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sakurakittypeach · 1 year

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Cinnamon Girl — A Caraval Story

Pairings: Tella x Jacks, Tella x Dante

Summary: Set in Finale, Tella finds herself at a crossroads

Rating: M

Warnings: Mature themes, language

Word Count: 1.4k

MY LOVE!!! You have been in my life for over a year now (and frankly I’m not sure how that’s possible because I swear we just met the other day) and I’m so incredibly grateful to call you my friend! You make me laugh until I’m in tears and you have brightened up my life in so many ways. I hope you have an amazing day @sakurakittypeach !! 🤍🤍

Tella…thought she knew where she was, but it was getting so hard to tell these days…She found herself wandering aimlessly through the streets of Valenda, but she always found herself going back to the same place.

Her sister has been avoiding her — Not intentionally, but Scarlett was either with Julian, or trying to keep busy while they were in a fight…which was merely an interlude until they patched up whatever argument they were in. Those two, as dearly as Tella loved them, were either deliriously in love, or simply biding their time until they were back together.

Actually, Tella thought with a shake of her head, they were always deliriously in love. And Tella never understood what it was that caused them to struggle, it was obvious they loved each other… If that was Tella…well, if Tella had someone who loved her as much as Julian loved Scarlett, then she wouldn’t be sitting in one of the most infamous gambling dens in all of Elantine’s Empire…and the person next to her wouldn’t have blonde hair, but rather black. And instead of ice blue eyes staring down at her, she’d be gazing up into the darkest brown and searching for the little flecks of gold she knew to be in there.

“Usually,” Jacks drawled, his chilled hand coming up to clasp her chin. “The ladies I entertain don’t look quite so bored,” He tilted her head back so that her golden curls fell like liquid down her back, and pressed kisses along the length of her neck. His teeth coming out to scrape and bite against her overheated skin. “I promise, no one will come back here and disturb us.”

Tella pressed a small hand into his chest, debating whether she wanted to push him away or grip his blonde hair.

If she kept her eyes closed, then she could pretend the lips kissing her were somebody else’s. His.

Her hand slid up to his hair.

“Maybe I’m harder to impress than some of your other guests.” Tella whispered into his ear, and she found herself giving into his touch. Letting him lay her on her back as he settled between her thighs, his hips pushing her into the leather couch. The dress of her skirt bunching at her hips.

He not so gently bit her throat, sinking his teeth into where her pulse fluttered, and Tella couldn’t suppress the sharp sound of surprise that came from her.

“A challenge,” Jacks grinned into her skin and ground his hips against hers before propping himself up, his hands on either side of her face — a cage that should have scared her. “Tell me, my beautiful Tella, why do you keep coming back to me?”

His blue eyes were cold.

Because you take the pain away.

“Does it matter, as long as I’m here?” Tella replied, in a voice that wasn’t as seductive as she had hoped.

“When I’m with a woman, I prefer to have all of her,” He moved one hand to the place between her thighs, right over the cotton of her panties, and Tella flushed knowing he felt how wet she was. “Her body… Her thoughts…”

Tella gasped as his thumb pressed down.

“Her heart?” Tella asked, moving her hips against his fingers.

His gaze sharpened.

“Always.”

His lips crashed into hers as his hand worked between her legs, moving the fabric away from her center before moving to unfasten his pants.

Tella felt him nudging at her entrance, and she mentally prepared herself to feel full and stretched and just as Jacks started to push the door to his office creaked open — almost slamming into the wall.

Her eyes opened wide, and she saw a tall, dark figure standing in the doorway…The real man much more handsome and sharp and beautiful than the image she had conjured of him in her mind.

“A party?” Dante said in a carefully amused voice. “And I wasn’t invited?”

One of his hands was still clasped around the door handle, and the other was propped up on his hip. His dark hair hung rakishly over his tanned forehead and his eyes…his eyes were darker than Tella had ever seen.

Jacks went rigid over her, which was his only tell. Instead of pushing into her like he had planned he continued to kiss along the length of her neck and over her jawline.

“It’s a talent,” Jacks said, his lips moving over her skin. “Always showing up where you’re not fucking wanted.”

Dante grinned sharply.

“Tella’s wanted,” Dante said, his voice carefree, but Tella studied him well enough to know that it was heavily curated and took an immense amount of effort on his part. “By someone much more important than you.”

“I’m not one to leave a lady so…unsatisfied.” Jacks said and ground his hips against Tella’s in an obscene way.

“The lady,” Tella said in a bright voice, one that sounded completely out of place and unrecognizable to her own ears. “Has a voice and can speak for herself.”

Blue and brown eyes looked at her intently, and she felt the complete weight of them.

Dante cocked his head to the side. His face was almost impassive, but she noted the way his jaw clenched.

“Who is it that wants to see me?” Tella asked, trying to sink into the cushioned couch and away from Jacks’ body.

Dante raised a dark brow.

“Legend.” The name came from Jacks, not Dante.

He shifted them, so that he was sitting up with Tella on his lap — and she felt her blood rushing to her face at the sudden movement. She placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself. Her dress covered where they almost joined. His cold hands splayed over her tiny hips.

“Come with me.” Dante said, his expression losing some of its amused facade.

“Or stay.” Jacks squeezed her hips.

There was some part of her, probably not one that she should be proud of, that wanted to stay with Jacks. Just to see how Dante would react. If it would hurt him in the same way he hurt her when he left her on the steps…and being with Jacks — it was addictive.

But if Dante was here, then it most likely was important. Otherwise he never would have risked coming here.

“I should go.” Tella said, looking into sharp blue eyes. Jacks’s face didn’t change. He wore the same haughty smirk that he always did. Even though she was leaving him, he acted as if it was a victory. Like he had somehow won.

“I’ll see you tonight.” Jacks grinned, not bothering to lower his voice.

From the corner of her eye Tella saw Dante tense as he heard the words Jacks said, and understood them. Jacks would be visiting her in her dreams. A small shiver ran through her skin.

Tella slowly slid off of Jacks’s lap — she tried to give Jacks privacy to cover himself, but he was absurdly slow in tucking himself into his pants, and Tella knew why. He wanted to torment Dante. Let him know exactly what would have happened if he hadn’t walked in on them.

She walked to the door and stood in front of Dante, feeling fragile in front of him, but she kept her head held high.

She was often compared to a doll — with her big blue eyes and golden curls and small stature — but this was the only time she ever felt like one.

“I’m ready.” Tella said, staring him in the eyes as she smoothed the wrinkles in her dress.

Dante brought one hand up and tugged up the bodice of her dress, ensuring that her breast was fully covered before placing his hand on the small base of her back and leading her out of the room.

The door slamming behind them.

They didn’t speak a word as they walked through the gambling hall, ignoring all the debauchery around them. It wasn’t until they were out in the crisp night air, far away from the Jacks, did Dante speak.

“Why do you go there?”

Their feet sounded over the cobbled stone street.

Tella thought over all of the things that she could say, of all the things she would love to say, and for once she decided to hold her tongue.

“Because he holds me without hurting me,” Tella said, swallowing all of the other words that threatened to escape. Dante’s brown eyes flickered to the plum-red mark on her pale throat, and he raised his brow in question. The fury on his face shining through his mask. Tella wet her dry lips before continuing. “He doesn’t hurt me in the ways that matter. He doesn’t hurt my heart.”

----

tagging: @thefangirlofhp @sakurakittypeach @impossiblescissorspeachpaper @feyredarlinq @alwayssara @nyxreads @rinadragomir @secretpuppyflower @captainbrucebanner @ultadverb @irisesforelain @shedoessoshedoes @magnolia-blossom87 @sheena-beene @nivem565

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sakurakittypeach · 1 year

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all this over a girl that's half fish too like pls get a job

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sakurakittypeach · 1 year

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i think it's hilarious that ppl r accusing elriels of compiling The List themselves and sending it to themselves as a fake anon, and then missing out some of the most known elriels in the community like cmon man

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sakurakittypeach · 1 year

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honestly like it doesn't even matter if gwynriel are mates bc az still wants elain to sit on his face :)

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sakurakittypeach · 2 years

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The One Where Somebody Says I Do?

Happy Free Day @azrielshadowsingerweek!! I've had this fic idea in my head for a while and decided to share it for the last day of Azriel week. It's heavily inspired by a few Friends episodes combined into one. Let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is always welcome. Negative and rude comments are not tolerated. 💙

My fanfic account: @tswaney17fics

My ao3 account: tswaney17

Trigger warnings: language

Word Count: 4,914

Elain wanted to just crawl under a rock and let the world go on without her. Because how did one move on when the man they loved was marrying somebody else? Every time she thought about the fact that her best friend, A.K.A. the love of her life, running off to the Illyrian Steppes tomorrow to marry his fiancé, she felt this pain in her chest, like a dagger was trying to puncture its way out and made it hard for her to breathe.

Her family ran around her to finalize their packing when said male stopped directly in her line of vision.

His warm, scarred palms gripped her upper arms, thumbs brushing over the exposed skin from her t-shirt. “I can’t believe you aren’t coming to my wedding.” Azriel’s face looked almost disappointed.

Well, that made two of them. Actually, she was far past disappointed.

She was devastated.

“I know, I’m sorry.” Elain wasn’t. Not sorry in the slightest. She couldn’t go watch him marry somebody else.

“Come to Illyria with us. Please? I want you there.”

His words cut her straight to the heart and she had to choke down the ache in her throat that threatened to make tears run down her cheeks. “I can’t.”

Those hazel eyes pleaded with her. “You can. I can’t not have my best friend at my wedding, El. Please come.”

Fuck him and trying to manipulate her with that comment. Elain pulled herself from his grasp. “I can’t. I have to work,” she said stubbornly.

Challenge flared on his face. “Call in sick. You’re only missing two days.”

The room went silent as their family watched their little interaction. Elain hated this the most. How he chose to do this in front of everyone else instead of in private. It was unlike him, to pick a time when the others were present and bring this conversation up. He must’ve thought he could convince her to come if she felt pressured to go with everyone observing.

It only made her double down on her reservations.

“No. I can’t just leave Ceriddwen and Nuala on their own. You know how my boss is. Besides, Feyre needs me. Rhys hates leaving her behind but she can’t fly at seven months pregnant. She needs me here.”

Elain saw the defeat pass over his expression.

Azriel sighed, eyes looking sad. “Fine. I’ll see you when I get back.” Seemingly without thought, he brushed his thumb over the apple of her cheek and then swept from the apartment like a shadow on the breeze.

Her face tingled from where he touched her and she felt every single pair of eyes branding on the back of her figure. Not able to take the sad looks, the pity of her family, Elain went into her bedroom without a word and silently clicked the door shut behind her. Only once she was securely inside did she let the tears fall as she wept for her broken heart.

~~~

Elain and Feyre ate the Cassian special—two pizzas—in silence, having already gone through the argument of if they should talk about that conversation with Azriel before he had left.

“I’m just saying, it seemed like it hurt him to not have you there,” Feyre queried, taking another slice of pizza from the box.

She scoffed. “Well, I guess we can’t all get what we want now, can we.”

Her sister blinked at the hostility. “What’s going on with you, Ellie?”

Fuck her, she didn’t want to talk about this. “Nothing.”

“Cut the bullshit. We had all thought that when Az told you that he loved you, you two—”

“When he what?” she cut her off, gaping.

Feyre blinked. “At your birthday last year. He was planning on telling you he loved you.” Her face went from realization to utter horror. “Oh my god, he didn’t tell you because you showed up with—”

“With Lucien,” Elain breathed, her stomach turning with nausea. The red-headed man had been nothing but a mistake that lasted five months. They weren’t compatible in the slightest romantic-wise, but they did make out to be good friends. “Azriel was going to tell me he loved me?”

“Fuck, I shouldn’t have said that. Oh my, he is going to kill me.” Feyre buried her face in her hands.

She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t think. Her heart was beating so fast she thought it might go into cardiac arrest. Azriel loved her. Was going to tell her he loved her. But he didn’t, because she had been so blindingly stupid. And by the time she ended things with Lucien, he had met her.

Gwyn.

A nice girl.

Nesta’s friend.

Elain had no real particular feelings for her. Other than the fact that she was marrying the man she loved.

And she needed to stop it.

She didn’t think, she just moved, running for her room and started throwing things into her bag. Clothes, undergarments, a dress, shoes, toiletries. Whatever she could find, she packed. Grabbing her passport, she emerged from her bedroom to a wide-eyed Feyre.

“What—where are you going?” she demanded.

“I have to tell him I love him,” she said determined as she made her way towards the door.

Her sister gaped. “Elain! He’s marrying somebody else! Somebody he loves! You can’t do this to him.”

She whirled. “He deserves to know!”

A very pregnant Feyre pushed herself off the couch and advanced on her. “What do you think is going to happen? That he’s going to end things with Gwyn? That he’ll tell you that he loves you too?”

“I’ll figure it out when I get there,” she told her, voice clouding with emotion. She had to do this. She had to tell him before it was too late.

Feyre’s eyes turned hard. “You’re just going to hurt him, Elain. You’re not a cruel person, but doing this, going there to tell him now…this is cruel.”

She felt the words like her sister had struck her. Tears welled in her eyes even as her heart told her she had to do this—had to see him. “I have avoided my heart for too long, Feyre. I’m finally going to listen to it. And you’re not going to stop me.”

Without another word, she slammed the apartment door behind her.

~~~

Elain found the temple on top of Mount Ramiel easily enough. She wasn’t expecting half of it to be crumbling like it was being torn down, but she disregarded that as she searched for Azriel.

She knew Feyre likely had called Rhys and told her she was on the way and that both he and Cassian would try and stop her in her endeavors to tell Azriel how she felt. So, as she made her way through the temple, she kept to the shadows, crept down the halls, and avoided anyone who would alert them to her presence.

But when she found him, all of her plans came to a screeching halt. Because there he was, in his tux looking as handsome as ever, hugging Gwyn in the middle of where the ceremony was going to take place.

Her stomach dropped at seeing the special, intimate moment between them, but she was frozen—couldn’t seem to get her feet to move, to turn around and leave before he saw her.

“Oh!” Gwyn seemed to realize what she was doing. “You aren’t supposed to see the bride in her wedding gown before the ceremony. It’s bad luck.”

Az chuckled, and gods, it was the sound she loved so much. It cut her straight to the heart, though it wasn’t nearly the same sound that Elain was able to pull from him. “I think we can call this the ‘first look’ and avoid that issue, can’t we?”

She reached out to touch his cheek, a soft smile playing on her lips. “I think that will work.” Her fingers brushed his jaw. “I’ll see you at the altar.” Gwyn strode for the door behind her, not having seen her.

Azriel watched her go, smiling before he turned and halted, mouth hanging open as he finally saw her standing there.

“Elain,” he breathed like he couldn’t believe it. “You’re here.”

She swallowed the horrid lump in her throat. Feyre had been right. This was a mistake. An awful, huge, horrendous mistake. “I am,” she choked out.

He took three long strides and swept her into his arms, hugging her like he hadn’t seen a more wonderful sight in years.

Her chest fractured. She shouldn’t have come. And now she couldn’t do anything but lie to his face. “I couldn’t miss my best friend getting married, now could I?” The words were like acid on her tongue. She wanted to take them back, tell him how she felt. But after seeing that moment with Gwyn, Elain knew she couldn’t. It was wrong. He was happy. And how could she be the one to break that?

So, she’d break hers instead.

But Azriel knew her better than she knew herself. His hazel eyes assessed her face, mouth drew into a frown. “Are you all right? You look upset.”

Damn him. “Fine.” She begged her lips to quirk up a bit. “Just jetlagged.”

It looked like he wanted to pick at it more, but somebody else called her name.

“Elain.” Pure, unrelenting command filled that voice.

They looked up to find Rhys staring at them, his eyes regarding their closeness carefully.

She knew what he was trying to figure out. If she had told Azriel the truth. So, she pulled back. “I’m going to freshen up before the ceremony. Don’t want to smell like an airplane on your big day. I’ll see you soon.” Elain left Azriel standing there and went towards her brother-in-law, who put his arm around her shoulder to guide her from the room.

Once out of earshot, he asked her, “Did you tell him?”

“No.”

Rhys let out a breath. “I’m sorry, Elain.”

Not wanting to talk about her failed love life, she kept her mouth shut and let her tears fall down her cheeks.

He escorted her to the groomsmen’s area so she could change and clean herself up. At the door was Cassian. He shot her a sympathetic smile—one she did not return. “Please keep him out," Elain requested before sequestering herself inside the room.

A half-hour later, she was sitting in her spot, watching Gwyn float down the aisle towards her future husband. She looked beautiful in her white gown, but Elain couldn’t help but think it should’ve been her walking down. That she should’ve been the one to be marrying Azriel. It killed her on the inside to see him marrying somebody else.

But he looked happy as he watched Gwyn approach. That was the only thing Elain ever wanted for him, knowing Azriel came from such a shitty life—a horrible childhood. He deserved to have that happiness. Even if it was with somebody else.

And it was time for her to make some happiness for herself.

She had yet to tell her family that a job opportunity had presented itself to her overseas. Elain hadn’t decided before, but now she had. She couldn’t be around Azriel anymore. Not with him married and likely to start a family soon. She needed a fresh start somewhere else. Where nobody knew who she was.

Elain would tell them when she returned home. She’d have to leave immediately—before he even got back. It was better this way. Perhaps now she’d be able to get over the pain of losing him. Could you technically lose something you’d never had?

“And now for the vows,” the minister announced. He turned towards Gwyn. “Gwyneth, repeat after me. ‘I Gwyneth, take you, Azriel, to be my lawful, wedded husband. In sickness and in health, until death parts us.’”

Gwyn repeated his words, teal eyes shining bright. She and Azriel were facing each other, though they had yet to touch. She thought it odd that they weren’t at least holding hands, but perhaps it was because Az disliked contact and hand-holding.

He really only ever let her touch his hands, now that she’d come to think of it.

Elain glanced at her sister, Nesta—Gwyn’s maid of honor. She looked so happy for her friend. Their other friend, Emerie a step behind her.

The minister then turned towards Azriel and began again.

Her heartbeat thumped wildly in her chest, against her throat. She thought she might get sick.

“Repeat after me. ‘I Azriel.’”

“I Azriel,” he said, midnight voice slithering over her bones.

“Take you, Gwyneth.”

“Take you, Elain.”

The entire room turned to ice as a deafening silence settled over them.

Elain’s blood roared in her ears, her breathing becoming unsteady. Did he—

Rhys and Cassian gaped at their brother, unsure of what to do.

Her stomach somersaulted. A mistake like that was so unlike Azriel. It had to do with her presence. She had fucked up coming here. Now, all she wanted was for the ground to completely swallow her whole.

Please don’t look at me. Please don’t look at me.

Elain chanted the mantra in her head, but it seemed like that only encouraged him to do it more. Because Azriel turned his head and locked eyes with her, pinning her on the spot. She felt several other sets warily turn in her direction, regarding her, judging her. Her face heated, but she kept her focus on him. Watched him watching her.

And then he turned back to Gwyn and slowly took a step back. To others, his face would’ve remained impassive, but Elain could read it perfectly.

It was panic.

No.

She royally fucked up. Tears were already streaming down her face when Nesta caught her eye. She looked torn between going to her sister in the crowd or staying put next to the one she stood beside.

Elain swallowed and realized, she couldn’t breathe. She had to get out before she began hyperventilating. Rising from her seat, she ignored the gasp from one of the other attendees and slipped out onto the aisle. She didn’t need to look back at the altar to know those hazel eyes were once again glued on her retreating figure. She felt them on her back the entire way as she excused herself from the temple, quickly grabbing her bag from where she left it in the groomsmen’s room, and fled, taking her shattered heart with her.

~~~~~

Azriel fucked up. Oh, gods, he had fucked up so badly. Not just in saying the wrong name at the altar, but in the many, many, many decisions he had made that got him to this point. He knew he had a choice to make.

No, that wasn’t true.

He had already made his choice when he saw Elain get up and walk out of that temple. His eyes flicked back to his fiancé, finding Gwyn watching him with a look of hurt on her face.

Gods, he was such a fucking asshole. But he had to end this.

Az took another small step back. “I’m so sorry, Gwyn.” And he meant it with every fiber of his being. “I’m sorry that I cannot give you my heart because it is not mine to give anymore.” Tears lined her teal eyes, but he steeled himself to get through this. He had to get out his apologies to her. Az owed her that much. “I gave it away a long time ago to somebody else, and I don’t think I realized that I never got it back. I don’t think she even realizes that she has it, but you don’t deserve to be with someone who cannot fully love you in the way that they should. And I am so sorry that I’m doing this to you now, that I didn’t figure this out before this very moment, but marrying you would be dishonest. I will always regret putting you through this because you deserve better than that. Better than me.”

Gwyn scoffed, wiping at the tears running down her face. “I can’t believe you’re doing this.” She shook her head. “But I’m not going to stop you from following your heart.” Her fingers wrapped around the ring on her left hand. Sliding it off, she held it out to him. “Here, take it.”

She dropped the ring into his scarred palm. “I really am sorry, Gwyn.”

“Just go, Azriel.”

He didn’t need to be told twice. Bolting down the aisle, he chased after the love of his life when he heard two sets of steps sounding behind him and then…

“Az!”

Whirling, he found Rhys and Cassian had followed him. “What?”

“Groomsmen’s room. That’s where she got ready and likely where she went to get her bag,” Rhys said, panting.

He was running. Running for her, hoping, praying, she didn’t slam the door in his face. He’d give anything to make it right with her. Gods, he should’ve just told her that night on her birthday that he loved her as he had planned, new boyfriend be damned. Az threw open the door to where he and his brothers had gotten ready and found it, empty.

Utterly and completely empty.

“Elain!” he called out in a panic. She had to be here. Where else could she have gone? His brothers followed him in, Cassian making a straight beeline to the window. “Elain, are you here?” he called out again, looking in the bathroom.

“Az!” Cassian hollered, his eyes wild with regret.

His stomach plummeted when he looked back at his brother and saw him point out the window. His gaze drifted out the glass and he saw her, golden-brown hair blowing in the breeze. She looked stunning in her pink dress, even with her back to him. But that the slump of her shoulders told him that she was upset.

And then he saw the absolute worst thing possible. A car pulled up in front of her and Elain climbed into the backseat.

“No. Elain!” he pounded a hand on the window, surprised it didn’t shatter under the force of his palm. His heart slammed against his ribcage as he took off running again. Down the hallway, he took the stairs two at a time, leaping the last four steps until he burst out into the courtyard of the temple only to find her car gone. “No, no, no! Fuck!” His hands slid into his hair, gripping the strands in frustration.

“Come on!” Cassian grabbed his shoulder. “I’ve got the rental car over here.”

His eyes widened. “Where are we going?”

His brother shook him in disbelief. “The airport, you dumbfuck! Where do you think? If you’re going to go after her and admit your feelings, you’re going to do it right. Now let’s go.”

They drove as fast as they could to the Illyrian international airport. After having to purchase three tickets to get through the gates, they managed to find the boarding plane for Velaris.

“I don’t see her,” he panicked. “Where is she?”

The three of them searched the crowd until they saw her short stature; golden-brown hair bobbing into the tunnel.

“Elain!” he shouted. “Elain!” Az ran over towards where she was, but she had disappeared out of sight. His heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. He had missed her. He missed his chance.

Until Cassian cupped his mouth and bellowed, “EEEELLLLAAAIIINNNNNN!!!!!!”

He and Rhys turned to look at him incredulously.

“Dude, the fuck?” Rhys said.

But it worked, because there she was, standing at the entrance of the terminal. Her eyes were wide, shocked.

Az just moved towards her, like a moth to a flame. A magnet. A man under a spell. His feet ate up the ground between them in a few strides until she had to crane her neck back to look up at him. Those eyes—those incredibly, beautiful, doe eyes blinked at him.

“What,” she breathed, “What are you doing here?” she asked when he reached out and took her arm to gently move her out of the way of the other passengers.

He opened his mouth, a heavy breath heaving from his chest in a great whoosh. “El, I have been such a stupid male. A stupid, stupid male. Because I have been searching for the right person to share my life with and I’ve always known it should be you.” Her body started to shake, so he tightened his grip on her elbow. “You are my best friend, the one person I choose to seek out to spend time with. You bring me comfort and joy and happiness in a way I never imagined myself finding.” He brushed her hair behind her ear, let his knuckles graze her cheek, and then cupped the side of her face. “I love you, Elain. I am in love with you. Fuck, it’s always been you.”

Tears were flowing down her face. Shit, he made two women cry today. He really was an asshole. Her eyes flicked between his.

Az was able to read Elain well for most of the time that he had known her, but at that moment, that critical spot in time, he couldn’t. He couldn’t tell if it was hope or pain or happiness or anguish or anything else on her face. And the realization scared him to death because he didn’t know what to expect her to say.

“Azriel.”

Oh god, no. Not his full name. She may as well as stuck a dagger in his gut and left him to bleed out on the floor of the airport.

“What are you doing?” she asked, shaking her head.

He licked his lips, wetting them and giving himself a moment to process her question. “I came for you.”

“What about Gwyn?”

“It’s over between us, El.” She visibly flinched at the name. “Please, Elain. Please believe me when I tell you that I love you.”

A sob tore from her throat and she placed her palm on his chest. Had to feel his rapidly beating heart beneath her splayed fingers. “But would you have realized you loved me had I not shown up?”

“But you did, El, you did. I just needed that reminder—the wake-up call. I have always loved you, Elain. And I wanted to tell you—”

“On my birthday,” she frowned.

He gaped. “How did you…Feyre.” He sighed, more to himself. “Yes, I wanted to tell you on your birthday, but you showed up with Lucien and you looked happy with him. How could I ruin that when I only wanted you to be happy?” He stepped closer to her, crowding her until she avoided his gaze and looked down at their feet. “Why did you show up at my wedding, Elain?”

Her head snapped up, but she didn’t respond.

“What did you want to tell me before you caught me and Gwyn? I know you didn’t just decide to come.”

She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter now.”

Like hell was he taking that for an answer. He took both her hands between his and squeezed them. “It matters to me. Tell me, Elain.”

Another shake of her head sent her hair swaying. “It doesn’t matter because I’m leaving Velaris.”

Every thought in his head went silent. The world around him stilled. “What?”

She swallowed. “I got a job offer for an amazing pastry place overseas and I’m taking it. I leave in a few days to meet with the owner.”

Final boarding call for flight 617 to Velaris.

Elain glanced over her shoulder at the open archway of the terminal.

Was she actually considering leaving? He tightened his grip on her hands. “Elain, please don’t get on that plane right now. We can fly home tomorrow. Together.” Azriel had a feeling if she left right now, she’d be gone before he got home.

She began trying to pull away. “I’m sorry, Az. I can’t do this. I—I just can’t. I’m sorry.” Her fingers slipped away and he stood there rooted on the spot as he watched her walk away from him.

He was too late.

~~~

The car ride back to the temple and then to the hotel had been brutal. Azriel said maybe three words to his brothers who had watched the whole interaction with Elain. Both had offered him their condolences like he’d lost a loved one. Which, he supposed he had. Arriving back at the temple made it even worse, especially when Nesta came up and shoved him.

“How dare you do this to them!” she screamed.

Cassian snatched her around the waist, but in all honesty, he’d love to have her just beat the shit out of him. Maybe that would’ve made him feel better.

“Nesta, not now,” Cassian stated.

“Not now?” she screeched. “Should I do it after I take the non-bride-to-be back to the hotel? And where is my sister?”

Az looked at the eldest Archeron. “She left.”

Realization donned her face. “Well, I hope you’re happy now, Azriel.” Turning on her heel, she left the three males out in the parking lot. He deserved her fury, he reminded himself. Az had hurt her friend and her sister. Nesta had every right to hate him.

Now in his hotel room alone, he nursed a glass of whiskey, his bowtie undone and hanging around his neck. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he turned it back on and waited for his notifications to come up.

And then one popped up that had his heart racing. A voicemail from Elain.

He sat up straight, set his glass and phone down on the table, and pressed the speaker button to play the recording.

Her beautiful voice filled the room.

“Hi, Az. It’s me. I just got back on the plane and I’m thinking about everything. I hated leaving things the way we did. You came to me saying all these things and I wasn’t expecting you to show up like that, and I was just afraid of getting hurt again. So, I fled, and I know I hurt you in the process. And I’m so sorry because that was never my intention.” She sniffed and gods, it hurt him to hear her upset again. “And I didn’t even get to tell you that I love you too. Because I do, I love you.”

He made a soft, pathetic sound. His throat ached with unshed tears and he had to tip his head back against the couch.

“I love you,” she said again. “I love you. What am I doing? I love you. I love you. I need to see you. I have to get off this plane.”

“Oh my god,” he breathed, looking down at his phone sitting on the tabletop. He heard some rummaging around and then—

“I have to get off this plane.”

“Ma’am sit down.”

“Miss, please. I just need to tell somebody that I love them.”

“I can’t let you off this plane.”

Az, in his own world, shouted, “Let her off the plane!”

“Please, you don’t understand!”

“Try to understand!” he cried.

“Oh, come on, miss! Isn’t there any way you can just let me off—”

The line went dead as the voicemail cut out. “No, no, no! Did she get off the plane?” He tapped his screen like it would hold all the answers.

“I got off the plane.”

He whirled around, and there she stood, keycard in hand. Azriel didn’t utter a sound. No, he just moved to her. His long legs swallowed up the space between them in a few strides until shoved the door behind her shut, cradled her gorgeous face between his scarred palms, and kissed her senselessly.

Elain melted, whimpering against his mouth. She dropped her bag and the keycard on the ground in favor of sliding her fingers into the hair at his nape, securing him to her.

His lips worshiped hers, tongue tracing the seam and begging for entry. When she granted him access, he took every advantage, sweeping in to claim her mouth. He kissed her until every thought eddied from either of them. Until they were panting for breath. Until he knew he conveyed every emotion, every feeling of his love for her into that single encounter with her.

She pulled back, resting her forehead on his. “I’m so sorry, Az. I’m sorry I left you there.”

He shushed her. “You’re here now. I’m sorry it took me so long to have the balls to tell you that I love you.”

Elain chuckled, eyes lined with tears. “We have a lot to figure out.”

“We will,” he told her earnestly, taking one of her hands from his neck and spreading her palm across his chest. “Together. Because I’m never letting you go again, Elain. I’m all in. If you’re moving overseas for a new job, then I’m going with you.”

She gaped at him. “What about your job?”

He shrugged. “I’ll get a new one. The point is, is that whatever and wherever life takes you, just know that I want to be right by your side. Forever.”

Elain let out a choked sound. “I love you, Azriel.”

His thumb stroked her cheek, wiping the tear that fell. “I love you too, Elain.” When he kissed her again, Az saw his entire future line up in front of him and finally, it felt right.

~~~~~~

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sakurakittypeach · 2 years

Text

Imagine taking this

“Elain in black was ridiculous. Yes, she was beautiful, but the color of her long-sleeved, modest gown leeched the brightness from her face. It wore her, rather than the other way around”

And this

“He’d never once in the two years he’d known her found Elain to be plain, but wearing black, no matter how much she claimed to be part of this court … It sucked the life from her.”

More seriously than this

“And he knew the cruelty of the Hewn City troubled her. But she hadn’t hesitated to come. When Feyre had offered to let her remain home, Elain had squared her shoulders and declared that she was a part of this court—and would do whatever was needed.”

And this

“Elain, mourn as she might for the life she would have had with Graysen, had found a place, a role here. Tending to the gardens of Feyre’s veritable palace on the river, helping other residents of Velaris restore their own destroyed gardens—she had purpose, and joy, and friends: those two half-wraiths who worked in Rhysand’s household.”

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sakurakittypeach · 2 years

Text

Imagine saying “Az killed all the Hybern soldiers at Sangravah and we know mates show rage when their mate is in danger,” using this to “prove” Gwynriel are mates and then:

Ignore Az leaving Gwyn with Mor and then leaving her in a crusty library for 2 years

Ignore Az not caring that she was kidnapped and thrown into the blood rite where her life was at risk

Ignore the fact that Az has zero reaction to Gwyn being injured in said BR, even though we’ve seen that mates can be impacted by their mates in physical pain before the bond is accepted

Ignore Az going feral and risking his life to save elain from Hybern

Ignore him wanting to get the chains off of her

Ignore Az getting made when Cassian mentions something happened with Elain

Ignore Az getting upset at the whole “eyes can be blinded” comment

Ignore Az’s shadows preparing to strike when Nesta and Elain were fighting

Twist Az being concerned for Elain’s safety around the troves and his coddling her

So yeah, males do show rage when their mate is in danger. But it doesn’t look like Az’s mate is Gwyn…

Proof is in the books.

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sakurakittypeach · 2 years

Text

Some acotar fans should just say they hate elriel and go. It's better than twisting and ignoring the text, picking parts out of context to support your opinion (yes, opinion) pretending to care about elain when you clearly don't want to read about her...I know it sucks for you that your fave male character is in love with a character you couldn't care less, but there are better ways to deal with it.

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sakurakittypeach · 2 years

Text

Once Upon a Rose ~ Chapter Seven

Genre: Modern AU

Relationships: Garden Shop Owner!Elain Archeron x DILF!Azriel

Word Count: 2.7K

Warnings: Fluff, probably light angst, age gap (15 years), swearing, and fade to black

Description: Single father Azriel and his daughter Rose always visit the garden shop Once Upon a Rose every Friday after school. Rose goes because she loves gardening but more importantly she loves the owner, Elain Archeron. And can Azriel tell you a secret? He’s pretty sure he’s in love with her too.

A/N: There will only be two more chapters I believe. I'm going to have one more regular chapter and then an epilogue. I'm honestly not ready for this series to end, but I'm going to let people requests stories they'd like to see set in the Once Upon a Rose series. They'll be extras so you could request Az and Elain's wedding day, maybe something with Cassian and Nesta, or Rhys and Feyre. I like doing extra content for series that maybe couldn't be included in the series because it wasn't important enough to the plot and I don't mind requests for stuff like that. So if you have an idea please feel free to send it in and I'll get to it as quickly as I can.

“I was thinking you could come over one day next week for dinner,” Azriel said as he leaned on the counter of her shop. He had been dropping by almost every morning that he could since her birthday a few weeks back. They had been on a handful of dates since then and talking on the phone every night after Rose went to bed. “We could come clean to Rose then and I can stop this awful charade of pretending like you’re still just an acquaintance every time I set foot in here with Rose.”

It had been hard keeping things from Rose, whenever they came in all Elain wanted to do after greeting Rose was give Azriel a quick kiss on the cheek. “That sounds good,” Elain said as she leaned in close to him. “I’ll be glad when this is all out in the open with her.”

“Me too,” he murmured as he leaned in closer to kiss her, but just before their lips could meet the door to the shop practically slammed open and they jumped apart in surprise.

Standing in the doorway was Elain’s youngest sister Feyre. “Well, this isn’t what I was expecting to walk in on.”

Elain let out an excited squeal and rushed around to practically tackle her sister in a bear hug. “When did you get home?!”

“Yesterday, I wanted to surprise you,” her sister said as she squeezed Elain back. “Are you going to introduce me to Mr. Tall and Handsome,” she whispered conspiratorially in her sister’s ear causing Azriel to chuckle.

“Az, I’d like you to meet my youngest sister Feyre,” she said and Azriel stuck his hand out for Feyre to shake.

Feyre paused and took a moment to really study him which had Elain giving her sister a look. “Wait, aren’t you Rhysand’s brother?”

Realization dawned on Azriel’s face, “How did I not put two and two together?”

Elain waved her hands, “You mean to tell me that your boyfriend and my boyfriend are brothers?”

“Small world,” Feyre said with a laugh. “But how did the two of you not put it together sooner?”

“Probably just too lost in our own little bubbles, you were traveling and this is still so new for us. Nesta hasn’t even met him yet,” Elain said.

Feyre’s grin turned slightly devious, “Oh I can’t wait to hold this over her.”

“Please don’t,” Elain begged.

Feyre ignored her sister and forged on, “Well this kills two birds with one stone. Rhys and I are going to host a dinner this Friday as a way to see everyone we love and just have a family and friends night. I was coming to invite Elain, but since you’re here too Azriel can y’all make it? I’m also extending the invite to your daughter Azriel, Rhysand wants to see her and I want to meet her.”

“We’ll be there,” Azriel confirmed. “But if we could keep Elain and I being a couple on the down low for now that would be much appreciated. We’re going to tell her next week at dinner.”

“Of course! I’ll make sure to tell Rhys so he doesn’t spill the beans,” Feyre said. “Well I need to go track down Nesta, I’ll see you Friday Azriel. Elain, I want a girls' night tomorrow with you and Nesta before the dinner.”

“That’ll be fine,” she told her sister. “I’m glad you’re home!”

Feyre waved goodbye and left Elain and Azriel standing there letting what they had just learned sink in. “I still don’t know how we didn’t figure out that your sister and my brother were dating sooner.”

Elain snorted and went back to her position behind the counter, “Probably because we’re still in the newness phase of our relationship and to be fair you tend to call him Rhys which isn’t that uncommon, now if you had said Rhysand then yeah I probably would have known.”

“But Feyre, I should have known instantly,” he shook his head.

“Well we know now and this gives us an excuse to see one another for a little while and for me to see Rose again,” Elain smiled brightly at him.

“She’ll be happy to see you too,” he told her. He glanced at his watch and said, “I need to head out now, but I’ll talk to you this evening.”

Left alone in her shop Elain thought over how the dinner on Friday was going to go. She’d be meeting Azriel’s family for the first time and he would be meeting her other sister as well. It would be harder too since Rose would be there and she couldn’t exactly lean on Azriel for support as she met his family. Clearly, they knew about her, so this first meeting would be interesting to say the least.

Nesta came over with takeout while Feyre brought some wine she had gotten while in Italy. They had popped the cork and let the wine flow until they were giggling and talking about anything and everything. Nesta was holding her glass close to her chest as she said, “I can’t believe my sisters are in relationships while I’m over here working my ass off all the time. When am I going to meet a nice guy?”

“Get on that app that Elain was on!” Feyre said, her cheeks red and she had her head on Elain’s lap as her sister stroked her hair. “She had some luck.”

“Only because I knew him already,” Elain clarified. “I mean I’ve had a crush on the man for two years now!”

Nesta whined and downed the rest of her drink, “The last guy I went out with was Eris and he had been egotistical and not that great in bed.” That made her sisters begin to laugh and she tossed a pillow at them. “Don’t laugh at my misery!”

“Rhys and Azriel have another brother,” Feyre said, a gleam in her eyes. “What if we try and set the two of you up?”

Nesta considered that for a moment, “Is he hot?”

Feyre scrambled for her phone and pulled up Cassian’s Instagram, “He’s a local bartender, owns the bar, and also coaches basketball at the high school.”

Nesta looked through the photos, “Oh my God, he has tattoos too. Those are my weakness.”

“Az has them too,” Elain spoke up. “I’d never seen them before, so imagine my surprise when my hot, nerdy professor comes up to me with tattoos.” She fanned herself, “I think he became ten times sexier.” There were more giggles from the sisters. “Imagine if we all wind up with the brothers, wouldn’t that be something?”

“At least we know our husbands would like one another,” Feyre teased. “I really love Rhys,” her voice had become a tad bit quieter, taking on a more somber note. “He’s so kind and gentle with me. When we were in Italy he took me to Capri and one night we just stood on the beach and watched the stars. There were no parties, no drinking, nothing wild and crazy. He just wanted to spend time with me on a quiet beach watching the stars.”

Nesta and Elain shared a look, their hearts clenching. They could still hear the breaking glass as Tamlin tried to keep their sister from leaving. “I’m glad he’s treating you right,” Nesta said. “And that the two of you are so happy.”

Feyre nodded and swallowed around a lump in her throat. “I can’t wait for you to meet him. I’m a bit nervous too because it’ll be the first time I’m meeting the rest of his family outside of Azriel and Mor.”

“Hold on,” Nesta pointed a finger at Feyre. “You’ve met Azriel?!” Then she looked at Elain who groan, “When did she meet Azriel?!”

“Technically it was an accident,” Elain started but Feyre had to cut in.

“I’m just the favorite sister, I supposed,” she teased cheekily.

Nesta was leaping up and Feyre let out a little screech as she darted away from her elder sister. Elain watched as Nesta chased Feyre around the living room as Feyre barely managed to escape. Both sisters were laughing though and when Nesta caught Feyre around the waist she began tickling her. “Take it back!”

“Never!” Feyre shouted defiantly.

“She loves us equally!”

“Girls!” Elain shouted as she tried not to laugh. “Behave yourselves.” Feyre and Nesta stopped to look at Elain, a gleam in their eyes as they grinned at one another. Elain knew what had passed between them and said, “Don’t you dare.”

But they didn’t listen as they descended upon her and started torturing her with tickles. They all laughed until their sides began to hurt and they collapsed onto the couch together. It had been so long since they had let themselves be free like that and it felt good. They stayed on the couch for the rest of the evening, falling asleep next to one another.

When Friday night rolled around Elain and Azriel had decided to forgo their usual Friday routine since Elain had to get ready. She heard from Azriel that Rose was very disappointed about this, and that he hadn’t told her that Elain would be at the dinner tonight. He had wanted Elain’s presence to be a surprise. Elain had closed at half day so she could go home and have time to shower and do her makeup before Nesta came to pick her up.

Around four was when Nesta arrived and they followed the directions that Feyre had sent them to Rhysand’s house. They found that they were not the firsts to arrive and Elain noted Azriel’s car next to her sister’s. Together they got out and headed up to the front door, it opened immediately and Azriel appeared. “Rose is being distracted by Mor and her wife Emerie at the moment,” he said as he greeted them. “I’m Azriel, you must be Nesta. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“You too,” she smiled politely. “I’ll give you a moment because I know the two of you have to act like you aren’t anything other than acquaintances tonight.” She stepped inside and softly closed the door behind her.

Azriel wasted no time and kissed Elain, dipping her backward and then righting her. “I kinda wish I’d gotten a babysitter for Rose,” he murmured. “It’s going to be hard keeping my hands to myself.”

Elain grinned, “Just a little while longer.”

“I know,” he kissed her again. “Okay, I don’t want to linger any longer. Come on, I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

They opened the door and Azriel led them down a hall toward a great room where everyone was already gathered and laughing. Rose’s eyes landed on Elain and she squirmed off the lap of a beautiful blonde woman. “Ellie!” Elain bent and scooped the little girl into her arms. “What’re you doing here?”

“You’ve met Feyre, right?” Rose nodded. “She’s my younger sister.”

The little girl’s eyes filled with understanding and then she turned to Azriel who was trying not to give them heart eyes. “Daddy, did you know?”

He chuckled, “I did, sweet pea. I wanted it to be a surprise.”

The little girl appeared to be deciding whether or not she should be upset with her father or not, or be happy that she wasn’t missing the chance to see Elain on Friday as per usual even if it was a little unconventional. “I forgive you,” she said decidedly and a round of chuckles passed through the room.

Elain made her rounds around the room saying hellos and greetings to those she didn’t know. Rhysand was friendly and kind, Elain immediately liked him and had a gut feeling that he would be good for her sister. Cassian was just as handsome in person as his photos had been and noticed that he gravitated toward Nesta who was trying to act as if she hadn’t been secretly checking him out.

“Ellie,” Rose’s voice brought her back to the little girl in her arms.

“Yeah, blossom?”

“Since your sister is dating my uncle, does this mean I’ll get to see you more?”

“It does,” she confirmed, holding Rose a bit tighter. “No more waiting for Fridays, if there’s a gathering like this and I’m invited it means we’ll get to spend time together.”

Rose rested her head on Elain’s shoulder and said, “Good.”

Azriel and Elain’s eyes met and he smiled at them before discreetly taking a photo. The others watched the interaction with curiosity but didn’t comment. Dinner was served ten minutes later and stories were passed around about everyone. Laughter filled the dining room and Elain’s cheeks hurt from how much she had been smiling. It was amazing how quickly they had all begun to click with one another and Elain didn’t miss how Nesta and Cassian seemed to be gravitating closer as the evening progressed.

After dinner Rose became sleepy and Azriel took her up to the guest room that doubled as Rose’s room when she stayed with her uncle. Azriel came downstairs and immediately attached himself to Elain’s side as the adults began talking. His thumb stroked her arm and her head rested on his shoulder. She and Nesta were going to have to go soon, but she wanted to savor the moment for a little while longer.

As they were preparing to leave Azriel stopped her in the hall, “Would you like to come home with me tonight? Rose is staying here because Rhysand wanted to spend more time with her so we’ll have the place to ourselves and I don’t have to pick Rose up until tomorrow afternoon.”

She agreed and went to tell her sister to head on out without her. Then she headed out with Azriel, his hand resting on her leg as he drove them to his house. When they arrived at his home they spent the evening making love and talking about their future and what it could look like. Azriel couldn’t picture his life without Elain in it anymore. He was excited about where they could go from here and was even more excited to let Rose in on their secret. Azriel wanted more nights with Elain in his arms.

In the morning he let her sleep as he snuck out of bed as carefully as he could and started making breakfast. He was scrambling the eggs when he felt her arms wrap around him and he noted that she was wearing one of his teaching shirts. After he told her good morning she got to work helping him set the table even though he told her that she didn’t have to. The scene was all very domestic and he liked it a lot. Rose called in the middle of breakfast and he spoke to her for a few minutes and told her he would be there to pick her up in a little while.

When he was off the phone with his daughter he looked at Elain and said. “Do you want to tell her tonight?”

Elain nodded, “I don’t think I can wait any longer. I can go home and shower and come back here before you return.”

He cleared their plates and drove Elain home. When they pulled into her driveway he handed her the spare key. “I’ll head over there in about thirty minutes and I’ll stall as long as I can. Text me when you get back.” Then he kissed her cheek and made sure she made it inside before pulling out and heading to Rhysand’s.

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