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#sophisticated and beautiful Rhys
buckrogers2491 · 2 years
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Watching respectfully…
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itsswritten · 1 month
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Naughty little shadows | 7
Pairing: azriel x fem reader
Word count: 4.7K
Warings: A bit of angst, alcohol, tense situations, past relationships showing up kind of, a spider if that scares ya!
Summary: You and Azriel begin to navigate the new complexities of your mating bond, but you quickly realise how dangerous this could become. Is being mated to the Shadowsinger worth your safety?
A/N: Hello loves, hi hi hi!! Hope you enjoy this part. I literally live for all your comments, so please let me know what you all think <3 I will try write part 8 asap, I thinking hopefully by the beginning of next week the latest but we'll see. Anywho enjoyyyyyy - Lottie x
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&lt;< Previous Part
The atmosphere in the foyer of the River House felt suffocating. You knew who the woman was instantly by Nesta’s actions. Nesta had swiftly intervened, pulling her away from Azriel in a flurry of motion. Leaving him to approach you with a unreadable expression, his eyes searching your face for a reaction. 
Their embrace lasted only seconds, but it felt like an eternity as you scrutinised every touch and gesture exchanged between your mate and the woman. She held him with a familiarity that unsettled you, stirring a tumult of emotions within you. 
You couldn't recall ever embracing Azriel like that.
“Elain!” You swore you heard Nesta hiss, giving you confirmation you didn’t need. Of course it was Elain. The resemblance of the sisters were uncanny. Everyone in Prythian of course knew of the three sisters made fae. They were infamous, and well adored, for saving everyone against Hybern.
To his credit, Azriel hadn’t reciprocated the hug, his eyes meeting yours with a mix of surprise and concern. It was clear he hadn't anticipated the presence of the third Archeron sister.
You all stood in the hallway of the River House, a palpable tension hanging in the air as the members of the inner circle exchanged furtive glances and inaudible communication. It was as though a silent conversation was unfolding, one to which you were not privy, leaving you feeling like an outsider.
Glancing between your mate and Rhysand, you noticed the mounting tenseness. They appeared locked in a silent battle of wills, and you were sure whatever conversation they were having wasn’t going well. Azriel's discomfort was obvious, underscored by a hint of simmering resentment seemingly directed towards his High Lord. Rhys however, did seem apologetic in his expression. What he was apologetic for though, you didn't know, but you had a vague feeling you would find out.
Meanwhile, Nesta stood beside Elain, their arms intertwined. You wondered if Nesta had taken a hold of her sister in support of her or if it was to stop her from embracing your mate again. Regardless, you were glad her arms were no longer around Azriel. The surge of jealousy and bitterness that welled up within you took you by surprise. You had never considered yourself to be the jealous type, but with Azriel, everything seemed to shift.
Turning your attention to Elain, you couldn't help but admire her beauty, a trait shared by all three sisters. She was draped in an elegant blush pink gown that accentuated her graceful figure, casting an air of effortless sophistication. Suddenly, you felt acutely underdressed.
It was supposed to be a ‘casual brunch’ Feyre had told you. But clearly Elain had not got the memo. And just like a penny dropping you realised– Elain was never invited, and clearly wasn’t supposed to be here.
As Elain's gaze flickered between you and Azriel, her expression betraying confusion. There was a sadness too that sent a pang of discomfort through you. Her eyes eventually settled on yours, prompting you to avert your gaze down, a sudden wave of self-consciousness washing over you.
You watched as your hands clenched around the container of homemade cookies you had prepared, your attempt to extend an olive branch, to offer an apology for your previous outburst. Yet, as you surveyed the slightly misshapen cookies within, you contemplated whether it was too late to run.
No you couldn’t do that again, not to Azriel.
“Y/n this is my sister Elain. Elain this is y/n'' Feyre broke the ice with introductions.
“Azriel’s mate” Nesta added quickly. You’re not sure who she was stating that fact for.
But you saw it on Elain’s face. It was a revelation Elain hadn’t been aware of till now. As her eyes flitted between you and Azriel, you could see the soft confusion etched on her features. Her sad gaze lingered on you, almost like she was trying to decipher something. 
But her stare felt like it was burning your very skin and you needed to be released from it.
"I made cookies," you announced, breaking the heavy silence. You avoided meeting Azriel's gaze, though you could feel his eyes on you, silently pleading for acknowledgment. "Is there somewhere I can put them?"
Amren's voice cut through the tension, offering you a means of escape. "You can put them in the kitchen. Elain–” Amren stopped for a moment, her words only just catching up to her “... also baked. Just put it on the table." Her words provided direction, but the sense of unease lingered. 
As you entered the kitchen and beheld the spread of baked goods Elain had prepared, a surge of mixed emotions washed over you. Her presence, her beauty, served as a stark reminder of your own insecurities.
What was she to Azriel? What had that reaction been? Why did Nesta practically yank her sister away from him? The questions swirled repeatedly in your mind.
Placing your botched cookies beside Elain’s meticulously crafted pastries and cakes, you couldn't help but feel a wain of embarrassment at the clear comparison. The weight of inadequacy settled heavily on your shoulders as you fought to maintain composure.
You were no fool. You could read between the lines and then some. 
You also understood your mate well enough to recognise when he was unsettled, seeing him falter spoke volumes.
Faint voices drifted in from the hallway, but you tuned them out, unwilling to be part of whatever conversation they had now audibly decided to have.
Elain and Azriel clearly had history. Something he had failed to share with you. But in his defence neither of you had delved into past relationships yet. While your own past was relatively uneventful, you were aware of the rumours surrounding the Shadowsinger; you knew he had a quiet reputation. However, you hadn't anticipated a connection with Feyre’s sister– that complicated things. 
And there was something about the way she looked at him that raised concerns– it didn’t feel like something that was past. It felt very present, very real and very now.
And raw. 
Elain had looked hurt at the revelation of you and Azriel being mates. You weren’t ready to be ensnared in a web of complexities. Navigating this mating bond already had its challenges.
Your heart ached, and you prayed your mental walls were strong enough to conceal from Azriel. You couldn’t have this doubt rippling down to him, not after everything.
Then, a deep familiar voice called your name, pulling you from your thoughts. You kept your back turned, your hands gripping the table with a tension born of frustration and uncertainty.
"I'm fine," you replied before Azriel could even ask the question, steeling yourself against the surge of emotions threatening to engulf you. You knew what he was going to ask, and you weren't about to let him see your vulnerability.
You felt him hesitantly step behind you, the proximity of his body so close. The warmth of him almost made you fold into him, just wanting to hide in his shadows and beg him to take you home. To take you away from whatever that had been out there.
Instead you forced a smile, determined to put on a brave face and push down whatever suspicions or feelings were bubbling beneath the surface. Today wasn't about you—it was about Azriel, about making amends, about moving forward. You weren't going to spoil it for him, not like last time.
So, you reached out, turning around and taking his hand in yours, and with a determined effort, you summoned the brightest expression you could muster.
~~~
The atmosphere in the dining room remained a tad tense, but your deliberate effort to brush off the awkwardness was met with some relief, and it soon dissipated amidst the casual banter circulating the table. Despite the lively conversation, you couldn't ignore Azriel's discomfort beside you. On the outside he seemed cool and nonchalant, a little more casual in front of his family but that cold demeanour remained. Perhaps it was the closeness you had gained with one another that helped you notice his rigid posture, his eyes occasionally darting towards Elain. His shadows were swirling around your ankles, and you wondered if they were there in case you ran away again or to simply soothe you. 
Oh how you wished for them to engulf you and whisk you away.
The brunch spread at the gathering was a sight to behold. The food provided by the High Lord and Lady surpassed even the usual delights of Velaris cuisine. Pastries and fresh fruits adorned the table, tempting the senses with their vibrant colours and enticing aromas. Despite feeling anxious, you couldn't help but marvel at the exquisite presentation. As you hesitated to indulge in the feast, Azriel took the initiative to fill your plate. His own plate was already filled with a generous selection from the table, including multiple helpings of the cookies you had baked, a gesture that brought a small smile to your lips.
You couldn't help but notice how Elain's gaze would occasionally flicker over to you, assessing you with a hint of curiosity. An unfamiliar gaze that flowed over your body, that made you question if you had suddenly sprouted extra eyes and grown additional legs because of her intrigue. 
You wondered what she thought of you, thought if you were worthy of Azriel? Worthy of being a part of this family– her family. 
She would have made a much better choice as his mate, you thought only for a second before brushing it away.
As Elain recounted her trip, she was vague about who she was with, but her story still held everyone's interest. It somehow managed to connect to your own travels and quickly Feyre began asking how the Travelling Market had been. 
“Busy” you replied, before continuing. You realised that wouldn’t suffice as an answer, but trying to follow on from Elain’s whimsical travels was hard, especially when speaking of a mere merchants market.  “Adon was pleased, we sold all the stock we took so it couldn’t have gone any better”
“Oh I’m not surprised. I bet your paints go down a treat, I forget how spoiled I am having you on my doorstep” Feyre complimented. 
"We're finally able to take commissions from other courts, now that things have settled," you mentioned, referencing the recent alliances. Despite the lingering tensions, the opportunity to accept orders and distribute your paintings across Prythian had significantly boosted Adon's business. "In fact, we've already received orders from as far as Winter and Autumn," you added with a smile, proud of the progress.
The conversation continued, and it took every restraint within you not to frown at Elain whenever a beautiful giggle left her lips. You couldn't help but compare yourself to her—her delicate pink dress exuding softness and elegance, while you sat in your own clothing that was marred by paint splatters and smudges. You didn’t own a single piece of clothing that didn’t hold the remnants of your work. 
You had a fit when trying to find the right thing to wear today, and you realised you were long overdue for a shopping trip as every piece of clothing was marked with colourful paints and shiny liquids.
She was a more poised and sophisticated version of you, a refined lady .The notion that Azriel might prefer that pristine version of femininity caused a lump to form in your throat. 
This feeling that was simmering beneath your skin, wasn’t something you enjoyed. It was dark and sticky like honey, smothering all other rational thoughts if you let it.
Unconsciously, you found yourself picking at your nails– actually it was the paint under your nails you were picking at. As if you had subconsciously realised how unkempt you looked. You hadn’t even noticed you were doing it, but as you had been watching Elain across the other side of the table, using her delicate hands to accentuate her story telling. You had ashamedly brought your own down to your lap, scratching at your fingertips obsessively. 
Thankfully, Amren's diversion into her own tale with Rhys provided an out of Elain’s conversation which you were grateful for. You found yourself zoning into them, unaware of your own body language until you felt Azriel's hand reaching out towards you.
This felt all too familiar, a memory of him reaching out to comfort you the first time you met his family. Last time you had flinched away and ran off. Today, you made a conscious decision not to recoil from him. Instead, you allowed him to touch you, his hand gently halting your nervous picking around your fingernails.
Your fingertips throbbed with a mixture of what you hoped was red paint but was most likely a hint of blood. Azriel's fingers intertwined with yours, his rugged large hand coming to rest on your lap.
You swore you felt him sigh in relief. 
Your hands were certainly an interesting pair, his consumed with harsh textured lines and yours red raw. 
You glanced at him, his hazel eyes meeting yours in a silent inquiry about your well-being. It struck you that this was the first time since arriving at the house that you had truly met his gaze. You couldn't quite pinpoint why you had been avoiding it, perhaps a fear of discovering something new in those familiar eyes after encountering Elain. Yet, they remained the same hazel hue, now softening as they rested upon you. His gaze briefly flitted over your hands, a hint of discomfort flickering across his features as he observed how the morning's anxieties had manifested physically. 
You were still upset with him, no doubt about it. He had kept his own secret, whatever it may be, about Elain and their history together. That in itself felt a just reason to run away again. 
But you had control over who you wanted to be in this moment, and you had decided that he deserved today.
You sent a warm ripple down the bond, something he reciprocated quickly. The flow of the energy soothing your frayed nerves. His lips curved into a tender smile, and for a fleeting moment, you yearned for the simplicity of being alone with him in your apartment, conjuring butterflies to life.
The subtle intimacy you shared with your mate didn’t go unnoticed by the inner circle. You caught the teasing glimmer in Rhys's eyes as he glanced towards his brother, but beneath it, there was genuine happiness for his friend. Rhys believed, among all his family, there was no one more deserving of such affection than Azriel.
~~~
You were grateful when Amren returned to the room with wine. How the hours had passed you weren’t so sure, and now it was early afternoon. You had all moved into the living room, spread and sprawled over the furniture. 
The living room exuded an air of comfort and elegance, adorned with plush sofas and armchairs arranged in a cosy manner. Rich, earthy tones dominated the decor, complemented by accents of gold and deep hues of blue, reflecting the essence of the Night Court.
You found yourself nestled on a plush couch, Azriel by your side, offering a silent anchor. On the other side of you sat Amren, a formidable presence but you were glad it was her. You weren’t sure what you would have done if Elain had come and sat beside you. No, instead, across from you, Elain had chosen a chair strategically positioned to keep Azriel within her line of sight. It was a subtle yet deliberate move, one that didn't escape your notice. 
Nesta sat beside her, completely disengaged from the conversation with a book in hand. And your High Lord and Lady where sat together in a love seat beside Amren, who was pouring wine into your glass with practised ease. She enquired about the magical paints you created, curious if you could create something for her own lover.
“I haven’t had the chance to thank you Azriel” Elain spoke, her words pulling you from your intricate explanation to Amren on how you were able to capture a feeling in your pigments. 
Azriel had been enamoured by your conversation with Amren, seemingly love-drunk on how you passionately spoke of your work. Something he’d heard you talk about numerous times to him now, but it captured him every time. 
Elain’s voice pulled him from his gaze, demeanour remaining unchanged. His focus shifted from you to Elain with a calm, almost detached manner. 
"My flowers, you’ve tended to them so well," she remarked, her smile radiant but tinged with a hint of something you couldn't quite decipher. Her glass of wine was clasped tightly in her hand, a grip that was such a stark parallel to her soft warm tone. There was a brief pause in the room as everyone seemingly waited for his response. You swore you saw his hand come into a tight fist beside you, but he just nodded slightly in a polite acknowledgement with a tight smile. It was very Azriel-like. He wasn’t a man of many words you had learnt but their exchange unsettled you.
And what flowers? Azirel didn’t strike you as a green-fingered male. 
Elain seemed to effortlessly blend into the inner circle, they were her family after all. She embodied the essence of a true lady, while you felt clumsy and messy in comparison, your hands stained with paint and your movements lacking the refinement expected of a member of the Inner Circle. She continued her chatter on Primroses and Azalea’s, sipping her drink before pouring herself some more wine.
You turned back to Amren "What kind of paint would you like for your partner?" you asked with a warm smile.
Amren's eyes gleamed with a mischievous darkness as she leaned in. "You can imbue feelings, scents into these paints, can't you?" she inquired, her tone suggesting she was onto something intriguing.
You felt a knot of apprehension forming in your stomach. "I can," you confirmed, your curiosity piqued.
"So, let's say I wanted to use the paint, not in the conventional way, but as body paint," Amren continued, her smirk growing more pronounced. "Could you make the paint act as an aphrodisiac of sorts?" Her eyes sparkled with an enigmatic intensity, hinting at depths of mischief you hadn't anticipated.
You nearly choked on your drink, a soft laugh escaping your lips as warmth spread across your cheeks. Whether it was due to Amren's request or the generous pours of wine, you couldn't quite discern. In all your years of creating these paints, no one had ever made such a daring inquiry.
"Wow," you chuckled, Feyre and Rhys joining in. "I suppose I can give it a shot. No promises, but I'll try work my magic."
"If you manage it, do let me know. I'll be sure to place an order," Rhys purred teasingly, his gaze flickering to Feyre. She playfully swatted his arm, but their banter soon enveloped them, leaving you to wonder about Azriel's reaction. 
Glancing to your side you realised Azriel’s gaze was already on you, a dark smirk on his face explaining he’d heard the whole conversation. For a moment you felt like you were the only two in the room, your cheeks still rosy as Azriel leaned in. You were sure he was about to tease you.
“What a peculiar career choice” Elain remarked. Elain's words cut through the air like a sharp knife, catching you off guard with their subtle but unmistakable sting. Her smile remained fixed, but the undertone in her voice dripped with condescension, a challenge hidden beneath her seemingly friendly facade. 
“Your paints sound a little…promiscuous” Her words hung in the air, a thinly veiled attempt to belittle your work. 
“I guess they can be, if that’s what the customer requests” you replied evenly, trying to maintain your composure.
Elain's probing continued, each question feeling like another jab aimed directly at your confidence. You could feel it under your skin, that bitterness you felt when you first saw her embrace your mate. Like a spider crawling.
“So you would just make anything anyone asked of you?” Her questions continued, and you watched as the inner circle began to frown in confusion. You swore you heard Nesta hiss her name again.
Crawling, crawling.
“--well not just anything. But I try to accommodate most requests” you replied, your eyes were watching Elain now. As she took another sip of her wine, her face still pulled into a smile as if she was not only trying to fool you but also herself, that what she was asking was appropriate.
Crawling, crawling.
“Even crude requests like that?” she asked with a judgemental tone, one that made Nesta slam her book and look at her sister with dark eyes. Feyre looked to be biting her tongue as she tilted her head in question at Elain.
Why was she probing you so much? The conversation was firing so fast between you both, everyone else was struggling to cut through.
She ignored her sisters.
“I’m just curious to how far you’d be willing to go for some coin-...” her words rushed out, slightly slurred as she took another swig. You actually felt a little embarrassed for her; her sisters' reactions, and the passing looks from Rhys and Amren, indicated that this behaviour was very unusual. 
But she was disrespecting your work— disrespecting you. Your patience was thinning. 
Crawling, crawling.
You swore you heard Azriel growl beside you.
You wished fervently for that bitter spider under your skin, with its slender, twisting legs, to silence Elain's cutting remarks. To stop her before she said something she regretted, before she made you do something you’d regret.
Crawling…
“Sex paints…and all. It’s just not what I expected.” It was as if she was trying to make you into some kind of harlot, and you refused to let her condescend your family's work.
At this point Nesta had snatched Elain’s glass from her hand, telling her she’d had too much. But it was already too late.
Spin the web.
Clarity washed over you like a cleansing tide. There was no need for elaborate paintings or intricate illustrations; your emotions were raw and untamed, begging to be unleashed.
That thread in your mind was so clear you could touch it. Your mind’s vision opening.
The spider emerged from the depths of your consciousness. Its body was sleek and black, glistening as if coated in a thin layer of midnight dew. Eight slender legs extended from its body, each one adorned with delicate hairs that caught the light.
As it descended from its invisible perch, hanging on a single thread above Elain’s head it moved with a deliberate grace. Despite its small size, it exuded an aura of power and menace, a silent harbinger of the secret storm brewing within you. It moved with a  deliberate slowness, descending silently.
“It just sounds like something that should be sold in Hewn city– not here” It was Feyre that cut her off this time.
Your spider was inching closer and closer to its target, in its delicate form. All you knew was that you wanted to wipe that smug drunken smile off her face.
The spider landed on Elain's head, crawling quickly onto her face, eliciting a startled scream from her. 
In that moment, her composure shattered. And she truly deserved it, you thought. She could disrespect you, casting unwarranted judgments all she liked, assuming you were someone you weren't. But you refused to let her tarnish the legacy of your family's work.
For someone so adept at tending to gardens, her fear of a simple spider seemed almost comical.
Elain's sisters rushed to her aid, attempting to help her dislodge the spider from her face. They managed to flick it to the floor and you could hear Feyre telling her sister to calm down. Amren was beside you tutting and rolling her eyes, claiming it was nothing to be afraid of.
You were so distracted, delighting in this secret success that you failed to predict the next movements. Elain had glared, tears in her eyes as she brought her foot down hard to squish the spider.
As Elain's foot came down with force, the world around you seemed to shudder. A sharp, searing pain lanced through your head, as if a bolt of lightning had struck at the core of your being. It was a throbbing agony, pulsing with every beat of your heart, spreading tendrils of discomfort throughout your body.
The pain was not merely physical; it was a visceral reminder of the consequences of your power. Each creation, each manifestation of your will, was intrinsically linked to your own existence. As the spider met its end under Elain's heel, you felt the reverberations echoing within you.
You had forgotten the risks of your gift.
In the midst of the agony, you were dimly aware of Azriel's concerned touch, his hands cupping your face with a gentleness that seemed to anchor you to reality. And then, as abruptly as it had begun, the pain subsided, leaving behind a lingering ache and the metallic taste of blood on your lips. You blinked, disoriented, only to find Azriel's worried gaze searching your own. It was then that you realised your nose had begun to bleed, a crimson trail staining your skin.
Azriel's worry was evident as he produced a handkerchief, gently wiping away the traces of blood from your nose. His touch was tender, his hazel eyes filled with concern, but you assured him you were fine. A moment later pulling away from his attentive hands.
The rest of the room seemed so distracted by Elain’s outburst, that they had’nt even noticed your nosebleed.
Despite the chaos that had just unfolded, you noticed the room gradually quieting down. Elain straightened herself, trying to regain her composure over the recent fiasco. Her eyes were red, and you weren’t sure what she was really upset over now. The spider? Your inappropriate work? Or was it because of Azriel? Despite any animosity, a pang of empathy tugged at your heart as she stood awkwardly before you, chastised by her sisters.
In a way, you almost understood Elain's behaviour—sometimes it felt liberating to react authentically. However, such authenticity also carried consequences. You realised now, she was awaiting your response to her recent probing. 
"You don't have to understand my work, Elain," you began, your voice steady and firm. "But it's more than just paints and pigments. Each creation holds a piece of emotion, a memory, a story waiting to be told. I help artists add that final touch to their work, to bring it to life in a way that transcends mere colours on a canvas. It's a craft that I've honed and cherished for years, one that has been passed down in my family for centuries and I take immense pride in it." Your gaze on her was soft now, almost forgiving.
You paused, Elain's facade that was quickly faltering  "So yes, if a customer requests a certain feeling” you laughed lightly, glancing at Amren who was still sitting with drink in hand. Nonchalant at her request that had started this entire debate. “Even if it is a little promiscuous, I will do everything in my power to make it a reality for them. It’s not something I feel ashamed of, besides some of the most loved paintings in the land are ones born of passion. Why would I turn away an opportunity to create a paint that can embody that?”
You notice a flicker of embarrassment in Elain's expression, “Of course” she breathed, as if the spider incident had brought a sense of sobriety “I’m sorry for trying to-” she wasn’t sure what she was apologising for but you simply nodded in acceptance. To save her further embarrassment of trying to explain what that interrogation had been.
Azriel stood beside you, a subtle sense of pride evident in his demeanour, he leaned in to press a gentle kiss on your temple.
“Time to go home I think” he said softly.
You smiled gently “I think so too” 
~~~
Rhys leaned back in his chair, a contemplative expression on his face as he swirled the amber liquid in his glass. Across from him, Amren lounged comfortably, her feet propped up on his desk. Outside the window, the night had descended upon Velaris, painting the sky with a tapestry of twinkling stars.
"So you noticed it too?" Rhys remarked, a hint of intrigue in his tone. The cryptic air that hung, laden with unspoken implications.
Amren raised an eyebrow, a knowing glint in her eyes. "Indeed I did."
~~~
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lalacliffthorne · 6 months
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modern!batboys as (your) roommates - headcanons.
because let´s be honest, we have all thought about that at some point.🦇
(this is the introduction of my new drabble universe!!! I can´t tell you how fucking excited I am.)
it would be wrong to say that your life was boring before you met the three idiots you now call your roommates
sure, it wasn´t as exciting
but you had your tiny little apartment, went out with friends once in a while and mostly enjoyed having your own space and routines
but then shit hits the fan.
and by shit I mean your landlord.
because of a loophole in the rental agreement, he´s able to kick you out of your apartment with only a months notice
in other words, you´re fucked.
or, as your best friend Feyre, who you met the first week of orientation and became inseperable with, says -
"That bastard." Feyre´s eyes are stormy.
"What the hell am I gonna to do?" You bury your face in your hands, your voice muffled when you mumble: "How am I supposed to find a new apartment in a few weeks? For this one, I looked over a year, and it´s a glorified shoebox!" Your voice rises as you feel a wave of dread crash over you and your heart rising into your throat.
"Hey, it´s okay. If worst comes to worst, you can crash at my place,", Feyre raises her brows, "even though we´d have to share my bed, but - I won´t just let you crash on a park bench if that´s what you´re worried about. Unless you find another glorified shoebox that´s technically out of your budget, it´s you and me, crashing on my bed, climbing over your stuff to get to the bathroom, finding out what married life would feel like."
even though you love her to death, that really doesn´t sound like an option you want to explore.
so you try everything
scouring every paper for apartment advertisments, posting on your uni´s socials, going to all the viewings you can find -
nothing.
but the day you´re ready to just give up, a miracle happens
the miracle is 5´5, has impeccable style and hair, a love for deep red lipstick and drops by for lunch.
Mor has been your friend for two years now, since you almost spilled your coffee over her laptop at the library
(she´s still not letting you live that down)
she also likes to get you out of your comfort zone
"Are you serious?" Mor stares at you wide eyed.
"Yep." You tiredly stir your coffee. "I´ve been turned away for twenty apartments in the past few days alone. I´m aready seeing myself bunking with Feyre. She offered, but her bed barely fits into her apartment as it is."
Mor breathes a giggle before hastily clearing her throat. "Sorry."
You grin weakly before rubbing your face. "I don´t know what I´m gonna do. I know it could be even worse, but -"
"It already feels pretty shitty,", Mor ends. You sigh in confirmation and are about to change the topic, because you haven´t seen the blonde in weeks and feel bad about ruining your lunch, but before you can open your mouth, Mor suddenly squints in thought. Then she looks at you.
"How much do you value your privacy?
Given the fact you´ll be basically on the street by next month if you don´t find a new place - not much.
Mor begins to grin, and there´s a bright twinkle in her eyes.
"Well, then I might just have the solution."
the next day, Mor drags you downtown.
she takes you to an old but sophisticated building you wouldn´t even dream about living in
a single month´s rent there would probably empty your whole bank account
but Mor just winks and pulls you up the stairs
on the third floor, a guy leans in an open door
and that´s how you meet Rhys.
Mor´s cousin is annoyingly beautiful
tall, with perfectly tousled dark hair, a grin that causes his cheeks to crease and broad shoulders
he´s also even more annoyingly charming.
if you´d met him somewhere without Mor, you would have probably gaped for a moment before catching onto the mischievous twinkle in his nearly violet eyes and promptly avoided him, because someone that pretty had to have some fault
as it turns out, Rhys´ fault is offering practical strangers to live with him without batting an eye.
"What?" You blink at Mor from where you just sank onto the very comfortable couch, because she can't possibly -
"Okay, before you freak out, just listen, okay?" Mor is grinning giddily. "The guys have a free room they don´t really use anyway and you really need a new place - so you could just move in here!" She beams. "The place is definitely big enough, and you´d fit in perfectly, I promise! They´re just as chaotic as you, but also very responsible -"
"Mostly." Rhys´ eyes are twinkling. He´s looking completely unbothered by the prospect of you, a factual stranger, moving in with him.
"- they don´t have any bad habits, they´re fairly neat -"
"Mostly."
Mor widens her eyes at you. "It´s perfect!"
You blink at her.
"I already talked to my roommates." Rhys´ deep voice is almost soothing, because he sounds a lot calmer than Mor, more steady and reassuring. "If you want, this can be temporary, until you find a place just for yourself, but this way you don´t have to stress about needing to find a place in a certain time, plus,", he cracks a grin, "I don´t like the idea of you having to crash on somebody´s couch in the foreseeable future, that´s just bullshit if we got a free room here no one uses anway. And if this works,", one corner of his lips quirks even more until his grin is a lot closer to the wicked twinkle in his eyes, "none of us would mind another roommate."
"You don´t have to decide right now." Mor smiles brightly. "But I think it would be great, and you´d make a bargain with the rent, because Rhys loves to play sugar daddy -", her cousin snorts, "and I think this would be a really good idea." She grins, suddenly a little sheepish.
if you weren´t so desperate, you would whip out about a dozen arguments about why this probably isn´t a good idea
like the fact that rooming with three dudes sounds like a lot of testosteron, or that you don't even know them, and that they don´t even know you -
but from the way Rhys lounges in his chair, grinning easily as Mor beams at you, he doesn´t seem to see too much of a problem in that
also you are very, very desperate.
but there´s still that one thing -
"About those roommates -"
When you hear the door, you raise your head, your heart doing a slightly concerning flip in your chest.
Rhys has already given you a tour of the apartment. Even though it´s huge and very grand with it´s high ceilings decorated with stucco and the original hardwood floors, it feels warm and cozy. The room you´d be sleeping in is as big as your whole apartment, light with two big window and a view of the trees on the street outside.
It kind of makes you wonder where the catch is.
Maybe it´s about to walk through the door.
You hear a deep voice and heavy footsteps, then a dude appears in the door to the kitchen, and you feel your lips open a bit. Because frankly, it´s a miracle he makes it through the door without hitting his head.
The guy´s huge. His shoulders and chest strain against his t-shirt. He looks like one of those dudes who basically got muscle in their DNA, all corded muscle under ridiculously huge shoulders and a solid middle, muscular long legs under black jeans -
Aaaand you´re staring.
Big time.
The dude´s looking over his shoulder, the half of his hair that isn´t pulled back in a bun brushing against his neck when he grins, his cheeks creasing. He´s pretty, in a rugged kinda way, with his rough curved jaw and the scar on the side of his face, and when he looks back ahead, his eyes twinkle warmly.
Behind him, another guy appears in the doorway, and your breath hitches.
Because if Rhys is annoyingly beautiful, the guy in the door is drop-dead gorgeous.
Just like the other two, he´s tall and all lean muscle. His shoulders shift under his black t-shirt as he leans against the doorframe, his hands sliding into the pockets of his black jeans. His eyes look like amber, his dark hair is tousled, a strand curving over his forehead. His face is all angles and soft lips, dark brows that look like he likes to crunch them in a scowl, but right now, he looks fairly relaxed, though his gaze is watchful.
And on yours.
Feeling warmth wash into your cheeks, you hastily look away while crap, crap, crap echoes through your head, because of course he caught you staring.
On to a really great start here, weirdo.
Your gaze grazes his hands and a bit of slightly uneven skin that merges into veiny, tan forearms before your eyes trail over the tattoos peaking out from his sleeves.
There´s the sound of someone clearing their throat, and you feel the heat in your cheeks deepen when your eyes dart up and meet Rhys', a twinkle in his iris when he sends you a lazy grin.
"Boys, this is Y/N." He raises a brow. "Our new roommate."
and that´s how you meet Cassian and Azriel.
it almost makes you reconsider
because you're really not sure you´re gonna survive rooming with three guys that pretty
but after thinking it over for a few days, you realize that you really don´t have a choice
and so a week later, Rhys and Cassian come over to your apartment to help you move the first half of your stuff
neither blink an eye at the fact it's about the size of a broom closet in comparison to theirs
it puts you a little more at ease
Rhys does however scowl when he sees the condition of the bathroom
you're ready to sink into the floor when you hastily explain pretty much all the apartments in the building look like that - a lil dingy and moldy
but when he turns, he just glowers and grumbles under his breath about how he´d like to rip your landlord a new one
it's the first time you realize that under all the aloofness and swagger and cheeky grins, Rhys cares
(it´s proven again when you move into your new room a week later
there's a new mattress on the also new bed bed. you haven´t bought either of them, but when you try to protest, Rhys just huffs about your back probably being fucked up because of your old one and says he´d add it to your rent.
he doesn't.)
you get used to rooming with three guys surprisingly quick.
sure, it is pretty much a total 180
going from living alone in a tiny apartment to sharing a huge flat with three dudes who make the place vibrate with laughter and bicker like they have been married for thirty years
but even though you never thought you´d be the type to actually enjoy having roommates, you find that with them, you don´t really mind
of course it is nice to have the place to yourself sometimes
after about two weeks, you´re comfortable enough to blast your music and dance through the kitchen when you're alone
(yes, at some point, they catch you. it takes you about a minute to realize there are three guys standing in the doorway, watching you dance with a broom. you get a mild heart attack and Cassian and Rhys lose their shit while Azriel grins at you.)
but even if usually always someone is there, you find that the guys are very good at both respecting your boundaries and leaving you be when you need to curl up in your room as well as knowing when you need someone to drag your ass out into the world
and something about knowing at least one of them will probably be there when you get home makes you feel all warm and fuzzy
even tho you weren´t completely sure about this in the beginning, you get roped into living with the three guys instead of just rooming with them
it really starts with Cassian
he probably gets used to you living there the quickest
after barely a week, he´s treating you like you've lived with them since the beginning
one day he just sticks his head into your room and ropes you into helping him with dinner
it surprises you a little that they all have dinner together
from what you´ve heard from friends who have roommates, they usually all do their own thing most of the time
but it´s one of the first times you realise that these guys are more family than just friends
and for some reason, they´re really not hesitant at all for you to join them
Cassian is surprisingly easy to talk to
he´s quick with the quips and the banter
he´s also very flirtatious
constantly makes you laugh, his deep, boisterous chuckles infectous
it´s one of the reasons you get comfortable with him so quickly
the other is how affectionate he is
you´re convinced that the man is actually just a huge teddybear
after just a few weeks, you´re used to hugs that rip you off your feet, cheek kisses as greetings and being casually lifted out of the way like you don´t weigh anything
it´s the same with the others
hugs in greeting that make Rhys groan dramatically like his air supply is cut off, pats on the shoulder and smacking forehead kisses that make Azriel crinkle his nose
(you´re still sure you see his lips twitch)
Cassian quickly becomes the one you go to when you need advice.
he always listens attentively
doesn´t sugarcoat things
stays objective while never making you feel bad or less about anything
you know he´d put everything aside if any of you ever need help
Cass works at a gym to earn some money at the side
once, he takes you with him just for fun
then one time becomes another and before you know it, you tag along twice a week
(it would be wrong to say it´s not doing something to you when he crouches in front of you, his deep voice rumbling as he mumbles encouragements.
"Alright, come on, sweetheart, gimme one more." - "There you go, that´s it." - "No, no, come on, you can do it." - "Just one more, you´re doing good, okay?"
you´re pretty sure he does it on purpose just to see how red you can get.)
but even if you being flustered is entertaining to him, Cassian not once makes you feel uncomfortable.
he´s good at pushing you without overdoing it, always gentle and encouraging
if you manage to do something, he´s grins so widely you´re almost sure he´s more proud of you than you are
Rhys is a flirt.
after you get over the first initial blush that just won't leave you alone for the first few weeks, it actually becomes entertaining
now bantering back and forth is basically all you do
it gets so bad, Azriel constantly rolls his eyes at you
but you´re pretty sure he´s amused from the way his lips twitch
but just like you suspected, behind all the flirtiness and mischievous grins, Rhys cares.
a lot.
whenever you´re upset, he looks like he´s contemplating ripping apart whatever or whoever made you upset
whenever someone has a go at Cass or Azriel, Rhys picks them apart with lethal precision and a wicked smile
if Cassian is most affectionate, Rhys is close second
he´s slightly more casual about it, pinching your nose, flicking your ear softly
though his hugs are definitely up there as well
whenever you get your period, Rhys turns full mother hen
it´s actually quite entertaining to see a 6-foot-something dude grumble because you don´t want to take painkillers
"I just don´t like to take them until it´s really necessary, okay?" You glower at Rhys, curling up on the couch and trying to suppress a wince.
Rhys incredulously narrows his eyes. "You´re bleeding from your uterus and look like you want to curl into the couch, I´d say it is pretty necessary."
behind all the snark and arrogance, Rhys cares.
he also seems to have a rather unhealthy tendency to put everyone else first
you catch on pretty easily that even though his father is loaded, Rhys doesn´t particularly cares about his money
in fact, he doesn´t hesitate to share whatever money his father pumps into his bank accounts.
when you ask Mor about it, she just smiles lopsidedly.
"It´s his kind of protest? Spending all that money, preferably on his friends? He knows he can´t win against his father. I think he came to terms with having to take over the business one day, and he cares about the people who have their jobs there, so he won't let them down. It´s just hard sometimes, if your whole life is already planned for you. Doing this, living with Cassian and Azriel and now you, spending his fathers money on them and sometimes splurging a little - it's his way of not surrendering completely."
Rhys has a knack of knowing exactly when you need to talk and when you need to be distracted
it´s not unusual that after a bad day, he just joins you on the couch, plopping down and pulling your feet onto his lap
it either leads to you venting and him listening, giving very appropriate responses of either huffs, scowls or downright glowering
or, if you don´t want to talk, he either lets you use him as a human pillow, grumbling over your choice of movie while scratching your head
or he takes you out
Rhys is a foodie
you suspect it might come from him growing up with the fanciest meals
if he decides the two of you need to get out of the apartment, one way or another, it usually ends in a restaurant
he orders half the menu, and then the both of you pig out
his cooking is the best out of all of you
when there are holidays you spend together, he usually whips up the fanciest, most delicious far-too-many-courses meal
and even if he just makes dinner, you often get lured into the kitchen by the delicious smells
it usually ends up with you on the couch at the table while Rhys moves around the kitchen and you two talk about everything and nothing
(he´s also not above slapping anyone´s hand away if they try to sneak a taste)
Azriel is quiet.
not shy; you catch onto that pretty quickly
he's too quick and easy on any dry remark in response to his friends' boisterous teasing for that
his gaze too firm and piercing
he rarely shies away when you catch his gaze
in the beginning, that intimidated the shit out of you
the way he appears without a sound, towering over you, all dark and quiet and brooding
but after a while, you realise that, even if he's all that, there´s something gentle and respectful about him
it surfaces in the smallest things
how his lips curve the softest bit when you grin up at him
how light and careful his touch is
how he always puts himself between you and the street, holds doors open without ever seeming to think twice about it.
how everything about him seems to darken when he witnesses anyone being treated poorly
how even if anger rages within him like a rising tide, quiet and dangerous, you always feel safe with him.
maybe because he's so quiet, Azriel seems to see and hear everything
in record time, he begins to catch onto every little detail about you
mundane things
like how you like your tea or what your favorite ice cream is
the only reason you know he notices is because he hands you cup of teas in the morning that are exactly right and the freezer always holds a big container of your favorite ice cream
he also seems to know exactly how how you fiddle when you're nervous
how when you get tired, you start to wrinkle your nose to keep yourself from yawning
what makes you giggle uncontrollably
and so on
it should probably unsettle you, how easily he sees through you
but it doesn't
sure, it's a bit weird at first
but you quickly realise it's strangely comforting - that someone pays enough attention to know even the smallest thing about you
Azriel is your favorite person to be around when you just need a break
it's like something about him is grounding, steady
being around him makes your thoughts calm down and it's easier for you to sort the chaos your mind sometimes becomes
you quickly realise that beneath all of the quiet watchfulness lies a wicked, dry sense of humor
more often than not, his mumbled remarks make you snort laughter or beam widely up at him, and it always makes his lips curve
when you first see his room, you almost gape
because the guy has books
they fill the shelves, balance in towers on the floor
most of the books in the shelves in the living room are his as well
maybe bc of that he has a great dislike for movie adaptions
when you force him to watch one, he sits there with that scowl of his, glaring at you until it´s over
he says it destroys the pictures in his head
(to be fair, you don´t think he´s entirely wrong about that)
if he doesn´t have a book in his backpack, it's one of his cameras
he´s got a few, all older ones; none fancy digital ones, but all on film
just like he seems to catch onto everything, so does his camera
he captures everything, mundane things even more than staged ones
most of the time, you don´t even notice
only sometimes you raise your head to find the camera in his hands, a slight curve to his lips
he develops them himself, in a dark room on campus students can book
he can spend hours in there, just working in silence
there´s usually a lot of bugging involved before he shows the developed pictures
but when he does, it ends in all of you leaning over them eagerly, trying to figure out when he took them
Rhys standing in the kitchen, grinning over his shoulder like Cassian just made a joke
you and Feyre, laughing so hard you lean into each other
Mor, lying upside down on the couch while focusing on the cards in her hand while you're next to her, mid-motion, a focused expression on your face
Cassian napping on the couch, twisted in a very uncomfortable position to fit all six feet something onto the cushions
there seems to be an endless number, and they´re all carefully stored away in his shelves
some, he refuses to show to anyone
it takes you so little time to feel at home in the huge flat, the prospect of looking for an apartment for yourself is off the table before you actually start
and it doesn´t take long until you´re part of the routines like you´d been there since the beginning
Saturday and Sunday evenings are for movie nights
sometimes, Mor joins you, and you sit with Azriel on the couch, sharing a big bowl of popcorn while staring at Rhys and Cassian argue about which Star Wars movie to start with
you go to the gym with Cassian or accompany him on a run
(well, he´s running - you´re on your bicycle, because there´s no way you can keep up with that dude´s long legs)
in the evenings, you usually end up all in the kitchen for dinner, banter thrown over the dinner table
Azriel and you mostly take care of the grocery shopping together
it usually entails you trying to reach something on a high shelf and Azriel huffing, moving to grab it without even having to stretch
both him and Rhys own motorcycles
while Cassian likes to stick to his old, beat up truck, Rhys has a car as well, but alternates between it and the motorcycle
more often than not, he uses it as opportunity to flirt
"Come on, darling." Leaning back on his motorcycle, he sends you a grin that makes your cheeks heat a little. "I´ll give you a ride."
"That´s what she said,", a deep voice somewhere behind you mumbles, and your heart flips a little when you look over your shoulder and feel your lips part when Azriel brushes past you, sending you a rare grin that makes you beam at him and Rhys huff.
small cleaning duties in the apartment are rotating between the four of you
but big-once-a-month-deep-cleans are something you make a day of
blasting music, you divide the flat and get to work
(bathroom duty is rotated)
in the (very rare) case of an argument, it usually ends in one of you being mediator
aka after a cooling off period, the arguing parties are locked in the pantry until they´ve talked things out
it works surprisingly well
sometimes, the boys bring someone home
it usually comes with a text or the very oldschool sock on the door
(you ban that one after Cassian forgets it and you walk into the flat unsuspectingly only to be flashed
Cassian apologizes profoundly
after he´s done laughing)
(there are also a few awkward encounters in the hall in the morning that leave you contemplating not running around in just big t-shirts)
Feyre still gives you rides to campus and back
but sometimes, it´s Azriel waiting in the parking lot instead, leaned against his motorcycle, two helmets next to him.
it does not help with the way your heart seems to speed up whenever you find his amber eyes on you.
but you´re very adamant on pushing that away.
it´s probably not that serious anyway.
it would be wrong to say your life was boring before you met the three idiots you now call your roomates
but it sure as hell is a lot better now that you have
even if they do drive you a little nuts sometimes
@azrielshadows1nger @waytoomanyteenagefeels
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requested:Reader is a one of Hybern’s strongest sorcerer. She was captured by the night court when the war was over. She saw Azriel during the interrogation and the mating bond snapped. They began to get to know each other and fell in love in secrets. Rhys found out and forbid them from seeing each other. Now it’s Azriel’s choice to choose to follow his own heart or betray his brothers. warning: blood?
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Azriel wasn't sure what had happened. Rhys, Cassian, and he had located the place where Hybern kept the most important players of the army. King's strongest. His main source of strength. The task was pretty simple. Find the main link and eliminate it without killing it. Leave no trace.  No evidence of anyone being there. That was the only possible way for them to win this war. Rhys wanted to understand what was giving Hybern's army the upper hand. What was so powerful and unstoppable that even Rhys and his wicked ways couldn't find a way to stop it? He had never heard of anyone with such powers. Maybe a high lord but then who among the high lords would mix their powers and choose to work with him?
They did find it. And for some reason, probably naive one, Azriel, had it in his mind that they were on the search for some old, cranky, twisted-minded creature or maybe some wicked witch who was most definitely a male but not a young, sophisticated-looking female, ready to kill them on the spot without a second thought. The moment you came into sight - it's like everything in life has stopped.
Yet that wasn't the only thing that made Azirel's heart skip a beat. You were powerful beyond all measures. The powers you held were nothing like any of them had seen before. They researched to make sure that they would know what they could potentially be up against, but nothing that they read in the books compared to what they were seeing in action. It looked like you controlled everything and nothing at the same time. It's as if whatever your mind wished for came true. You didn't need to speak. As for it, you made no sound as you moved around. Blazing them with dragon-mouthed fires, ice daggers, and things Azriel didn't even have names for. You didn't just control the power. You were the power. One thing was clear: it was you who gave the winning power to Hybern. Only because of you has the war that had just begun swung more to their opponent's side. Without you, they would've been down within minutes, but with you casting spells, creating shields, and unleashing powers so potent, it was all they needed to destroy everything that stood in their way.
And whatever the brothers considered, they did not calculate what would happen if, by any chance, they would be overthrown by your power. And that was exactly what happened. Neither of them got to come close enough to you. Your powers kept them at bay. You had Rhys in your claws, digging and breaking his bones one by one. Cassian was on his knees, holding onto his ears. But it was the moment you turned to Azriel that something shifted. Now, from somewhere up in the sky, you have almost landed on the ground. It's like you froze. Not a single muscle in your body flinched or moved.
Azriel knew right there and then that he had never seen anyone as beautiful as you before. Your lushest dark chocolate brown hair, your crystal blue eyes, and the scar that marked your left eye. It's like no matter how hard he tried to breathe, not a single drop of air was entering his lungs. Your power didn't touch him. You didn't hurt him. Didn't bend him. Didn't try to cripple him. Even your expression changed and softened in some ways. And Azriel would've reached for you, but it was Cassian, who had used this opportunity as a way to break free of your magic chains and launched the end of his sword into the side of your head. Knocking you unconscious as the blood trickled down the side of your head. Something in Azriel twisted at the sight of that. And then everything moved so quickly. Cassian roughly shoved you to the side before Rhys pointed to Azriel and ordered him to take you out of there. His two brothers continued to fight the war that they were now unquestionably going to win, while the spymaster was left to bring you back to Night. Eliminate you, but not kill you. 
Azriel wasn't sure what was happening to him. Was it some sort of spell you had cast? He had fought with so many enemies and tortured so many of them, as well. He was desperately trying to tell himself that he felt weird about it only because you were a female. A part of him never got comfortable enough with torturing one. He just couldn't bring himself to it; those interrogations were always the hardest. But there was something more about you, and he could feel it. Something shifted the moment you saw each other, and he had a solid feeling that it wasn't just him who felt that.
Azriel felt it was wrong to bring you to the dungeons. To lay you on cold, damp rocks. Lay you down in some filth. With you up there in the sky, you looked unstoppable, unbendable, and unbreakable. But now, with you unconscious in his arms, you looked nothing but fragile. And he knew he shouldn't do it. It was rule one of interrogations: you can't form connections, and you can't feel sympathy. But after carefully laying you down on the furry blanket, he wasn't even sure where he pulled from. Azriel moved to quickly dampen a cloth in some water so he could gently wipe away the blood that was starting to crust at the side of your face. And damn him for doing so because the moment his fingers touched your warm skin, the bond snapped into place, and Azrael wished he was dreaming. Wished this wasn't how he had just met his mate. It couldn't be like this. Mother wouldn't do him dirty like this. He watched you lay there for some time. He even wondered about taking you someplace, getting you away from Night court, or finding a shelter to hide you and telling Rhys and Cassian that you had woken up, beaten him up, and escaped. Eliminate but not kill. Those words were the only ones that gave him hope. It made him choose against all of the other plans he had made in his mind.
"Why is she still not locked up?", the sound of Rhysand's voice made Azriel jump away from you. Panic rushed through him, and for a second, he didn't know what to say. "How do you lock up someone with such power? Do you think the bars of the cell will hold her back?" The tone of his voice was pushing the line, and Azriel should have knocked it a tag lower. But he just couldn't help himself at that moment. "Good, thinking brother", then the sight of metal, spiked chains came into view. Chains sponged in some unknown liquid. The moment Rhys stepped forward, to firmly grab your hand, Azriel almost cried out in discomfort. But he put on a blank face as he watched Rhys chaining your ankles and wrists. The high lord firmly pulled the blanket from beneath your body, letting you crush to the cold ground.
"I doubt she'll wake up anytime soon. We can go upstairs and have a meeting, recap everything," Rhys said firmly before walking out of the dungeons. Azriel was still looking at you. The need to cover you up and make sure that you weren't going to freeze was screaming inside his head. "Azriel", Cassian touched the spymaster's shoulder. He tried to follow his brother's gaze, but Azriel turned to him straight away. "You're okay?", the Lord of the Bloodshed questioned. Azriel turned away from you even if the pull was making it hard for him to move, "Why would I not be? Let's go". 
The meeting was draining. Azriel barely kept up with the conversation. He stumbled over his words, missed key points, and in all honesty, mentally he was in the dungeons, not upstairs in a fancy work room of Rhys's. So the moment the high lord pulled out a bottle of dark brown liquor, the spymaster excused himself, saying that he just wanted to sleep and would drink up for celebration the next day. Regardless of his escape plan, Rhys still made Azriel sit through one glass of conversation before he could go. The spymaster was glad the two males were occupied as he went down and down the stairs. He had to make sure you were at least awake. Cassian didn't hold back when he wanked your head, so for all he knew, you could be there with a serious concussion. Yet before Azriel even got to open the main doors that led to the underground cells, light cries filled his ears.
Here you were sitting in the corner of the cell, hands gripping one another as you cried. Azriel's heart sank as he rushed to you. "It hurts, it hurts," you shrieked, moving and shaking your hands, which now had light lines of blood covering them from the spikes. "Please, it hurts so much," you said, looking up at him, and Azriel moved without a second thought as he reached for the keys. "I'll get them off, don't worry," he whispered worriedly. Working as quickly as he could with his slightly trembling hands.
The second the locks snapped open, you launched yourself forward, long nails digging into the neck of the man in front of you. As wave after wave of your powers rushed through you, "Pathetic, shadow singer, falling for a trick as old as time," you looked down at him, teeth clenched. You felt his pulse beneath your fingers, yet he didn't trash, didn't fight you. "Oh, come on, cry at least a little. There's no fun if you just gape at me," you said, running the back of your hand alongside his cheek, as you smirked. "You won't hurt me, and you know that", firmly gripping your other hand, Azriel moved it to his chest to his beating heart, and your face fell.
Of course, you felt it. It was what got you here in the first place. What got you distracted. What got you to not guard your back. It took you one look. One looks his way, and everything around you crumbled. It was just him. Him. Him. Him. You pulled your nails back quickly, turning away from the male. This was bad enough; you weren't going to let him see you distressed. See you week and confused. You needed to stand your ground. Azriel quickly cupped his neck, blood coating his fingers. At least this would be good enough evidence that he had an interrogation with you. Maybe it's even good enough to keep them away from the dungeons.
"Have you been awake for a while?", Azriel asked softly. He could feel the panic slowly rising inside you. "Put them on and leave", pushing your wrist towards the male, you waited for him to chain you again. You weren't going to participate in this. You wanted him out of this place. Anyone but him. It was easier to bear the pain alone. When your feelings would melt into this unidentifiable mush. Everything was too real when he was here. "Chain me, or I'll skin you with my fingers and enjoy every minute of it," you said as you let your magic paint the tips of your fingers. Only glaring at the winged worrier that stood in front of you through your shielded gaze. The gaze of death. Emptiness. 
You refused all food and water that was brought to you. You didn't talk. Didn't move. And at first, Azriel was more than fine with just chugging the food out of the window or leaving it there for the rats. If space in the form of this anger was what you needed, then so be it. Rhys hadn't cared much about what was happening in the dungeons anyway. The only thing he questioned was the nail holes in his spymaster's neck, which in the end didn't pique his interest too much. With the war won and his court and mate safe, the last thing Rhys cared about was some girl in the cell.
This particular evening, Azriel debated not going to you at all. What was the point? He tried everything. Eating himself off your plate so you would know that it wasn't poisoned. Sat there just to keep you company. Left you alone with your food in case you wanted to eat by yourself. Nothing. So why was he bothering? Maybe bringing nothing would finally do the trick. Yet he still went. And the tray of food nearly fell from his hands when he didn't see you in your usual corner, where you threw dagger glares at the metal bars.
No, you were slumped over to the side. Drops of sweat covered your forehead. For a second, Azriel felt this nauseating fear that you might have been dead, but then your shallow breaths hit his ears. He rushed to you, pushing away the hair that stuck to your damp skin. Your eyes blinked open, but only for a split second. Did you catch something, or was this from the lack of fluids and food? The shadows singer once again undid all the chains that bound you. Carefully turning you to your back as you growled in disapproval, as he said, "So killing yourself like this seemed better to you than accepting my help, huh?" The shadow singer lifted you from the ground with ease. And you would have questioned what he was doing, but you couldn't bring yourself to, even if the magic that was now free to run through you slowly added to your strength.
Azriel was thankful for his shadows, which let him move through the hallways without being seen. Keeping you both hidden from any lingering eyes. And the moment he entered his room, a wall of shadows rose over the door itself. You were slightly more alert than when he found you, but your body was still visibly drained. "You're going to eat the food I'll bring you, or I'll shove it down your throat." As much as you wanted to show him your teeth and fight back, you chose silence. His words sounded like an order anyway. And so you ate from every plate that the spymaster forced your way, carefully monitoring every single bite that you took. Urging you to keep going every time you pushed a plate further away from you.
"Wasn't that hard, was it?", the male asked, and you flashed him an annoyed grimace. "Won't your master behead you for what you are doing now?" Your words brought back a sense of reality. Azriel wasn't sure what Rhys would do. This, of course, wasn't a part of the interrogations, but then again... "Would you care if that was the case?", you shot him a glimpse, "Do you think I'm heartless?". Azriel said nothing to that, even if that was the furthest thing from the truth. "I'm Azriel, but you probably know that, considering that you were most likely the king's favorite." Your face paled at the sound of that. Something like fear flashed through your eyes. "I didn't choose to do this. I didn't get a pretty invite to the war if that is what you are implying", you rose from the bed slowly, walking closer to the male, "He came in and killed all of my relatives. All of their powers, along with my ancestors', became mine. I didn't have a say. He liked my face for his pleasure; that's why I was there." Azriel felt his muscles tensing up. Any man would tense at the realization of their mate being put in danger. Used for someone else's needs. But he pushed those thoughts aside. He wanted to comfort you. Say something that might ease the ache, but he didn't know words good enough for that.
"Take a bath if you want. Hot water would do you good," you snickered. "Apologies, my lord, if after weeks in a cell, I don't smell like a daisy," you said as you bowed your head down, clearly mocking him. "I didn't mean it like that. It's cold there; it would be good to bring some warmth back to your bones," Azriel said, gesturing to the bathroom. He walked in first to get everything ready. You couldn't lie; the sound of the trickling water itself was enough to make your knees weak, and it was warm as well. A shiver ran down your back, and you made your way to the room. Even if you kept your arms tightly wrapped over your chest.
And that's how things were. From that night on, every other night, Azriel would come down and bring you up to his room. "To warm you up," he said. But you both knew this ran way deeper than that. You talked for hours upon hours. At first, the conversations felt bland, almost as if you both tried to find reasons to fight. But gradually, you began to let each other in, and the conversations became more real, not as calculated and cunning, but rather from within a heart rather than a brain. Between your kind mating bond wasn't as usual, so the concept of it was foreign to you. Azriel had spent multiple evenings explaining to you what this was and what kind of bond kept you two together. Chosen by the mother and the cauldron itself. It would've probably sounded magical if it weren't for the circumstances of how you two met. No matter how much you two tried to hide it, every minute that was spent together was marked by the lingering fear of it being your last.
Even if Rhys was given all of the information you told Azriel, the spymaster has no idea what kind of interest his high Lord had in you. What was your purpose here? What did he want from you? Was going to ask you to be on their side? Why keep you in a dungeon? But the thought of it all ending up with you dead crippled all of Azriel's senses. So he refused to think about it. He refused to think through the plan he would need to execute if that one day become a reality. "Are you a rule breaker?", you had asked him one evening as you lay spread out on his bed, only Azriel's clothes now covering your body. Azriel chuckled, "Depends on the situation and who I am breaking the rules for," with a smug smile that matched his own covered your lips. It was no lie that you two had grown fond of one another. Whether it was the bond or the genuine connection that was developing, the chemistry between you was undeniable." So are you saying that I'm good enough to make you break rules?", you chirped happily as the spymaster sat on the bed and your hands found his naked torso. "Have I not made it clear?", Azriel turned to you, hands running through your hair as he leaned nearer to bring you closer to him. 
You had lost track of the time that night. And it had almost resulted in both of you needing to face some serious consequences for your actions, as Azriel quickly winnowed you both to the dungeons and locked you up right before Rhys said Cassian walked in. Yeah, you were his secret poison now. Some mystical thing Azriel never expected to find. Something that would turn him against his own high lord. No matter what scenario he played in his mind, it always led to you; No matter what picture Azriel painted, the ending was always the same. It was you, not Rhys, that he chose. You two opted for staying in dungeons after that. Now it was Azriel who came down late at night, bringing a couple of blankets with him as he made his way into the cell before bringing you closer to his body. Both wings wrapped around you as a shield from the cold that swirled around the place, keeping you safe and sound till the first rays of sun started to creep through the tiny windows.
That was also not a sight Rhys expected to see when he decided to take the final interrogation into his own hands. His shadow singer. His spymaster. Curled up on the floor with you in his arms, sleeping. This knocked the air out of Rhys's lungs. How long has this been going on? And all of it behind his back? Rhys trusted Azriel with his life while he was here doing this. You were woken up by the sharp pain of someone pulling at the chains. And you didn't realize what was going on until you were out of the cell with Azriel still sleeping inside. The purple-eyed man was in front of you, gritting his teeth. "What did you do, bitch?" His fingers wrapped around your throat, and a squeal left your lips. Azriel jumped up at the sound of that. Blood running cold at the sight of Rhys standing there. He tried to open the cell door, but it was locked. Rhys must have put a spell on them to keep Azriel away.
"Rhys, listen to me," Azriel started, but his high load didn't pay him any mind. All of his attention was on you, "You lost  Your king is dead. You're nothing but a piece of trash now," the high lord shouted into your face, making your body tremble. "She's innocent, she's done nothing; let her go," Azriel yelled from within the cell. Even if he knew his body weight would do nothing against the magic, he couldn't help but try to break free. Try to get to you. To save you. "What kind of nonsense did you pour into his brain?", Rhys shook your body viciously. You let out yet another cry, "I didn't do anything, please, I didn't...", but you could tell that your words didn't reach his heart. "I gave you the order to carry out an interrogation, and what did you end up doing? You slept with her," you shook your head as much as the grip Rhys had on you would allow you to. "I should've done this all by myself," the lord barked. His eyes, not leaving you even for a second. He pulled out a dagger and pressed it onto your neck, saying, "Take the curses away from him, and then I might spare you", "There's no curse Rhys", Azriel shouted with so much pain that even your heart twisted inside your chest, "No curse, just a meeting bond. She's my mate."
The high lord froze in place, his eyes now fully focused on his spymaster. "No, no," he whispered, "That can't be true." Rhys hoped it wasn't, but he could feel the bond between the two of you. It was a wonder that he hadn't noticed all this time. Both of your smells were mixed. And Azriel glowed. A glow of a male who had found his other half. A glow that had to be there for weeks. How had he been so clueless? "I won't allow this," Rhys said through gritted teeth. "Sucks that you're not a God then", you said as the high lord pushed you to the side, and your skin came into contact with the rough surface. Azriel's pleading eyes were still trying to find his high lord to make him understand why he had done it. You were innocent. Taken into that war against your own will. But there was nothing there, just some unknown rage for Hybern that was still lingering.
Azriel shouted your name, and then his high lord's, as Rhys lifted a dagger so he could pierce it through your heart. But he was met with a wall of magic. Your power was now rubbing up against his. What Rhys failed to see was that the chains around you were loose all this time, and Azriel had left the key into them as well. "I didn't want to do it like this," you said, slowly moving to break the spell around the cell Azriel was locked in.
"If you had asked, I would have given you all the answers, but you don't deserve them," your magic seeped through Rhys as he fell to his knees. Azriel knew he was free to go, but his legs felt frozen. He told himself that this decision was easy. But now that he was finally made to pick a side, he felt helpless. "Go, Az, I'll catch up to you," you whispered through gritted teeth as a wave of Rhyland's magic slammed into you. "Azriel?", you questioned when the male didn't move. "Are you betraying your court, brother?", Rhys snarled. Fear flooded you. Was he going to abandon you? But then Azriel's eyes met yours, and he nodded quickly, as he stepped closer to you.
"I'm not leaving you alone", "I'll hold him down, go before someone notices. I'll find you", his hands gazed over your skin. The thought of leaving you here alone was unsettling, but it was true, you had better chances of disappearing if you separated for a while. Azriel pressed a kiss to the side of your head, breathing in your scent one more time. "Azriel...," now it was Rhys who was pleading, but the shadow singer only shook his head, "It was you who betrayed me, Rhys. You're too focused on yourself. It's not only you who matters in this world". 
With one last look at his high lord, Azriel moved to the hidden pathway before turning to you with a smirk, "Don't keep me waiting for too long, baby girl", you let out a giggle, turning to him just a little, "You needy bastard, let me have my fun". And as Azriel hurried down the different paths, rubbing your scent onto the walls in hopes of confusing the ones chasing you when you needed to flee yourself, he knew that he didn't care where you two would end up. He was willing to be in the midst of hellfire as long as you were together.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
All acotar writing: @brekkershadowsinger @cityofidek @baebeepeach @lucyysthings @hideing @urfavbrunettebish @historygeekqueen @marina468
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princesssarisa · 1 year
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Sleeping Beauty Spring: "Favourite Fairy Tales: Sleeping Beauty" (1984 animated short)
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Favourite Fairy Tales is a 1984 British VHS compilation of four short animated fairy tale adaptations: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Rumpelstiltskin, Little Red Riding Hood, and Sleeping Beauty. They were produced by Bill Melendez Productions, a studio co-founded by the same Bill Melendez who directed many of the classic Peanuts cartoons, and which had previously produced the 1979 animated version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Each short is roughly five to eight minutes long, and narrated by John Rhys-Davies, who also speaks the lines of every character.
Sleeping Beauty is the last short in the collection. Predictably, it offers a simple, straightforward retelling of the tale that combines details from both the Grimms' and Perrault's versions. The King and Queen long in vain for a child, until one day, as in the Grimms' tale, a frog foretells the Princess's birth to the Queen. When the Princess is born, six good fairies attend the feast, each one a beautiful young woman with a different hair color, hair style, and unique costume. (A refreshing change from so many other versions where the fairies all look alike.) Meanwhile, the villainous seventh fairy – whom the King and Queen forgot to invite because she had been missing and presumed dead for many years, as in Perrault's version – is a severe figure dressed in purple and with a tall headdress, who appears and vanishes in bursts of flame.
Fifteen years later, on her birthday, the Princess plays a game of hide and seek with her nurse, and she sneaks into a secluded tower room to hide. There, of course, she finds the evil fairy disguised as an old woman with a spinning wheel. When they find her asleep, the distraught King and Queen place her on a couch decked with flowers. But the fairy who altered the curse from death to sleep – a beauty dressed in gold, with long white hair – arrives and freezes the castle in place with her magic. This includes a pageboy comically frozen just as he's about to sneeze (the animators must have seen the 1955 German film version). Then a forest of briars grows around the castle and the story passes into legend.
A hundred years later, the Prince, who has heard the tale of Sleeping Beauty since childhood, is out hunting, and he pursues a stag into the briars around the castle. The briars part for him, he goes inside, and the ending plays out just as expected: the kiss, awakening, and happily ever after. The Prince and Princess are shown with children of their own, and the narrator tells us that the Princess became a beloved queen, who never forgot to invite anyone to celebrations.
The animation is simple and fairly crude, but colorful enough to appeal to children, and the medieval setting and the character designs are effective. The Princess, with her long dark hair adorned with pink roses, is appropriately beautiful in a way that's refreshingly different from Disney's Aurora. Meanwhile, John Rhys-Davies provides good narration, subtly altering his voice for each character but not to a silly degree.
An essential Sleeping Beauty this isn't, but as a simple introduction to the story for children, before they move on to more sophisticated versions, it works very well.
@ariel-seagull-wings, @thealmightyemprex, @comma-after-dearest, @the-blue-fairie, @autistic-prince-cinderella, @paexgo-rosa, @reds-revenge, @thatscarletflycatcher, @faintingheroine, @themousefromfantasyland
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smallerplaces · 4 months
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If my eBay lot of Kid Kore Katie clothes and shoes were not slowly circling a major city 70 miles away, being now three days past its original estimated delivery date, I would not be itching to do projects that can realistically be finished before I leave for a business trip this weekend.
For instance, I would not have been looking at Delilah the Dollar Tree Beauty, sitting on my desk with Kylie, and remembering "I have wigs."
Her hair rooting is better than Dollar Tree Beauties used to have, but it's not actually good., and
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I'm thinking that in one of the short wigs, Delilah would gain a more sophisticated mod look. I have a couple darker wigs, but I'm enticed by the elegance of having her hair match her skin. This leaves her more ethnically ambiguous, but since she already turned out too light to be my Actually Dark-Skinned Black Doll, I'm okay with that.
Plucking out her hair will be a nice project to help me endure Harry Wild, which is not working for me even though I've liked other Acorn offerings of the same type, including My Life Is Murder. But it would behoove me to be pleasant about show choice, since Dad endured S2 of Chelsea Detective for me, and it dragged. I loved S1, mostly due to Priya's arc, and of course she's not back this season. Layla is perfectly fine (though a knock-off of DI Mared Rhys from Hinterland), but the characters have no development this season. DI Max Arnold's life on a houseboat and tension with his almost-ex-wife gets a lot of screen time but doesn't lead him to change or grow in any way. The others are left as ciphers: if we hadn't spent time with them in S1, they might as well be cardboard cut-outs.
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ogradyfilm · 2 months
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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny: The Delicate Art of Franchise Exhumation
[The following review contains SPOILERS; YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!]
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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is all about the inexorable march of time. When we rejoin our aged protagonist in the film’s “present day” setting of 1969 (following an excessively lengthy prologue that flashes back to 1944), we discover that he has essentially been discarded by life and abandoned by the American Dream. His son is dead—a casualty of the Vietnam War. His wife, inconsolable in her grief over the loss, has filed for divorce. And on top of everything else, he’s being forced to retire from his teaching position at Hunter College. His students are too distracted by news of the recent moon landing to pay attention to his lectures; why bother researching the past when the future is now?
One notable exception to this fatalistic philosophy is Jürgen Voller, a former Nazi scientist employed by the U.S. government courtesy of Operation Paperclip. Still bitter over Germany’s defeat at the hands of the Allies, the not-so-good doktor seeks to acquire Archimedes’ Antikythera, an ancient relic rumored to be capable of literally rewriting history. Mads Mikkelsen navigates the role with aplomb, finding a surprising degree of depth in what could easily have been a flat, two-dimensional villain. No matter how suave, sophisticated, and confident he pretends to be, Voller is ultimately a feeble mathematician, not a soldier; he relies on hired muscle to fight his battles for him—because his own infrequent attempts at gunplay and fisticuffs usually result in spectacular failure.
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Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s performance as Indy’s estranged goddaughter Helena Shaw is equally superb. Despite the right-wing blogosphere’s insistence that the Fleabag creator’s “woketevist” politics would ruin the movie, her character is a far cry from the girl power feminist wish fulfillment strawman that they imagined. She is neither morally nor intellectually superior to our hero—on the contrary, she is a compulsive liar and a petty thief; her greed, ambition, and opportunism consistently cause more problems than they solve. Indeed, her arc revolves entirely around gradually shedding her ruthlessly pragmatic, self-serving attitude.
At the end of the day, however, this is Harrison Ford’s show, and his (allegedly) final outing as the iconic archeologist is appropriately poignant. While the actor acknowledges the unavoidable fact of his advanced “mileage,” he wisely refuses to make it the butt of a cruel, shallow joke. Indy is no longer physically fit enough to punch his way out of every conflict, and he is slower to recover from his numerous injuries, but he nevertheless remains as cunning, resourceful, and doggedly determined as ever. But Ford’s true strength lies in his vulnerability; after decades of adventuring—plundering tombs, pummeling tyrants, and witnessing terrible miracles—Dr. Jones has accumulated a great deal of trauma. Normally, he hides his burden well, carrying himself with quiet dignity. Occasionally, though, his façade cracks, allowing the audience to briefly glimpse his repressed guilt, remorse, and regret. These rare, fleeting moments of emotional authenticity are captivatingly beautiful.
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Dial of Destiny isn’t perfect, but neither is it the soulless nostalgia bait that many fans were dreading. Regardless of its structural shortcomings, it features actual themes—even John Rhys-Davies’ obligatory cameo appearance serves a clear narrative purpose. And considering the current state of the industry—corporations reducing the art of cinema to digital “content” that exists only to sell subscriptions to streaming platforms—that's got to count for something, dammit!
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safetypinxtales · 3 months
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Hello there,
Just rushed through Lonely with you because the way you subtly focused on Az legs has me sweating like a sinner in church. And then him being so sophisticated about the whole situation. Ugh.
Love love love it!
Also bad Az for leaving reader alone in the morning :(.
I am so down bad for how you describe him on the training field. Just like the way that the words work together: chefs kiss.
The studying of the cobble stones - the ancient way of diverting your attention so you do not get blinded by the Shadowsingers beauty.
THE HAND TWITCH.
“Being around you hurts!” - did not expect my bedtime reading to hurt like that.
The bouquets, probably asked Cas and Rhys what to do when you accidentally make a lady upset :(.
Love how Az is the pretty boy but seems so utterly helpless when it comes to feelings.
THIS WAS SO GOOD! 😩
Is there anything else you’re working on or any ideas swirling inside of your head? 😌
AAAAHHH, WASNT EXPECTING TO SHED A FEW TEARS THIS FINE EVENING, THIS IS SO NICE THANK YOU🤍🤍🤍
Az definitely went to Rhys and Cas for help with his lady troubles, no one can convince me otherwise!
I have a few very loose ideas about future works atm, but I also have a lot going on at uni these next couple of weeks with exams and masters applications, buuut I'm gonna try to put something together whenever I have some free time over (or at least start on something lol).
Again, THANK YOU, you are to sweet and kind aaaand I'm blubbering again, but thankyouthankyouthankyou, I'm so glad you enjoyed!!🤍
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thailandestate · 9 months
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10 Trendy Wedding Flowers, Perfect for Every Bride
10 Trendy Wedding Flowers, Perfect for Every Bride
Selecting the perfect flowers for a wedding ceremony can be both challenging and enjoyable for any bride. However, finding an extravagant solution is not always necessary. Instead, take inspiration from the experience shared by the most elegant brides of the century. Whether you're searching for exquisite centerpieces for a grand wedding or small arrangements for any other occasion, be sure to visit Flowwow Brasil, the best online marketplace with fast and reliable delivery.
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Peony – The Queen of All Weddings
Nicole Kidman made a bold statement in the wedding world in 2001 by choosing exquisite white Duchesse peonies for her ceremony, cementing her status as an iconic trendsetter. This choice was later embraced by other celebrities, including Nicole Ricci and Jennifer Lopez, making white peonies a popular choice for all marriage-related occasions. Besides their stunning appearance, peonies are also known for their rich aroma, which possesses relaxing properties - making them especially relevant for a restless bride!
Phalaenopsis Orchid – Unique Tropical Deities
Considered one of the most "feminine" flowers in modern floristry, orchids are a must-have in cascading, waterfall-shaped bouquets. White Phalaenopsis orchids were famously chosen by Milla Jovovich, Eva Longoria, and Sofia Vergara for their big day ceremonies. If you're looking to add a pop of vibrant color to your centerpieces, blue, pink, purple, and even yellow orchids would make a brilliant alternative. Orchids are a versatile and elegant choice that are sure to add a touch of sophistication to any wedding celebration.
Freesia – The Choice of Aristocrats
Freesias, with their fragrant and refreshing aroma, pair perfectly with cream roses, white tulips, or stephanotis' little wax stars. These gentle flowers have always been an unrivaled choice for classic-style weddings, frequently making appearances in the hands of royal brides like Diana Spencer, Sophie Rhys-Jones, and Pippa Middleton. Their delicate beauty and subtle elegance make freesias a timeless choice for any bride looking to add a touch of sophistication to her special day.
Ranunculus – The Reign of White Petal
Bold and expressive, ranunculus flowers immediately capture everyone's attention with their appearance, which appears as if assembled from thousands of finest muslin petals. While they look splendid in mono-bouquets, they also fully prove their worth when paired with creamy roses, fluffy peonies, and snowy white jasmine, as recently proven by Priyanka Chopra. The combination of these flowers creates a stunning visual display that is both elegant and eye-catching, making ranunculus a popular choice for any bride looking to add a touch of sophistication to their wedding ceremony.
Eustoma – For Originality and Volume
Dainty and fragile, eustomas add significant volume to bouquets of both round and elongated shapes, making them irresistibly beautiful. These flowers come in a large variety of shades, making them ideal for dozens of unique styles, from boho chic to goblincore. In the world of celebrity weddings, former Miss Hong Kong, Grace Chan, elegantly combined both ranunculus and eustoma in her bridal bouquet, showcasing the stunning beauty of these two flowers together. Eustomas are a versatile and elegant choice that can add a touch of delicate beauty to any wedding ceremony.
Gypsophila – An Old Tradition
Gypsophila, also known as baby's breath, has long been a favourite of wedding florists due to its thin, long stems with myriads of tiny round buds. If you're dreaming of holding a soft white cloud during the ceremony, mono-bouquets with this variety are a perfect choice. For a more unique solution, consider a gypsophila flower crown, as seen in Ashley Tisdale's outstanding wedding look. Gypsophila is a delicate and romantic flower that adds a touch of ethereal beauty to any wedding celebration.
Сalla Lily – Exotic, Graceful, and Pure
Calla lilies are known for their beautifully elongated shape, making them a popular choice for tall bouquets. White calla lilies, which symbolize femininity, purity, and innocence, are a popular choice for weddings. These flowers are an unsurpassed choice for venue decor, as demonstrated by Lauren Rodriguez's exquisite ceremony. For a touch of flaming passion or bashful tenderness, consider red and pink calla lilies, respectively. Calla lilies are a timeless and elegant flower that adds a touch of sophistication to any wedding celebration.
Gardenia – For Sophisticated Compositions��
Softly textured white flowers are a classic choice for intricate wedding bouquets of countless film stars. Gardenias, in particular, are perfectly compatible with roses, wildflowers, and bluebells, and are believed to prevent jealousy among newlyweds. These stunning flowers were showcased in bridal arrangements by both Maxima Zorreguieta and Princess Victoria, adding a touch of timeless elegance to their wedding celebrations. Gardenias are a delicate and luxurious flower that exudes sophistication and grace.
Lilies-of-the-valley – A Timeless Icon
White porcelain lilies-of-the-valley are a pure and simple flower that can touch the heart and soul of any young bride. These charming pearl-like flowers are perfect for natural-style weddings and are simply irreplaceable. Lilies-of-the-valley were famously used in the unforgettable wedding ceremonies of Grace Kelly, Duchess Katherine, Claudia Schiffer, and Elizabeth Hurley, making them a timeless choice for any bride. These delicate flowers symbolize sweetness, purity, and the return of happiness, making them a meaningful addition to any wedding celebration.
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Protea – The Symbol of Everlasting Luxury
If you're looking to stand out from the bridal crowd, consider the exotic and lavish-looking protea. With its bright pink cone-shaped appearance, this variety has recently become a trendy choice for weddings. Proteas are an unmatched choice for a resplendent bouquet and are perfect for an extravagant bride in an unconventional wedding dress, as demonstrated by Elle Exxe. These striking flowers symbolize transformation, diversity, and courage, making them an excellent choice for brides who want to make a bold statement on their special day.
FAQ:
What flowers make a nice wedding bouquet?
Additionally, if you're looking for something more modern and edgy, consider exotic proteas, bold ranunculus, or delicate orchids. These flowers can add a unique touch to your wedding bouquet and make a statement. Don't be afraid to mix and match different flowers and colors to create a personalized look that reflects your style and personality.
What is the most popular wedding bouquet?
That's a great point! Wildflowers can add a rustic, bohemian touch to a wedding and create a more natural, organic feel. They can also be more cost-effective than traditional wedding flowers. Other popular wildflowers for weddings include Queen Anne's lace, daisies, and baby's breath.
Which wedding flower is the most expensive?
That's correct! The cost of a bridal bouquet can vary greatly depending on the flower types, quantity, and complexity of the design. In addition, factors such as the location of the florist and the time of year can also affect the cost. Typically, more elaborate and intricate designs with expensive or exotic flowers will cost more than simpler designs with more common flowers. It's always a good idea to discuss your budget and preferences with your florist to find a bouquet that meets your needs and fits within your price range.
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flowwowsblog · 1 year
Text
10 Trendy Wedding Flowers, Perfect for Every Bride
10 Trendy Wedding Flowers, Perfect for Every Bride
Selecting flowers for a wedding ceremony can be a challenging yet pleasant task for any bride. While the decision is significant, it's not necessary to waste time searching for an extravagant solution. Instead, take advantage of the wisdom passed down by the most sophisticated brides of the century. Whether you're looking for stunning centerpieces for a luxurious wedding or modest arrangements for any other event, make sure to check out Flowwow London, the top online marketplace that offers quick and dependable delivery.
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Peony – The Queen of All Weddings
In 2001, Nicole Kidman established herself as an influential wedding trendsetter by selecting beautiful white Duchesse peonies for her ceremony. This style was subsequently adopted by other celebrities, such as Nicole Ricci and Jennifer Lopez, making white peonies the go-to choice for all marriage-related events. Peonies symbolize prosperity and good fortune, and their rich fragrance is renowned for its calming properties, which can be particularly useful for an anxious bride.
Phalaenopsis Orchid – Unique Tropical Deities
Orchids are perhaps the most conventionally "feminine" flowers used in contemporary floral arrangements, and they are essential for creating cascading, waterfall-style bouquets. Milla Jovovich, Eva Longoria, and Sofia Vergara famously opted for white Phalaenopsis orchids for their wedding ceremonies. However, if you prefer to add a pop of color to your centerpieces, blue, pink, purple, and even yellow orchids can be a fantastic alternative to consider.
Freesia – The Choice of Aristocrats
Freesias have a delicate and refreshing scent that complements cream roses, white tulips, or the little wax stars of stephanotis perfectly. These flowers are a timeless choice for classic-style weddings and have been favored by royal brides such as Diana Spencer, Sophie Rhys-Jones, and Pippa Middleton.
Ranunculus – The Reign of White Petal
Bold and expressive, ranunculus flowers are reminiscent of thousands of delicate muslin petals assembled together, making them an eye-catching choice. They make for stunning mono-bouquets, but they also pair beautifully with creamy roses, fluffy peonies, and snowy white jasmine, as demonstrated by Priyanka Chopra.
Eustoma – For Originality and Volume
Eustomas have a delicate and refined appearance that makes them an ideal choice for bouquets of both round and elongated shapes, as they add significant volume to any arrangement. With a wide variety of shades available, eustomas can fit into countless styles, ranging from boho chic to goblincore. Former Miss Hong Kong, Grace Chan, demonstrated her elegant taste by combining both eustoma and ranunculus in her bridal bouquet for her celebrity wedding.
Gypsophila – An Old Tradition
Long and slender stems adorned with countless tiny round buds make gypsophila a long-standing favorite among wedding florists. If you envision carrying a soft white cloud during your ceremony, a mono-bouquet of gypsophila is an excellent choice. For a more unconventional option, take inspiration from Ashley Tisdale's remarkable wedding look and consider a gypsophila flower crown.
Сalla Lily – Exotic, Graceful, and Pure
Calla lilies, with their stunning elongated shape, are among the world's most popular flowers and are frequently used to create tall bouquets. Wedding florists often choose the white variety, as it symbolizes femininity, purity, and innocence. This particular variety is an excellent choice for venue decor, as demonstrated by Lauren Rodriguez's exquisite ceremony. If you want to add a touch of fiery passion or bashful tenderness, consider red or pink calla lilies, respectively.
Gardenia – For Sophisticated Compositions 
Softly textured white flowers are a popular choice among film stars for creating intricate wedding bouquets that exude a classic look. Gardenias are particularly well-suited for pairing with roses, wildflowers, and bluebells, and are believed to prevent jealousy among newlyweds. Both Maxima Zorreguieta and Princess Victoria have showcased stunning bridal arrangements featuring gardenias.
Lilies-of-the-valley – A Timeless Icon
White porcelain lilies-of-the-valley are pure and simple, making them an ideal choice for any young bride. These charming pearl-like flowers are irreplaceable for natural-style weddings. Keep in mind that Grace Kelly, Duchess Katherine, Claudia Schiffer, and Elizabeth Hurley all chose lilies-of-the-valley for their unforgettable wedding ceremonies.
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Protea – The Symbol of Everlasting Luxury
To stand out from the crowd, consider selecting the exotic and lavish-looking protea for your wedding. This variety, which has the appearance of a bright pink cone, has only recently become a trendy wedding solution. Being an unmatched choice for a resplendent bouquet, these flowers will certainly be enjoyed by an extravagant bride in an unconventional wedding dress, as demonstrated by Elle Exxe.
FAQ:
What flowers make a nice wedding bouquet?
For traditional wedding ceremonies, the top choices among flowers are peonies, gardenias, and eustomas. However, other lovely options include delicate clusters of lilies-of-the-valley, spray roses (a miniature version of regular roses), charming daisies, and airy gypsophilas.
What is the most popular wedding bouquet?
Cream-colored roses and white phalaenopsis orchids have been popular choices in wedding floristry for a long time. However, with the current trend of embracing traditional styles, it's worth considering incorporating wildflowers such as bluebells, cornflowers, lavender, and cotton into your wedding bouquet.
Which wedding flower is the most expensive?
The price of a bridal bouquet is determined by the flower types and the chosen design, so the more intricate the arrangement, the higher the cost. For instance, a full boho-style bouquet featuring wildflowers and cotton will be more expensive than a simple white rose boutonniere.
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woozi · 3 years
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Here’s another ask game for caratblr! Assign your moots as seventeen comeback aesthetics (can include solos, OSTs, collabs, Japanese comebacks, etc) and say why you associate them with that aesthetic! Some can overlap too!
aww cute!! <3 i really had no criteria for choosing the following songs, but most of them are title tracks (although i deliberately left some out bc i couldn’t associate anyone w them jdkdfkj)! i’d say all of these are prominent svt songs though.
shining diamond — fun and fresh. a ride from start to finish. the beginning of it all. cringe sometimes but u love them. :/ literally rhys (@heartgyus).
adore u  —  ok but chey (@soonhoonsol) is as precious to me as this debut song is to svt. also the tempo of this song... very chey! can be fun, also goes mellow at times. <3
mansae  —   national anthem. resident representative. very emily (@iiasha) if i might say so. <3 also the energy of this song has the same energy as emily’s tags lol. songs to go mildly crazy to <3
pretty u — everything soft and beautiful. my emotional support k-pop song. it literally has mirelle (@leechaerok) vibes and no one can tell me otherwise.
very nice — honorary chaos partner: kale (@choibeomgyus) my beloved. <3 this is where svt says they peaked. similar to kale, she literally has peaked as well and i feel like this also suits her sm as she literally emits the same energy as this song. my bestie!!
boom boom  — (first of all, this house doesn’t tolerate boom boom slander. i’m gonna block all of u no matter how long we’ve been moots :/ JSDKJDSKJDS im kidding. maybe <3) that specific line where members go “u got me like boom boom, boom boom, yeah, boom boom, boom boom” in a deadpan voice especially reminds me of belle (@gotseventeens) for some reason 😭 and then the song goes insane. literally how belle and i went as mutuals <3 178/10 in my opinion. also belle likes this song but that’s not why i assigned her here 😌
change up  — calming, addictive riffs, comforting!! this is also what belle (@xuseokgyu) also feels like to me. also reliable vibes (it’s the svt leaders what can u expect!!)
clap  —  i feel like the guitar riff of this song is exactly how you’d feel when you see isa’s (@kwanies) blog. the vibes are off the charts. so much energy!! also the bridge part where they put up hearts??? literally isa with boo every time i see her.
thanks  — i don’t have the exact word to describe the feeling this song gives me, but i sense anna (@haniehae) vibes here. <3 deep & meaningful. makes ur heart go 🥺 very sophisticated as well.
call call call  — cool as fuck and will fuck you up if needed. nothing more to be said. it’s carrie (@art-hao). <3
oh my!  — just vibing. makes me happy. makes me want to dance every time i encounter it. just like e (@junhaoshua)!!
home — very oona (@vernons)!! like the song says, oona literally feels like someone you can call home. a place/person you can come to. <3
hit  — ok but hit is literally one of my favorite songs. and sofi (@mngys) is one of my favorite ccs <3 i just think she’s so cool.
fear  — i feel like u deserve this bc every time i get asks from u i feel both fear and excitement <3. @kaleidoscope-of-lillies (idk why i can’t tag u still :/)
snap shoot  — literal serotonin boost in the form of a song. personified, i think this would be lyns (@kyeomshine)!! and like snap shoot, i also miss her very much :(
fallin’ flower — literally the first person i thought of for this game. it’s izzie (@coupsnim!). this is an honorary title. <3 i can’t really explain it much but i feel like if izzie were to be in a movie, this would be her OST. she just has fallin’ flower vibes.
left & right — fun, cool, playful!! (i always see lnr slander but it’s one of my favorite eras. i’m looking at all of u rn :/) doesn’t take itself too seriously, but is addictive and makes u just want to jump and have a party. very cora (@ohoshi) . <3
24h — i don’t know why but dreamy (@scoupsy) immediately comes to mind. maybe it’s the reds sdkjkjdskjds. iconique. a gift from the gods themselves. truly popped off. also v refined but makes u want to go insane <3
home;run  — idk why i associate madison (@julyprince) with home;run, but i think it’s because it’s one of her first sets i came across? sjdfjkfd anyway home;run is for those who have taste <3 also classy
not alone — seeing nele (@seohoshi) on my notifs literally feels like what you’d feel hearing this song. i can’t describe it, but it’s wholesome and just <3. makes you feel :D.
spider  — my absolute favorite. the energy of this song.. unmatched. both of these descriptions also pertain to kaya (@vixenjun). <3
just do it — agent of chaos and good vibes. literally lee (@uriboogyu)! just do it is a really fun song that gives u strength, and that’s also how i see lee!
17  — like the song, i just think that aya (@wrongnanab) is very comforting. <3 i also always see rain edits of this song and the rain makes me want to get hot coffee/hot choco which reminds me of aya!!
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st-just · 3 years
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Semi-coherent Queen’s Gambit thoughts
Overall I really did enjoy the show, even if it might be a bit shallow, once you dig into it. Or, well,, having thought about it I could write a damning denunciation on request, anyway (but that’s true of basically everything I watch, so). Aesthetically gorgeous, of course. But honestly, what’s most interesting to me is how, like, deceptively upbeat and optimistic and generally joyful show it is?
Okay, so firstly – I really do mean it when I say it’s aesthetically beautiful. This show has singlehandidly convinced me that every change in fashion since the ‘60s has been a strict downgrade. The soundtrack’s absolutely sublime as well, both the licensed tracks and just the score – I’m almost certainly going to just be listening to the soundtrack as walking around music for quite a while. I’m no expert on cinematography, but there were a few scenes that were absolutely just showing off, and I sure as hell enjoyed the show (the American championship montage, obviously, and the pull-out in the Moscow hotel. And, well, pretty much every important chess game/tournament). Anna Taylor-Joy absolutely makes the show, and literally anyone whose watched more than two minutes of it probably agrees. Has one of those faces that is just amazing at getting across emotions and ideas without actually saying anything (and without looking like an idiot trying to do so). Really, the comparison that springs to mind is Mathew Rhys and Kerri Russel in The Americans, which is just about the highest praise I, personally, can give. So, yeah, give her and the people in costuming and set design Emmys, at a minimum.
And – getting critiques out of the way, in descending order of how much I care. Jolene is absolutely the most stereotypically Black Best Friend sort of character imaginable, and the conversation where she basically looks at the camera and says she doesn’t just exist to be Beth’s guardian angel doesn’t actually help that much. Beth finally summoning up the self belief and willpower to flush away her lifelong pill habit in the middle of a tournament and playing the next day without any sort of problems was a bit twee. Between the show’s utterly despair inducing vision of the life the women Beth went to school with have and Julie’s whole vitriolic anti-model spiel the show can come off a bit #notlikeothergirls (incidentally, whoever got the French a national stereotype of being sexy, well-dressed and sophisticated deserves a bigger statue in Paris). And, yeah, it’s not unjustifiable or even, like, unusually bad, but Beth hitting rock bottom does end up looking a lot like a playboy spread.
But, okay – when I say the series is remarkably upbeat what I mostly (magical addiction-curing character development aside) mean is that the world (or at last, the world of chess) is shown as fundamentally uplifting, kind, and pure. The conflict of the show is either the result of forced interactions with the rest of society, or Beth struggling with her own damage. Her birth mother and father, the orphanage, her utter piece-of-shit of an adoptive father, the other girls at school – these are all, broadly, terrible. But chess itself is an entirely positive part of her life, and while some of the people she meets through it are rude or condescending at first, they basically all very quickly grow to respect her and become extremely invested in her well-being and success (her relationship with her adoptive mother also becomes more positive and loving basically entirely in proportion to how supportive she is of Beth’s chess career). All of her rivals turn out to be gracious losers and perfect gentleman, and also usually fall in love with her (which, well, fair), and the closest things the series has to a defined, hateable villain (beyond Beth’s self-destructive tendencies) is her adoptive father,  not anyone in the chess world that consumes the vast majority of the plot.
The show’s take on gender roles and period-appropriate patriarchy. There is, to borrow and probably butcher (I believe) Kate Manne’s there is quite a lot of sexism in the show, but almost no misogyny. Which is to say, Beth has to deal with plenty of condescension, double-standards, suffocating expectations, and generally being being looked at askance, and the show is absolutely crystal clear that actually living up to those expectations is a miserable, soul-crushing, dream-killing husk of a life. But when she ignores them and demands to be accepted as a serious chess-player, once she shows that she’s as good as she acts like she is, everyone just, well, lets her. There’s no enforcement mechanism to the patriarchy, or if there is Beth is too exceptional to ever even see it. And no one ever becomes hateful or violently insecure when shown up by her – quite the opposite, really.
Semi-related, but for a show set during the Cold War it’s got an oddly positive view of the Soviet Union. Benny’s rant about how people actually care about chess and give it prestige, and how chess players there actually work together and cooperate instead of being obsessed with individual achievement (which the rest of the show goes on to make very clear is a virtue and something worth copying). There was a bit in the last episode along the same lines that actually made me smile – when the State Department/CIA goon asks Beth to tell the reporters how being in Moscow has made her proud to be an American, when she clearly (imo) is rather fond of the sudden adoring crowds and the reverence her sport is treated with.
Beyond jokes about the there being another universe 10 degrees off from this one where the whole thing is a VN where you beat each potential love interest in chess to unlock them, the comparison that comes to mind is honestly Among Others by Jo Walton. Not for, like, tone or subject matter or anything, but just for the general arc of ‘Weird Girl in mid 20th century deals with horrifying childhood trauma and alienation from the social life expected of her by diving headfirst into nerdy/esoteric subculture”.
But yeah, anyway, gorgeous, enjoyable show. Would watch again. Give Taylor-Joy an Emmy. Thank you again to @triviallytrue and @rox-and-prose for the recommendation. 
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paularonsgirl · 2 years
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Week 3 - Strictly
Judi & Graziano - great choice for her, character work was marvellous, lacked swivel at times, very light on her feet.
Dan & Nadiya - A bit lazy, practically walked through it, alright posture, just not his best today.
Sara & Aljaž - Spot on samba rhythm, bouncy, costume hid a lot of the hip action but what was there was excellent (maybe try to ‘extreme’ it so it stands out), fun and she’s finally letting go!
Aj & Kai - connection with kai and the character was *mwah*, smooth and sophisticated, lift mount and dismount i loved, proud of the fleckle, perfect heel ball flat for a 10.
Robert & Dianne - bit messy at times but thats the muppets, lovely timing, energy gave great speed in the first two thirds.
Greg & Karen - Captured the essence of bond, close your fingers a bit, Karen was amazingly used as a cape, looked a bit awkward rather than strong.
Tilly & Nikita - Few mistakes but recovered well, good retraction in the kicks and personality shone through, needs to work to energy levels.
Rose & Giovanni - A-MAZ-ING, beautiful technique, simple and effective, body contact was 👍🏻
Ugo & Oti - sure he did his daughters proud, fabulous timing, loved the lists, great character work, moana is so good.
Tom & Amy - the retraction 🥰 i love it, straighten your feet in the mouche, energy was on another level, so glad they are back!!
Adam & katya - great hip action but needs to be full body (that will make it less awkward), storytelling did well, connected well, strong lead.
Katie & Gorka - push the feet more into the floor, played the character well, great performance, lovely out of hold, GORKA PLEASE MARRY ME!
Rhys & Nancy - Easily my favourite dance of the night, soooo in sync, full of energy, accents were perfect, definitely his style, 10 was well deserved
John & Johannes - STRONG! fabulous shaping, covered the floor well, looked professional, costume choice with the long backs was underrated.
Overall, the level has been raised! good luck next week all.
Elimination Estimate = Dan & Nadiya
Elimination = Katie & Gorka
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justfinishedreading · 3 years
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The Mortal Instruments – Graphic Novel Vol.2 Story by Cassandra Clare, Artwork by Cassandra Jean
Yeah… so I bought volume 2 immediately after reading 1, and honestly, I’ve already bought and read volume 3 as well! For those of you who do not know these graphic novels are adaptations of a series of six books written by Cassandra Clare. Graphic novels volumes 1 and 2 complete the events of the first fiction book City of Bones, and I’m assuming that each original book is adapted into two volumes of graphic novels. Volumes 3 and 4 are already out and I believe cover book 2 City of Ashes, and volume 5 which will probably be published this year will be the start of book 3 City of Glass.
A new volume is published once a year around October or November. Quick maths calculation: in theory there should be 7 more volumes… published once a year… I’ll be done with this series in 2028! But that’s ok. Because illustration takes time. The art by Cassandra Jean is absolutely lovely and I wouldn’t want an artist’s work to be compromised in terms of quality just to get the volumes out quicker.
For this review I’m not going to discuss the events of volume 2, I haven’t read any of the original novels but I have seen the 2013 film The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones and also clips of the TV series, so I’m actually more interested in taking the time to do a light comparison of some of the characters and how they’ve been interpretated differently.
As I already said in my previous review, I really love the graphic novel version of Clary, she’s so cute and stubborn, and is similar to the film Clary. TV series Clary has the most hideous hair colour I’ve ever seen, it looks so artificial and neon at times, and in general all the young characters seem older in the TV series.
Like Clary, film Jace and graphic novel Jace feel very similar, both versions feel young and angelically beautiful but with a touch of vulnerability. I really dislike TV Jace, he seems too old, too blokey.
For me the biggest character change is Alec. Both in the film and the TV series Alec is older looking, more masculine and strong, almost buff. In the graphic novel he looks more like a teenager, more feminine, and physically and mentally more vulnerable. I don’t dislike any of the interpretations, although film Alec is a little ugly to me and aggressive, but in fairness, we don’t get a chance to see much of his character, and there is a hint at awkwardness and vulnerability. What I find curious is how the same character can be interpreted so differently.
Magnus is another character that is slightly different in each version. In the film we don’t see much of him but he seems like a very sexy, early-twenties trendy New Yorker type. In the TV series he’s a little bit older, more flamboyantly gay and eccentric, he has so much personality that he’s a delight to watch. Graphic novel Magnus is younger, looks like late teens / early twenties, sort of a cool urban hippie, the sort of young man who looks like he believes in new age spiritualism and goes surfing all the time. I do enjoy all interpretations.
Valentine played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the film, looks like a sexy urban pirate, vs the graphic novel interpretation of him as a sophisticated, handsome gentleman villain. TV Valentine looks more like a regular bloke, unlike the other two, this one isn’t as physically attractive to a younger audience.
Luke is the only character which I feel is similar in both the graphic novel and the TV series, both have this tight t-shirt wearing beefcake vibe, I love that the TV series went with a black actor for Luke, because why not? The story is set in present day New York, there’s no reason, not even story-wise, why main characters can’t be ethnically diverse. The Luke of the film is more homely, beardy and has wavy hair, there’s something about him that mutters “hello I’m a secondary love-interest and will never get the girl”, a very “Simon” vibe, whereas the graphic novel Luke is a definite hunk and clearly worthy enough to be a lead love interest for Jocelyn and to go up against Valentine.
Having written that, it does raise some potentially problematic issues about what we perceive to be leading man and secondary man traits. But I’ll leave that for a future review to cover.
Side Note: I don’t think I mentioned this in my first review of volume 1 but the only thing I don’t like about this graphic novel series is the production quality of the cover, nothing to do with the illustration design but specifically the finish or lack of finish to be honest, on the printed cover. Usually book cover can have a range of final finishes, the most basic of which are either a shiny, gloss finish, or matt with lamination layer. The lamination gives the paper some protection and a thicker feel. The covers on these books look like they’ve just been printed and received no finish at all. They might have but they don’t feel like they do, they feel cheap and a little flimsy, at first I thought perhaps Amazon had sent me one of their Print-on-Demand books, oh the horror, but no, when I ordered from an independent bookshop it was the same. It’s a shame because they books are really beautiful and it’s the production side that has let them down slightly.
Review by Book Hamster
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axwalker · 4 years
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Tears in heaven 6: Friends
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Synopsis: Alexis O’Brien is about to get married but memories of her old life are coming back to haunt her.
MASTERLIST
Pairings: Liam x MC Drake x MC (TRR)
Warnings:  NO ONE UNDER 18 should read this story. This is an 18+ blog. 
This story will deal with very dark subjects such as death, severe depression and suicide attempt (among others) if you’re triggered by any of those issues, PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS STORY
N*SFW
A/N: The story will go back and forth between three different periods of time (2010 / 2015 / 2019). In this chapter, the flashbacks cover an extended period of time. 
A/N:  I’m well aware that Drake would want to name his kid Jackson. But as this is an AU, where something very sad happens, I decided to no not give this little boy, the name of one of their canon babies.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pixelberry.
Word count: 6,200 (sorry!!)
Songs inspiration: Tears in heaven by Eric Clapton
THANKS TO:  @burnsoslow   for beta reading so thoroughly, editing, correcting so many English mistakes, and help me to figure out some parts of the storyline. TE QUIERO MUCHO. ❤️
@pedudley​ I appreciate your feedback so much. I LOVE YOU ❤️
September 2009- June 2017
Liam had been in love with Alexis for more than eight years.
It had started after that day at the Derby. Drake and Alexis had spent one Sunday with Liam in Valtoria watching Indiana Jones movies, drinking whiskey, and exchanging anecdotes. From that day on, the three of them started to spend a lot of time together. And, with time, Alexis and Liam became good friends. She always listened to him and gave him sensible advice; she knew better than anyone what it meant to have a demanding father like Constantine. She was funny, witty, and passionate. She made him laugh and encouraged him to work less and spend more time doing the things he loved. She seemed to understand, to see the real him.
He started to notice that she was always in his mind. Something would happen and he’d think about her; he’d hear a joke and ask himself if she’d laugh at it. Soon, the longing became more urgent, more difficult to bear.
He still remembered the night when they had agreed to go to the movies together. Drake had to cancel at the last minute, but Alexis and Liam were good friends, so they went together anyway.
Big mistake. The Wolfman had been the longest movie of his life. He had spent 119 minutes longing to kiss her, to take her hand -- dying to caress her tanned thighs.
Everything about her fascinated him, and he realized that he was head over heels for her. The worst part was to witness how crazy she and Drake were about each other, how much his best friend loved her. So he tried to stay away. He tried to keep himself busy and was never available when Drake invited him to eat or drink with them. But it was impossible to avoid her completely, and the moments he spent with them were a form of torture. He craved her company, her laughter, but he also felt intensely guilty towards Drake.
He started to sleep around with different women. He was rich, handsome, and very good in bed. He had absolutely no difficulty finding beautiful women to go back to his apartment with him; he was a generous lover and usually had a good time. But it was nothing more than a pastime. Those women would never be enough to calm his yearning for her. A lot of those nights, he pictured Alexis’ pretty face looking at him, her body under his, writhing, panting, moaning his name.
Drake and Alexis’ wedding day had been one of the worst days of Liam’s life. He had been obligated to stand next to Drake and be the witness of their vows, their love. To watch her look at Drake, completely enraptured. His heart broke at the realization that she would never be his. His only consolation was to know how happy she was with Drake. How good his best friend was for her.
When Drake had called him to tell him that Alexis was pregnant, he had been overwhelmed by happiness for them. He knew how badly Drake wanted to start a family, and she would be a great mother. But he couldn’t avoid feeling insanely jealous too. And that jealousy disgusted him; it made him feel petty and disloyal. So he had finally decided to leave Cordonia for a while -- anything to avoid betraying his best friend, his brother. He moved to Italy and started to control his family’s businesses in the Mediterranean countries.
After one year in Sardinia, he had met Giulia Ferrante at a business meeting. She was a tax attorney in the firm that represented the Rhys in Italy. Giulia was a tall and beautiful blond, with magnetic blue eyes. She was worldly, sophisticated, ambitious, and utterly fascinating. Completely opposite to Alexis in every possible way. After a few romantic months, he was over the moon; Giulia had agreed to come back to Cordonia with him. He couldn’t deny that some of his old feelings had resurfaced when he saw Alexis again, but he was convinced that Giulia would help him to fully eradicate them.
All his friends, and even Constantine, had welcomed his girlfriend with open arms. They got engaged and then married in an elegant ceremony that most magazines had called “The Wedding of the Year.” During the first months of their marriage, they were happy, but soon, they started to have a lot of trouble. Giulia was controlling, insecure, and jealous of any woman that came close to him, especially Alexis. She demanded that Liam stop seeing Drake and his wife. The truth was that Giulia loved Liam madly, but he wasn’t capable of giving her what she desperately needed from him. This caused them to fight constantly and intensely.
One day, he came home after work to discover that Giulia had gone back to Sardinia; Liam sadly realized that he was more relieved than anything else. He began working late, drinking with Leo, and hanging out too many nights at Alexis and Drake’s cabin. Tom was three years old and had Liam wrapped around his little finger. His godson was a bright and happy child, the perfect mix of both his parents. Liam loved to spoil him and play with him.
When the little boy had died, Liam ignored his own grief and did everything he could to be there for Drake. For both of them. It killed him to watch their destruction. He tried to make Drake talk, but his walls had doubled since the accident. He drank heavily, and nothing that Liam did or said seemed to help.
One night, Drake had called him and had asked him to take care of Alexis. Without further explanation, he told Liam that he needed to leave, but that he couldn’t do it without being sure that someone would look out for Alexis. Liam tried to convince him to stay, but Drake had left anyway.
The first months after his departure had been hellish -- not only for him, but for Liv and Max too. Alexis’s depression had gotten worse since Drake had left; nothing made her feel better. Liam felt powerless until that horrible day when she had tried to kill herself and he had saved her life.
He had tried to contact Drake, but apparently, he wasn’t in Andalucía anymore. Savannah assured Liam that her brother was all right, but he wasn’t going to come back any time soon. Liam tried to understand his best friend’s behavior, but it was getting more and more difficult every day. In any case, he couldn’t help Drake anymore, so he decided to focus his attention on Alexis. He convinced her to get help, so she was committed to a specialized clinic. He visited her every single weekend, on both days that visitors were allowed.
The first months were extremely difficult. It hurt like hell watching Alexis unsuccessfully fight her depression. She was barely capable of eating or leaving her bed. She refused to participate in any group activities, and speaking of Drake and Tom was off-limits; any mention of them, and she crumbled all over again. She didn’t want to face her new reality, to accept that all the happiness she had felt had simply evaporated.
Her sorrow broke Liam’s heart. He stayed with her every chance he could, and she had cried in his arms more times than he could count. He would have given anything to help her; he felt powerless, a useless face to her grief. Liv and Maxwell visited, too, but not with the same frequency and dedication that Liam did.
Four months after Alexis was committed, she started to get a little better. She began to participate in some group activities and talked to her therapist about Drake and her son, though she was still unable to pronounce his name.
She and Liam started to take long walks together and discovered that they had a lot more in common than they thought. He was determined to give her back her will to live, her old love for life. She was very interested in art, a subject that he was passionate about; he brought her his favorite books so she could read them in her spare time. They spent hours talking about painters and techniques. He promised her he would take her to Paris so she could see “Starry Night” in person. Little by little, she seemed to heal -- or at least improve.
Around December, she demanded to be allowed to leave the clinic. Her therapist wasn’t convinced: Even after 15 months, she couldn’t say Tom’s name or talk about the accident. But she was functional again, and the doctor knew that she would have to face real life sooner or later. So she had finally authorized Alexis’ release for the beginning of February.
One cold morning, 15 days before Alexis was to be discharged, Liam was in the reception talking to her doctor when he saw Drake entering the clinic’s hall. Liam felt a surge of rage. How did Drake dare to come back after all those months without even a phone call? Liam was sure that Drake knew about Alexis’ suicide attempt because Maxwell had told Savannah. The fact that Drake hadn’t bothered to come back even then infuriated Liam. Where the hell was Drake while Alexis cried her heart out every night? When she had called his name again and again after a nightmare? When she had to be sedated? Committed in that clinic? Even if Liam knew that Alexis’ sorrow was the consequence of Tom’s death, he realized that Drake’s departure had been her breaking point. He didn’t doubt for a second that if Drake had stayed, Alexis wouldn’t have attempted to take her life. So Drake didn’t have any right to come back now that she was doing better. Liam knew that seeing Drake was going to bring all the memories back; the recovery she had fought for so hard would be jeopardized because of his return. It wasn’t fair to her. Liam needed to protect her.
When Liam confronted him, Drake didn’t give him any explanations. He had asked for Alexis, in an almost-desperate tone, but Liam was too angry at his friend to care about him anymore.
Liam needed time to think about the best way to proceed. He had asked Drake to come back the next day. That night, Liam analyzed all the risks and possible consequences and realized that his own priority was Alexis. More than that, he was sure that Drake would do the same thing if he was in Liam’s shoes.
The next day, he told Drake that Alexis didn’t want to see him anymore. Drake was devastated; he had insisted on hearing it from Alexis herself, but Liam had coldly convinced Drake that the best thing to do was to leave again. Alexis was healing; she needed time and space, and Liam knew Drake -- he wasn’t going to stop looking for her. So Liam repressed his guilt and, without telling Alexis, had given Drake her suicide letter. Drake realized how much his mistakes had damaged her and had returned to Spain the next morning.
When Alexis was discharged, Liam had helped her to look for an apartment; she got a job teaching Spanish at an Adult Language School and enrolled in college to get a master’s degree in translation. She already spoke Spanish and French, so it would only take her a year to obtain the degree. Her dream of writing had died with her son.
That year, Liam and Alexis became best friends. She never talked about the past, so Liam learned to respect her memories.  They created new ones. They went to museums and art exhibits. She tried to make him taste something more exotic than his beloved baklava, and he tried to make her love the opera. They spent hours next to each other reading or working. She teased him relentlessly about his addiction to work so he would loosen up a little.  He helped her study for her tests and do homework. Their friendship was an oasis for Alexis, who was desperate for some stability in her life. It was hope for Liam, who had never stopped loving her. She frequently had bad moments, days where she drank too much and couldn’t get out of bed, but Liam would never let her give up.
A year later, Alexis graduated as a certified translator. Liam threw her a small dinner party on his rooftop with Olivia, Max, and their friends -- the first party she had had since the accident. Though she was nervous at first, she tried to bury her old memories and managed to have fun. At the end of the party, only she and Liam were left. Liam was sitting in an armchair watching her while she leaned over the railing gazing at Cordonia’s skyline. She was wearing a short summer dress that showed her long legs. The music was still playing, and she was unconsciously swaying her hips to the rhythm. Liam’s heart skipped a beat, and he realized that he couldn’t wait another second. He had loved her more than eight years; he was sure that he could make her happy if she gave him a chance. He stood up and leaned on the railing next to her. He chose his words carefully; he knew how vulnerable she was, and he didn’t want to pressure her or scare her off.
“I want you to know that no matter what happens, I’ll always be here for you, Alexis.” He paused -- it was now or never. “Always. But I can’t hold this any longer. I need to tell you how I feel. How you make me feel.” He turned to watch her; she was still staring at the city lights. “If you don’t want me to keep talking, I won’t,” he added gently.
Alexis wasn’t sure how to respond. She didn’t want to lose him; he had become the most important person in her life. And she loved how she felt when she was with him; he made her feel things that she thought were not possible anymore. He made her forget that she was alone, that Drake would never come back.
She took a step in his direction, placing her hand on his shoulder. She turned her eyes to him before she said shyly, “Keep talking.”  
That small phrase pushed Liam over the edge. He cupped her face and kissed her softly, almost afraid of breaking the spell. He had waited eight years for that kiss.
He spoke in a low voice. “I’ve loved you for so long, Alexis. I would do anything to make you happy.”
Alexis decided to be honest with him. “I don’t know how I feel yet, Li; I don’t even know if I will be able to truly love again. The only thing I know for sure is that I will never want to be a mo-” her voice cracked, “-- to have kids again.”
He pulled her close to him, his embrace safe and warm. “I understand, darling. I do. We’ll take things slowly. I’ll be patient, my love,” he said, tenderly stroking her face.
She nodded against his chest. He raised her chin towards him and kissed her again, deeper this time. He would spend all the time in the world waiting for her.
She kissed him back, promising herself that she would do anything she could to make him happy too. He was her future.
August 2011-May 2015
Alexis’s pregnancy had been an easy one. Except for a few days of morning sickness and constant fatigue, she had been lucky.
The childbirth had been more difficult; after 14 hours of pain, promises of celibacy, and some heavy cursing from both his parents, their baby had been born, only three days after Alexis’ own birthday. Drake and she were both bursting with happiness. Drake never thought he could love someone that much; his wife and son were his entire world. Alexis’ favorite book was Tom Sawyer, so Drake had suggested naming the baby Tom Walker. Alexis had agreed with tears in her eyes.
The first months were blissful chaos. Tom hated to sleep, so he kept both his parents up almost all night. They didn’t care; he was a sweet baby and they were both crazy about him.
Alexis had taken a semester off college, but she was determined to come back in September. Savannah was a stay-at-home mom, and she had a lot of help at Ramsford, so they decided that she was going to take care of Tom during the day. Every day around 5:00, one of them went to Ramsford to pick Tom up.
Lexie felt guilty; her little baby was too young. Maybe she should’ve stayed at home with him, but she knew that if she didn’t go back to school then, she would never do it.
Drake reassured her; Tom was a happy, loved baby, and they were giving him everything they could. He had graduated in June, and thanks to his excellent grades and references, he already had some clients and worked part-time for Liam’s stables. He was able to manage his own time, so he was usually the one that picked Tom up from Savvie’s house. He loved the moments that he spent alone with his son, but he was never happier than when Alexis arrived home, too. She was a great mom, sunny and playful. Drake felt extremely proud of his little family.
Their baby grew  in the blink of an eye. Tom was joyful and easygoing; he had learned to speak and melted his parents with his wit and laughter. He had Drake’s eyes, the same chocolate shade and shape. His bright grin was all Alexis; the room lit up for Drake when one of them smiled at him.
His practice had taken off; every farmer and private clinic in the county called him when they needed a vet. Alexis was about to finish her English degree. She wanted to write, but she knew she needed to start earning money, so she was going to look for a job in a publishing house.
----------
Soon Tom turned three years old. As they did every year, they had invited their closest friends to celebrate both birthdays together. It had been one of the happiest days their family had ever celebrated.
Alexis decorated their courtyard with posters and figurines of Shrek’s different characters, while Drake prepared his famous chocolate cake with Tom. When she was finished decorating, she entered the kitchen. Her heart melted when she saw them together. Tom was sitting in his high chair with a little apron; Drake had given him a wooden spoon and a plastic container so he could “help”whip some cake batter.
“Uh, Drake. I think someone licked the bowl,” Alexis said with a teasing smile when she saw Tom’s little face covered in chocolate.
The little boy giggled as he shook his head no. Drake chuckled. “Well, apparently it wasn’t Tom, Lexie.” Drake looked at his son with a conspiratorial smile. “Maybe Mom licked it and is saying it’s you, eh, little man?”
“Yes! It was Mom!” The toddler covered his face to hide the chocolate stains.
Alexis tickled him until the little boy roared with laughter. “Aha! This is the proof I needed!” she screamed when Tom uncovered his face. She kissed his little nose before talking to Drake.
“I’ll take him upstairs for a quick nap, or he’ll be sleeping at his own party,” she said as she got him out of his chair.
Drake saw his son’s sleepy face and nodded, smiling. “You are right, baby -- just come here first.” He cupped her face and kissed her, then he placed a soft kiss on the top of Tom’s head. She gave him the flirty smile that made him crazy before going upstairs with their son in her arms.
Two hours later, the guests arrived. They all settled in the courtyard where Drake had placed some chairs and tables.
The party was a success; it was the first birthday Tom fully appreciated. He ran around and played with all his little friends from the playground.
“He’s so similar to you, man. I can’t get over it,” Liam said as he watched Tom play with one of his friends.
Drake opened beers for each of them as he spoke. “What are you talking about, Li? He’s all Alexis.”
“The same smile, yes. But the rest is you. The eyes are exactly the same … and he’s going to be trouble -- I can tell.” Liam teased.
Drake watched his friend look at his wife and son with a nostalgic expression on his face. Sometimes Drake wondered if Liam had loved Giulia at all; he didn’t seem to miss her.
Liam stood up and took Tom in his arms; the boy giggled when Liam carried him on his shoulders.
“Let’s take this little man to his gifts,” Liam said. Tom clapped excitedly, making Liam laugh.
Liam gave him a tricycle, Maxwell a game of Hungry, Hungry, Hippos, and Olivia a set of wooden swords.
Liam and Max played with the boy and his friends all afternoon as Drake and Alexis served the food and got the cake ready.
They all sang to both of them; Tom was over the moon. It was a perfect birthday.
At 8:00, all the guests had left. Drake took Tom to bed while Alexis cleaned up the house.
Half an hour later, with their son sound asleep upstairs, and the baby monitor in his left hand, Drake went looking for his wife.
He watched her through the glass door. She had put some music on her phone and was wearing her earphones, so Tom wouldn’t wake up. He couldn’t hear the song, but just seeing her dancing and singing made him smile. He had heard that sometimes, kids added stress to a marriage, that some couples with children drifted apart. But he was even crazier for her than he had been five years before. He wanted all of her, all the time. And he knew she felt the same about him.
“Hi, baby!” He touched her shoulder and she startled; she hadn’t seen him come into the garden.
“Shit, Drake, you scared me!” she exclaimed laughing.
“I haven’t given you your gift yet.” He took her hand and led her to one of the garden chairs. He sat in one of them, thinking she would sit on his lap, but she straddled him instead.
He arranged a strand of chocolate-colored hair behind her ear. The sight of her elegant neck and the smell of her cherry perfume were too much for Drake. He pulled her towards him and kissed her. She was wearing an orange halter dress with a lace-up back. He had been dying to untie that lace since he had seen the dress that morning. He roamed her back with his hands and slowly undid the knot, leaving her chest exposed.
He admired her bare figure for a few seconds. “You’re so fucking gorgeous. I can’t believe you’re all mine.” He peppered her collarbone, her neck, her chest with kisses. Her nipples were erect for him, and he groaned before softly biting them. She gasped, but he put a finger on her lips.
Pointing to their son’s room upstairs, he growled in her ear, “Don’t make a noise, Lexie. Or I’m going to have to stop, and I’m guessing,” he stroked her folds over her dampened underwear, “that you wouldn’t like that.” He smirked at her.
She swallowed hard but nodded furiously. Drake’s fingers slid under the fabric. He focused on stroking her skin and teasing her nub. He easily plunged one finger inside her and then a second one, pumping slowly at first and then mercilessly as she arched her body, barely whispering his name.
“Good girl,” he whispered, kissing her collarbone. She shivered, and her body convulsed with an intense orgasm while he watched her, mesmerized.
She rested her head on his shoulders. He tied up her dress again as he gave her time to recuperate, kissing her temple softly and rubbing her cheek. She raised her head to look at him.
“Was that my gift?” she teased him.
He answered her, a cocky smile on his lips. “Please, Lexie, that was barely a taste of all the things I will do to you later in our room.”
She bit her bottom lip. “I can’t wait.”
He took out an envelope from his back pocket and gave it to her. “This is your gift.” He was adorably excited about it.
She opened it; it was a picture of an RV and a map of Europe. Alexis looked at him, puzzled.
He gently stroked her thigh as he spoke. “I know how much you want to travel, baby. And I know that we don’t have a lot of money, and traveling with Tom can be complicated, but with an RV, things could be easier. We won’t need hotels or planes. And we can manage our own time. I did some research; a lot of families do it.” He grinned at her. “As for the countries, you get to choose them -- it’s your birthday gift.”  
The knot in her throat didn’t let her speak. He was right; it was her dream to travel, and she absolutely loved the idea of doing it in an RV. It was a little crazy, a little bohemian. It suited them perfectly.
Drake looked at her expectantly. “What do you think? Do you like it?”
She cupped his face, looking at him with tears in her eyes. “I don’t like it; I love it, Drake. It’s the most perfect gift.”
“Hey, don’t cry,” he said as he wiped one happy tear. “I didn’t want to make you cry, baby.”
“I can’t believe how happy you make me.” She gave him a long, fervent kiss.
When they parted, breathless, they heard Tom calling them through the baby monitor. Drake smiled at her as they came up to read him a story and put him back to sleep.
April 2019
“Actually, Alexis, I would like to speak a moment with Drake. If he doesn’t mind.”
Drake smirked, “Of course I don’t, Li. Why wouldn’t I want to catch up with such an old and loyal friend?”
Alexis threw them a worried look but left them alone. For better or worse, they needed to talk.
After his sarcastic remark, Drake’s rage had lessened a little. He sat on the steps of the garden as he took a flask out of the inside pocket of his jacket. He took one swig and passed the flask to Liam, who was sitting next to him.
They drank quietly for a while until Liam decided to break the silence. “I’ve been in love with her since we met.”
Drake laughed bitterly. “You seriously think I didn’t know? You think I didn’t notice how you looked at her sometimes?” He took another drink from the flask before speaking again. “Please, Liam, you were like my brother. A part of me has always known.”
It was a warm spring night; Liam took off his tuxedo jacket. “Why did you never say anything?”
Drake shook his head. “I started to really notice it just before our wedding, but I knew you wouldn’t do anything about it. I thought that if I said anything, it would ruin our friendship. And then you left and came back with Giulia.” He stroked his beard pensively. “Plus, I thought Lexie and I were unbreakable. I thought she loved me as much as I loved her.” He paused before adding resentfully, “Obviously, I was wrong.”
Liam sighed, sadly. “Please, Drake. You and I both know that I’ll never share with her what you did. I won’t pretend otherwise.”
“I don’t understand why you’re together. I don’t understand either of you anymore,” Drake stated with a gravelly voice.
Liam furrowed his brow. “I tried everything, Drake. I tried to convince myself that I only saw her as my friend, as your wife. When I noticed that my feelings only got deeper, I left. I lived in Italy for a year. Hell, Drake! I even married Giulia. But when I came back, my love for her was still here waiting for me, intact. She drove me crazy.” He took a sharp breath. “I just want you to know that I never tried anything while you were together. Never.”
“No, of course not. You’re a gentleman. You waited until my marriage blew up in a million pieces before making your goddamn move.” Drake tried to calm himself, but there were some things that he couldn’t leave unsaid. “Our son had died, Liam. She was destroyed, and you took advantage of that.”
Liam toyed with the flask; he didn’t want to fight with Drake, but his old friend was twisting the truth. “You’re rewriting history. I helped her because she was alone. She needed me. And, frankly, you have no right to judge us, Drake. You left her and me here to deal with everything. You have no idea how she was. She was destroyed, completely broken.” His eyes watered at the memory. He turned to watch Drake, who had gone pale. He gave him the flask, and Drake took a long swig. “I had to fight really hard to bring her back to life. And we fell in love. I’m sorry, Drake.” Liam wanted to apologize for his behavior that day at the clinic. “I’m sorry about that day at the clinic. I know I was a real jerk, but I just wanted to protect her.”
Drake felt his chest tighten. He should have been the one protecting and loving her, not Liam. But in spite of his pain, he understood the position Liam had been in that day. “Yes, you were a real jerk at the clinic. But you were right, too. She was the priority, not me. My presence would have hurt her.” Drake didn’t see the point in explaining to Liam the reason why he hadn’t come back that year. It didn’t matter that he had been in prison. The reality was the same: She needed him and he wasn’t there. He tried to push the painful memory out of his mind. Her rejection that day still hurt like hell. That fucking letter still hurt like hell.
Liam gulped the rest of the whiskey.  He might have to tell Alexis what he had done one day, but he wasn’t ready yet.
Drake took the empty flask and stood up. He looked at Liam one last time before leaving. “I don’t think I’ll ever be truly over her.” He took a sharp breath before speaking. “But I know we don’t belong together anymore.” Admitting it out loud only made the pain more excruciating. “Please take care of her, Liam. And make sure she talks about Tom. She might hide it, but she needs it.” He patted his ex-best friend on the back before leaving the gardens.  
-------------------------------------------------------
Several days later Drake was about to enter Starbucks when he saw Alexis. She was in line, waiting for her turn.
He hesitated for a few seconds before approaching her. She was wearing a pair of jeans with a beige blouse, a gray vest, and her old leather satchel -- a very different outfit from the short dresses and tennis shoes she used to wear all the time. She still looked beautiful, but more serious, less carefree.
“Hi,” he said casually.
She blushed, surprised to see him there. “Hi. What are you doing here?”
He smirked. “Same thing as everyone in the line, I think. I want coffee.”
She couldn’t suppress a smile. “As funny as usual.”
He shrugged. “Some things don’t change.”
She bit her bottom lip and nodded slowly, unsure of how to proceed. The last time they had seen each other, things hadn’t ended well.
He didn’t want to say goodbye so soon, so he kept talking. “You’ve always loved to work in cafes,” he said as he pointed at her satchel.
“Yeah, that was the plan, but this place is packed. There aren’t any free tables available.” She attempted to hide her nervousness behind a small smile. He noticed it anyway and his heart tugged; her vulnerability was his weakness. He would do anything to make her feel comfortable with him.  
“Look, someone is leaving.” He nodded at a couple of teenagers who were putting their coats on. “What do you say I pick up the coffees and you go take the table?”
She knew she shouldn’t. Her instincts were shouting at her not to do it, but she couldn’t help it. “Okay, I’ll get a …”
He raised his hand, interrupting her. “A tall mocha, white chocolate …” He snapped his fingers, trying to remember. “... double-espresso, extra whipped cream, right?”
She smiled at him, impressed. “That’s exactly it.”
“I’ll be at your table in five minutes,” he said, smiling back.
He came to the table 10 minutes later and gave her the drink. Their fingers grazed for a few seconds, producing a jolt of electricity in both of them. She withdrew her hand nervously, but neither of them said anything. He sat in front of her with his coffee still in his hand.
She had to admit that he looked great: manlier and even more rugged than before. His usual denim shirt looked amazing on him; he had rolled his sleeves so she could see his strong, veiny arms … the same arms that had held her so tightly so many nights in the past. She turned her eyes, blushing.
He saw the pretty blush coloring her cheeks. “Is there a problem?”
She shook her head. “Not at all.”
Drake was curious about her new life. He wanted to know if she was happy. He needed to make sure that she was all right before letting her go. The problem was that he didn’t know how to address the subject without making her run, especially after their last exchange at Savannah’s party.
“How about a truce, Lexie?”
Her old nickname on his lips had the effect of making her heart race in her chest. “What do you mean?”
“I just want to know how you’re doing; we don’t have to talk about the past.”
She’d be lying if she said that she wasn’t very curious about him. “I’m in.”
“Do you still write?” he asked before carefully taking a sip of his hot coffee.
“No. I don’t.” She didn’t mention the reason, but they both understood. He would have given anything to grab her hand, but he knew that she would be out the door in less than 10 seconds, so he settled for giving her an understanding smile. “Anyway, I’m in translation now,” she added.
“Well, I’m not surprised, you always loved languages. What kind of literature?”
She drank from the straw before she answered, “None. Legal documents.”
His eyes widened. “Legal documents?
“Yes. Is that a problem, Drake?”
He was about to change the subject to avoid a fight, but he couldn’t contain himself. “There’s no problem. It’s just … that is the kind of thing you hated before.”
“Before being the operative word. I love it now,” she answered defensively.
He leaned on his chair. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Look, it’s not my dream job, but it turns out I’m pretty good at it. And I actually enjoy it.” It was an exaggeration; she barely tolerated the mountains of boring documents she had to translate every day, but she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of accepting that he still knew her so well.
He smiled at her. “I’m happy for you, Lexie.” When he saw her unconvinced look, he added, “I really am. I’m so sorry that I’m such a judgmental prick.”
She laughed before saying, “Admitting the problem is the first step, Drake. All you have to do now is to sign up for the meetings.”
He chuckled. He hadn’t seen that coquettish light in her eyes for a long time. It was still as devastatingly attractive as it was five years ago. He cleared his throat before speaking. “Did you move to Valtoria?”
She shook her head. “Sorry, Walker. It’s a two-way street.” She had a lot of questions for him too. “Are you still working as a vet?”
“Yes and no. I was in Spain for a while, but I couldn’t use my degree there. That’s one of the reasons I came back.” He didn’t dare admit that the need to see how she was doing had been the main reason. “I’m starting a new job in a clinic next week. I’m actually very happy about it.” He smiled at her with his real smile, the one that showed his dimples and weakened her knees. “So you live in Valtoria?” he asked again, intrigued.
She put her hair behind her ear. “Not yet,” she stated simply. She didn’t want to specify that she would be moving there right after their wedding next month. “How long have you been dating Kiara?”
“A month.”
She had to know the truth, as painful as it would be to accept. “Are you in love with her?”
He arched his brows. “I think it’s my turn, Lexie.” His piercing eyes looked intently at her. “Are you sure you want to be a duchess?”
“I’m pretty sure I don’t want to be one.” He was about to interrupt her, so she raised her hand to stop him. “But I’m sure about Liam, Drake. It may seem like a huge sacrifice to you, but you have no idea what he’s willing to do for me.”
“I know he loves you, Lex.” He took an excruciating breath; his next words physically hurt. “And I know you love him, too. I wasn’t trying to criticize. I’m happy if you are.” He looked at her, trying to memorize how gorgeous she was.
She swallowed hard. It shouldn’t bother her so much that he didn’t care if she loved Liam or not. She flipped her hair, making a strand fall over her eyes. Without thinking about it, Drake took the strand of hair and placed it behind her ear. They locked eyes with each other as the tip of his fingers gently rubbed her ear, then slowly moved over her cheek and grazed her face. Her heart was about to explode. She stood up, almost knocking over the table. His touch still had the amazing power of making her lose her senses.
“I have to … I have to go.” Her phone rang; she saw a name on the screen and answered the call. When she hung up, she took her vest and satchel. “That was Rashad. Our court appointment is on May second.” She threw him a sad look; everything between them would be over soon. “I’ll see you then, Drake.” She left the coffeehouse as fast as she could.
Drake’s stomach flipped. The date set by the judge was only one week away, two days before Tom’s birthday.
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my-fan-side · 4 years
Text
Unconventional (Chapter 3)
A/N: I was suppose to post this yesterday but I wasn’t sure where to cut the scene. I hope this is okay. :) Also I have read one of my Nessian FanFic where they also attend a ball, I realized I have the same idea on what Nesta should wear on formal occassions like that. haha.. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this and on next chapter there will be more Eris-Nesta-Cassian interaction. :)
Previous Chapter: Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Not a few minutes after Nesta went upstairs, Feyre and Elain saw Cassian land on the porch. But instead of coming inside from the front door, he raised his hand to wave at them and pointed out the pack he was holding, then walk beside the house towards their backyard, where his small smith room was located. He was dropping his materials to his workstation first before coming in. The two youngest Archeron just nodded back and smiled to him.
Then footsteps were heard from the stairs, both sisters turned their attention to it and they were both rendered speechless on what they saw. Nesta walks carefully down towards her sisters. The beautiful red dress fits her body perfectly, showing off her generous curves. The intricate sequins and elaborate embroidery over the meshed-up fabric compliments each other impeccably. Both sisters would agree without saying a word that she looks like a Queen in her own right.
Apparently, there’s another one that have the same thoughts as the younger Archerons’, because the next thing they know, a broken glass was on the floor, and a certain Illyrian was blinking dumbly as he stared at his mate, with his mouth hanging open. They all turned their attention to him, trying not to laugh at his reaction.
Nesta’s mind tells her to tease him, but her body was tingling with the way Cassian was staring at her. She can feel the awe, the desire and the love from his eyes and through their bond. She blushed and her eyes soften a little bit, but then she managed to control herself and put her hands on her hips instead. She raised her brow and smirked towards her mate. “I’m not cleaning that up.” She nods towards the broken glass that he had dropped as soon as he saw her.
Cassian though, without taking his eyes off of Nesta, waved his hand and with a breeze of wind the broken pieces flew towards the trash can. He stepped towards her one at a time, looking at her from head to toe, until he’s finally in front of her. They were so close, there’s barely any space between then. He was looking down on her and she was staring back up at him.
“Yeah, we’ll just… get on our way home.” Feyre said as she quietly dragged Elain out of the house. “Uhuh… see you tomorrow.” Elain agrees softly, then closed the front door. Meanwhile, Nesta & Cassian doesn’t seem to hear or care on where the other two occupants have gone and said. They just keep on looking into each other’s eyes, until Cass finally spoke. “Gods damn it, why did he have to be the one to give you this dress.” He was holding the edge of the sleeves that ends on Nesta’s wrist, tracing the embellished swirls in it.
Without breaking eye contact, Nesta traced her fingers from her mate’s wrist, then arms, then shoulder, until she settles it at the back of his neck. “Will it make you feel any better if I tell you that according to Elain, this is probably Lady Isabella’s idea, more than Eris?”
Cassian didn’t answer immediately, he keeps on staring at his mate’s blue grey eyes as he moved his hands from her sleeves, to her hips. He leaned in closer and slowly moved his caresses to her lower back just above her butt, then higher towards her spine. But not a moment too soon his hands froze, because on a place where he expects to touch more fabric, his hands met a warm and soft skin instead.  Nesta didn’t miss the slight tilt of her mate’s head when this happen, so she smirks at him and completely leaned into him, resting her head by his shoulder. Cassian then nuzzles her neck, taking a peek at her exposed bare back.
“I don’t care who gave you this or who made this dress for that matter, Sweetheart. All I know is that this dress is made for you, and only you. It would be a shame if the world won’t see how stunningly beautiful you are wearing this.” What he said is true. Right now, looking at his mate, Bryaxis could’ve given this dress to her and he still wouldn’t mind if she wears it. If anything, he wished it was him who gave her this outfit.
Nesta couldn’t help the reddening of her cheeks so he burrowed her head further towards Cassian’s neck to hide it. Cassian found it amusing and snorts, but kissed her forehead nonetheless. Nesta slap him slightly on the chest because how dare him laugh at her being flustered.
Pushing slightly away from Cassian, she looks straight to his eyes before asking: “Are you sure?” She wanted to be certain that he’s not just admiring how she looks on that dress now. She stands by what she said to her sisters and him, she won’t wear it if it would bother him. Not because she has to have his consent, no, of course not.  But she’d rather not have her mate itchy and irritated the whole time they were supposed to be relaxing and having fun.
Cassian nods and give her a sincere smile to assure her. “I’ve just got one request though.”
Nesta raised her brows at this, curious at what he would ask from her.
But instead of answering her question, he grins bigger towards her, then without warning he pulled the tie that was holding her hair up. Her wavy golden-brown hair tumbled down all the way mid her spine. It covers the upper part of her bare back, but still exposed generous amount of it. He touched her hair softly and whispers so close to her ear “Let your hair down on the party, please?”. When he got the soft nod from his mate, she kissed her temple and kept admiring her on that dress for a little while more, before finally Nesta decided to step out of it.
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The weekend can not come any sooner, they were all preparing to leave the House of Wind and go to Autumn for the ball. Rhys and Cassian were by the window talking about some topics they weren’t able to discuss on their meeting earlier. Az already went ahead to check on the surroundings that they’ll be winnowing in. Mor and Lucien is by the couch talking about Winter, sharing stories on their experiences when the last time they were on that court. Amren is nowhere to be found, but with Varian already in the night court having agreed to come together with her little monster going to the ball, they’re not surprised that the couple were a bit late.
They’re all waiting for the Archeron sisters, who’ve decided to prepare together and come out when the three of them are all ready. Clicking of heels were heard from the hallway, and then there was a vision of red, green and black in front of them. Nesta, Elain and Feyre stepped out of the hallway, stunning their precious mates with their presence.
Feyre is wearing a black sequined dress with thin halter top and deep plunging neckline ending mid-waist. Its torso has a corset fit that accentuates her small waist. The mesh fabric was covered with swirls and diamonds that gives that sparkle when she moves. The thigh high slit gives that sensuality that always radiates from the High Lady of the Night. Her hair was up in a slightly messy updo and she only have her earrings and arm tattoo as her accessories. She radiates both elegance and magnificence on how she looks. The High Lord shook his head, and as he continues to roam his eyes on his mate, he thought he will never not find his mate beautiful.
Elain’s outfit was a light contrast to her sister’s dark hues. She was wearing a green dress whose shade was between fern and mint. The neckline was in line with her shoulder blades, and the bishop long sleeves were made of see-through chiffon. There are embroidered flowers by the shoulder and on both ends of the sleeves. There’s a dark ribbon as her belt knotted on her waist, and the rest of the dress flows down in an A-line cut. With her hair loosely braided on one side decorated with small floral trinkets, Elain emits a fairylike ambiance and sophistication only a true Lady can have. Lucien’s embellished jade green tunic with gold-work thread was a perfect match for his mates’. His smile was somewhere between awe, gratefulness and pride that she has this brown-eyed Lady as his mate.
Last but not the least, Nesta was wearing the grandest among the sisters. Her mermaid dress emphasizes her hour glass figure, from her generous front to her curvy hips. The neck line was not as deep as Feyre’s but still exposes that ample cleavage and sharp collarbone. The intricate design over a sheer layer of fabric runs from her shoulder and arms, to her chest, all the way to her hips. Her hair was down in a loose wave flowing through her exposed back. She emanates such class and opulence that only Queens usually gives out. And Cassian, frozen in the middle of the living room, could not comprehend how he had deserved such female as his mate. Yes, he has seen her wear this before, but seeing her now all made up and looking like a royalty, he shook his head and approached Nesta steadily. He then made a slight bow of his head and raised his arms for her to take. “My Queen, may I have the privilege to escort you through out the night?” He looked Nesta in the eye with a genuine smile of admiration towards her. Nesta tried not to blush on her mate’s antics, but with all her friends and family’s eyes on them, she can’t help it. She bit her lip and took her mate’s arm, pull him slightly close to her and give him a kiss on the side of his lips then whispers “Yes, you may.”
There was a moment of quiet as the Illyrians and the Fox keep on admiring their mates, Mor raised her eyebrows at this. She found the sisters absolutely gorgeous, but the way these Males are looking at them she knows her compliments wouldn’t probably be heard. She was about to break the silence, when suddenly Amren spoke behind her that made her jump a little. Actually, it startled all of them whether it was obvious or not. That sneaky little…
“So, are we going or are you just going to keep on staring at each other?” Amren raised a brow towards the couples and wander her eyes to all of them. She gave the ladies nods of approval, and the males an eyeroll.
“Alright, let’s go.” Rhysand held her hand out towards Cassian so they can winnow together. “See you in a few Feyre Darling” He gave his wife a quick kiss on the lips before disappearing. The rest of the circle paired up and left one after the other. Elain was with Lucien, Feyre winnowed out with Nesta, and Amren, Mor and Varian left as a group.
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Looking at the entrance of the palace, they all admire the elaborate decorations that surrounds the place. The fairy lights on trees, bushes and walls; the velvet banners by the balcony; and the beautifully arranged cluster of red and orange flowers that awaits every one that was to enter.
Walking down the hallway towards the great ballroom, they were greeted with the same luxurious interior. They’ve entered the room just in time as the speaker was making an introduction for the new High Lord of Autumn before he comes out. Also already on the stage was Lady Isabella, and some Officials of the Court.
“…And now, let us all welcome Eris Vanserra--the eldest son of the late High Lord of Autumn- Beron Vanserra, and his beloved wife, Lady Isabella.” Settling down on one side of the room, near the front, the members of the Night Court joined the crowd in clapping and looking towards the stage. They watch as the auburn-haired Lady approach his eldest son whom have kneeled at the center of the stage awaiting the crown his mother was carrying. As the crown was settled on his head, the crowd erupted into another round of applause and cheers. His mother touched his face tenderly and kissed his cheek, then she took a step back to give the stage to his son. Eris spread his arms wide and a burst of fire flew out of his hands. The ballroom was surrounded with fireworks, then there were floating candles by the ceiling and the torches by the wall was lit. Eris was glowing, and the crown in his head was burning brightly. Everyone can feel the power radiating from him, but instead of fear, it was the amazement that was more dominant.
Eris gave the obligatory speech; it was short but poignant. “….Again, thank you everyone who is here and have given their time to celebrate this occasion with me. Know that your presence is very much appreciated. Now, I would not let you wait any longer. Please, enjoy the rest of the night. And let the dining and dancing... begins.”
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