when needed. Lo has always had such good back and forth with people, I miss that. Oh yes, I forgot that he edited her fanfics that’s literally so sweet and cute!!

“Do you think he’s just saying he doesn’t use it anymore but secretly still does?” I’ve actually wondered this multiple times. Beckett did say in Sinful Like Us that he would just love to pop adderall like half of his company but he can’t because it fucks with his OCD. In NLU Beckett tells Donnelly that he hasn’t been using and he’s clean, and Donnelly believes him. I think Beckett is clean but maybe there are times when he thinks of using again. In Misfits Like Us, Donnelly says the reason why Beckett had him removed from his security detail is so Beckett could keep using cocaine without feeling guilty since Donnelly grew up with meth addicted parents. I wonder if Leo knows about Beckett’s usage or if Leo ever used drugs. Also, we find out that Donnelly has seen Beckett have sex and has gone to sex clubs with him (since he was Beckett’s security guard) and he knows intimately what Beckett likes to do. If I didn’t ship Lunnelly (Luna & Donnelly) and BeckettJoLeo then I would lowkey ship Donnelly with Beckett. Beckett and Sulli’s friendship did have a falling out over the cocaine thing but it eventually got repaired and he even gave her advice on poly relationships. I really like Beckett. It showed how kind and understanding he is. Ryke says “All Cobalt boys are mischievous in their own way except Beckett. Beckett is kind.”

I’m worried that he still might be doing it, but only time will tell. I hope he’s alright, he’s definitely one of my favorite Colbalt boys. I wonder if Leo could be the one who got him into it? I’d love to see where this all started, so hopefully we’ll get some more background on it. I also would love to read a chapter about this sex club and what he’s into lol. I’m intrigued to say the least. AW, RYKE, that’s so sweet of him to say.

Charlie is definitely an intriguing character with a lot of depth. He’s like a mix of Connor and Loren. It’s probably exhausting being in his head all the time and no one understands him. I like that he’s a secret romantic. A person on TikTok came up with a theory that the reason why Charlie scratches off the titles of his books on the cover is because he’s reading romance novels with filthy smut to take notes a😂. Get you a man that wants to know what women like. I love it. Someone on Ao3 made an analysis about his character. Here’s the link if you want to read it. It’s a fun read but no pressure! https://archiveofourown.org/works/54278608 There are two fanfic stories of Roxlie (Roxanne and Charlie) on Ao3 that I feel like really capture their dynamic and are a good read.

Yeah, I really can’t wait to see the inner workings of Charlie’s mind. I’m sure he’ll be somewhat like Connor, but the fact that Connor helped him understand why he was different and didn’t want him to grow up like he did says a lot. Ohhh, I would love him reading romance novels for fun, and it would also make a lot of sense since he helps Luna with her smutty fanfics. I bet he loves them.

A funny thing that happens in Sinful Like Us is that the Cobalt’s make these cards that Thatcher has to draw and complete. He can quit at anytime but he loses. It’s also a test to show his loyalty. Jane eventually chooses to play to show that they’re a team. One of the tasks was to eat x number of rabbit hearts and Ben got upset because he’s vegan and Charlie said that he wouldn’t put that card in the deck. And Charlie or Eliot says out loud in front of everyone “you were respectfully fucking our sister” 💀. I wonder if all the Cobalt siblings are going to make their siblings love interests play that card game. I honestly hope so. It’s kinda fun even if it’s a little stressful.

Haha that would be fun. I can totally see them making their significant others going through trials and tribulations to prove that they’re worthy of their siblings. That’s totally a Colbalt thing.

I felt bad that Luna had her fics leaked. If someone did that to me I would be absolutely devastated. She becomes a very successful sci-fi writer though! She even writes a comic based on her and Donnelly called ‘Human Him, Cosmic Her’. Loren read the comic and tried not to cry. Winnifred is a character that has a lot of potential. I like that she seems to be disinterested in her families affairs (given what little we saw of her in Sulli’s books) and likes drawing/sketching.

I agree, that was so sad. I really feel for her, she’s had it rough. I’m happy that it works out for her, though!

Something that I like about KBR is how interactive they are with their fans/readers. They repost a lot of edits and moodbords and fanart on their Instagram story, and even follow some of their fans. They seem to genuinely appreciate and enjoy their interactions. Here’s the link to the first chapter of Burn Bright if you’re interested in reading! https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/books/a64149573/krista-and-becca-ritchie-burn-bright-excerpt-cover-reveal/

Thanks for sharing this! I’ll have to read it. I’m so glad that they have nicer covers because, and I don’t mean to be rude, the covers for the Like Us series are so bad. No offense to the designer but they’re so cringe to me.

And you don’t have to finish the series if you don’t want to! Please don’t feel pressured or force yourself to read something that you don’t. It’s fun getting share my rambles with you! - 🪷

Yeah, we'll see! Appreciate your rambles! <3 Have a good one!

Idk if you’ve seen this yet but edit from may 5th: I mayyyyy have seen the artwork for Ben and his love interest but it hasn’t been posted by KBR officially so I’ve been shrieking about it to myself but it’s amazing and I’m obsessed 😍

[azsazz]

Hi honey, I'm in love with your fics you're a talented writer DaddyAz is my biggest comfort ❤️ and I miss your one shots a lot :(

Do you plan to bring more fics that aren't series?

Hi! Thank you so much 🫶🏻

I was honestly thinking about this today, thinking it would help me be less stressed to focus on some one shots because series can be a handful 😮‍💨 but it also seems like 8 times out of 10 people want another part to the one shot 😅

So, short answer, I will try to write some more one shots 💙

[azsazz]

🪷 Anon response - like us series

Thank you for the condolences, Ki🤍! Warning: this ask is very long!😂

Oh wow, this is very long lol. 💙💙 Lets get into it.

What did you like about Maximoff and Farrow? Definitely my favorite couple in the Like Us series. Farrow calling Moffy Wolf Scout is so cute to me for some reason. Loren is such a protective dad omg. Lo calling Gotham ‘Ham’ will never not be funny. And RIP to my dear Gotham. Moffy and Farrow getting a new dog and naming him Arkham was so sweet. And then Lo, of course, decides to call him Ham Junior instead 😂. I’m not the biggest fan of Ryke or Raisy (Ryke & Daisy), but I did appreciate the relationship between him and Moffy. And yes! The whole child getting with their bodyguard was so overdone.

I think I liked that they were sassy with each other and just their general attraction to one another. How Moffy was a little apprehensive about things but Farrow really showed he cared and took care of him at every turn. The car crash scene was really good. And YES I love WOLF SCOUT, that was a cute nickname. The thing that I didn’t like them was when they kept calling each other “man.” I was like, come on, it felt like they were buddies or friends and not lovers haha. Yeah, I loved Ryke and Moffy’s relationship.

“I think Sulli would’ve been better suited as a lesbian or even bisexual, wasn’t feel the whole 3-way relationship for her. I do love poly romances but that one didn’t feel right.”

Strongly agree. Sulli being with a woman would’ve suited her better in my opinion. Apparently some people hate Sulli and call her selfish and spoiled, but will also defend Charlie and say he hasn’t done anything wrong. I love Charlie, I do, but some of his actions are not okay. Like what he did in Scotland (Sinful Like Us) and then calling out Moffy for daydreaming at that panel when Charlie knows Lily would do that. I like Sulli. She’s not my favorite character in the series but I still like her. Charlie is an interesting and complex character. I don’t like it when people whitewash a character, especially a male character.

I feel like the 3-way relationship was def forced. I didn’t read it, so I don’t really know, but oh well lol. And the whole thing with her being so picky that she basically only ate sweets was wild. It felt a bit unnecessary tbh but whatever. Other than that, I didn’t mind her as a character.

“The idea of every single child getting with their bodyguard kind of got boring. I do feel bad for Luna and how she was bullied in Some Kind of Perfect and how she didn’t really have friends.”

It was so overdone. And I felt bad for Luna too. Jeffra (her bully) was relentless. The scene where Luna started dancing in front of Jeffra and Eliot joined and Donnelly was nice. It showed that she was supported. I really like Eliot tbh. He’s a great character and a lot like Connor actually. Rose says so in a chapter in A Very Addicted Christmas. A Very Addicted Christmas is a collection of 18 bonus scenes. Those were a nice cozy read.

I don’t think I read that far in Luna’s books tbh. Maybe I should lol, at least they’re easy and quick reads haha. Yeah, I love how the family usually goes to bat for each other. Great family dynamic. I love how each kid has their best friend that’s their cousin haha.

I’ll have to go back and reread the series, but I believe Charlie is jealous of Moffy. They don’t hate each other. But there is obviously tension between them and a lack of understanding. Charlie is definitely jealous of Moffy’s relationship with Farrow, that is canon. Which makes me wonder how Charlie is gonna feel about Ben finding love before he does since him and Ben do not get along. That incest rumor was so crazy. I felt bad for Moffy and Jane. Their parents and uncles and aunts didn’t even believe them until Farrow kissed Moffy. I would have been so heartbroken. Here’s a link to KBR’s Pinterest! They even have a board for the locations in the Addicted/Like Us universe! Unfortunately, Spencer (Xander’s love interest) and Winnifred (Eliot’s love interest) don’t have Pinterest boards for some reason. https://www.pinterest.com/kbmritchie/

Waitttt, I just looked at the Pinterest board and why does Xanders say Colbalt empire series? Is he getting a book within this series? I hope so hehe he has a special place in my heart. I def need to know how Charlie and Moffy’s relationship is going to get better, or att least, I hope it does. Waiiiittt, why don’t Ben and Charlie get along? I was heartbroken for Jane and Moffy and how the parents didn’t believe them. That sucked for them. Maybe they want to keep their love interests a secret but idk why. Maybe something crazy is going to happen haha.

This is a spoiler but in Nobody Like Us, Xander and Spencer lose their virginity to each other in the breakroom of Superheroes and Scones with Donnelly standing guard outside the door 💀. Lily and Lo have no idea. Spencer has hard of hearing so Xander is learning sign language for her and she’s into art/painting. It’s actually how they met. Running into each other at the school’s library and Spencer got paint on herself so Xander gave her his jacket. Spencer is attending Yale while Xander is attending Manhattan Valley University. Ben is attending MVU too and Harriet is also. She transferred from UPenn to MVU. Ben is an ice hockey player and is 6’5 while Harriet is 5’1. I love the height difference, so cute! And from KBR’s Pinterest boards it looks like they’ll be playing into the height/size difference! Ben smashed another boy’s car with a baseball bat from harassing Winona I think. He has some anger deep inside of him. Ironically, ice hockey is the most aggressive/angry sport (imo) and him shoving his anger deep down is so Connor Cobalt of him. KBR confirmed that Xander will be the most prominent side character in Ben’s book! Hopefully their friendship gets repaired.

Ohhh omg, poor Donnelly. Some of the things these bodyguards have to go through…do they get paid enough? Haha. Aw, Xander is so thoughtful, I love him. I love a good artsy character. Wow, that’s quite a size difference. I’m not sure I like that. I just saw a fanart of Xaden and Violet’s (Fourth Wing) size difference and it was insane. Like she didn’t even reach his collarbones. Her neck was literally broken with how far back it was to look up at him haha. But maybe I just feel that way because I’m on the taller side haha. I’m so interested in Ben too, I can’t wait for his book. Yes, I hope their relationship is repaired too.

The spoiler for Harriet is that she approached Professor Turner (her and Luna’s biology professor) to get Luna’s off-campus work. This is after Luna was kidnapped and Harriet doesn’t know about her amnesia. Harriet was trying to help Luna avoid a failing grade, so she gave the professor a blowjob as an alternative. In NLU (Nobody Like Us), Ben and Donnelly are walking down the hallway of the University when they see the professor grab onto Harriet and Ben quickly intervenes. Harriet tells them about Luna and the blowjob, and they promise her that they won’t tell Luna. But Ben and Harriet exchange numbers so she can call him in case of an emergency. Their interaction was really nice. Harriet giving the professor a blowjob was wild even for a KBR book so some people wonder if she has some kind of trauma. In the first chapter of Burn Bright she’s about to be thrown in the pool and her reaction to water was quite intense.

Oh wowwww. That’s crazy. She could have some kind of trauma perhaps, I’m not sure. Def makes you wonder.

Beckett’s texts got leaked by a woman he slept with (she broke her NDA) in Tangled Like Us so him being into leather and threesomes, and going to sex clubs/parties became public information. I felt bad for him. Complete invasion of privacy. I believe part of the reason why Oscar doesn’t want Beckett around Jo is because Beckett has a cocaine addiction. He doesn’t use cocaine anymore though. In Sinful Like Us, Beckett and some of the family (Jane, Charlie, Moffy, Sulli) go to Scotland to look for wedding locations and to help Beckett with his addiction. Jo also goes on the trip because Oscar invites her and this is when Jo and Beckett meet for the first time. Beckett also has really intense OCD and has trust issues. Leo and Beckett being rivals is such a vibe. I love it. The tension is already giving and we don’t even have their book (yet). But I also really like Beckett’s character. He honestly might be my favorite Cobalt boy. I also like his name.

I remember his texts getting leaked, and yeah, I feel bad for him, too. Oh yeah I forgot about the cocaine, but now that you said it I remember reading about that. Do you think he’s just saying he doesn’t use it anymore but secretly still does? That’d be an interesting plot for his book when it comes out. I didn’t read sinful like us I don’t think. I think I stopped after janies first book. Navigating his OCD is going to be interesting, too. I do love Beckett, all of the cobalt children are great characters.

In Charming Like Us (Oscar’s book and Charlie’s bodyguard) we get a closer look at Charlie and learn some things about him. He plays matchmaker for his bodyguard. Getting lost in the woods together is one of his favorite romance tropes. He has his own apartment in Paris. He loves Austria. He travels a lot and has been to every continent. He can play the piano. Smokes weed. He cums on women not inside of them (💀). Wants to find love so so badly, even more than any of his siblings. He was the one who introduced Beckett to cocaine and has deeply regretted it ever since. He has a panic attack in the elevator and Oscar has to call Connor for Charlie (which is a regular occurrence), and Charlie says “Dad, can you just talk to me.” We see a deep and interesting conversation happen in the elevator. There’s a bonus chapter of this scene from Connor’s POV but it’s on patreon. I heard it was good though. This is also the book where Charlie sees Roxanne for the first time. She falls/trips on stage during a ballet performance and he’s immediately hooked.

There’s something poetic about Charlie’s book being last when he’s the one desperate for love and has to see all of his siblings find love before him. I really hope his book is last. I want to know more about him but his book being last suits him perfectly. You can go onto Charlie’s Wiki page and it’ll show you interesting stuff about him. KBR have a podcast and patreon where they share stuff about the characters that might not be in the books. Here’s a link to his page. You can look at his siblings or whoever else too! https://addictedseries.fandom.com/wiki/Charlie_Cobalt

Charlie…I was unfamiliar with your game. I do have a soft spot for Charlie. It’s got to be hard to navigate life with his brains/personality, I could see why he struggles. I’d love to hear all the inner workings of his mind tbh. It’s kind of like karma, him finding love last tbh. I’m so intrigued with him.

In Fearless Like Us, The Royal Leaks happen. “We reveal all the truths about the American Royals. These are verified and come directly from the source. No American Royal is safe. ROYAL LEAK #1: We know everything.” The Rochesters are revealed to have played a very large role in the leaks (I think they actually came up with it but I need to reread the series), but the public doesn’t know about it. The Hales, Cobalts and Meadows are severely affected by it. For example: It’s leaked that Luna writes fanfiction and smut which people are quick to hate on her and judge her for, so she decides to delete all of her writing from online. Eliot and Tom are VERY close to Luna so it’s going to be interesting since Winnifred is Eliot’s love interest. We don’t know anything about Winnifred - except that she’s selectively mute, dresses preppy, is attending Columbia University, and draws/is into art - but I’m already obsessed with her. They dynamic between Winnifred and Eliot is going to be interesting. If he doesn’t recite Romeo and Juliet to her I will riot. Yapper boyfriend x quiet girlfriend.

I’m going to go through some of the books and then send you the number of certain chapters that have some of the stuff I’ve sent in the asks mentioned so that way you don’t have to read the books. It might take a day or two, but I’ll get it done!💜

Oh wow, now this is interesting. Aw, poor Luna. I couldn’t imagine if something like that happened, she’s so sweet I feel so bad for her. Life and people have always put her down, it makes me sad for her. Winnifred sounds like a cute character. Aw, that’s so sweet of you. Take your time. Maybe I should finish the series…

Thank you for taking the time to respond to me! No one I talk to read this series and I’m excited. I’m sorry for all my rambles 😂. Have a lovely day, Ki! - 🪷

Of course! Happy to chat! 💙💙 I hope you have a lovely day too!! 💙