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Part 4

One morning you awoke to grey skies and you wondered if you were home, if this had all been a fever dream. A made-up world you had created to cope with your loneliness. But the dirt you slept on proved otherwise.

You sat up, surveying the dark, gloomy clouds that were looming overhead, a sure sign that a storm was coming. You grit your teeth but, instead of complaining, moved to the riverbank, stripped, and stepped into the cool water, running it up and over your body in an attempt to clean away the dirt and sweat that had accumulated. You used your dirty, overworn top to dry yourself off, grimacing as you pulled your clothes back on. They were now stiff with dirt and stunk from lack of washing. Sure, you could've washed them, but you didn't want to prance around naked when Azriel could look out at any moment, your body the least of your worries when your scars where clearly the main attraction when it came to lovers and onlookers in general. You had learned quickly that people wouldn't be able to 'just ignore them' and had stopped going out or wearing low slung tops soon after.

Once you felt slightly cleaner you collected as many fruits and veg as you could and climbed into the tree house. Azriel was still asleep so you moved quietly, placing your stuff down before going back out and cleaning the basin he had left by the door, then collecting enough water to last the day. When you got back, Azriel was still asleep but you noticed his shadows began to drift over to you where you sat. You tensed at first, anticipating the strike, but smiled when one of them tugged gently at your hair. They remined you of the trailing Ivy you had at your cottage and the way it would seek your touch, like an animal or human. You giggled slightly, playing with the shadows when they were suddenly pulled away from you.

Azriel had stared in wonder at first when he awoke to see you surrounded by his shadows, playing with them. He had never seen them this way before, but they loved you. They were toying with your hair, caressing your cheeks and one of them was wrapping itself around your middle, giving you its own kind of hug. He had cursed and sat up pulling them away and he came out of his trance, spewing apologies.

"Azriel. Az it's okay, they were being nice."

"I'm so sorry, they're not usually like this I just..."

"Azriel." You said with a stern tone, but when he looked up, ready for the verbal beating, he saw a playful glint in your eyes. He smiled slightly, staring into your eyes, as he realised that the shadows had simply just been doing what he wanted to do. The desire to pull you close and cling onto you overcoming him. He wanted to smother you in love and affection and bottle your laugh so he could hear it whenever he wanted. He wanted to unwrap you and taste every inch of your beautiful, scarred skin. His own scarred hands clenched at his side as he held back from touching you.

"I think there's going to be a storm," you explained, "mind if I stay in here just in case?"

"Of course, of course!" he exclaimed, "Cauldron you've done so much for me by now, of course you can."

"How are you feeling by the way? Can I see your cut?" you moved closer to him and he tried to not make the way he breathed in your scent obvious. You gently tugged his leathers up and smiled when you saw his wound was puckering into a scar.

"It's almost gone, and I'm sure I could finish getting this poison out in the next day or two," you smiled at him, "you can stay at my house for as long as you need when we get back, even once the poisons gone it might be a while before you can travel between worlds again, I'll try speak to a Hermes kid or someone about that too. It's cool that you heal quickly though." You trailed off.

"I'm sorry." He blurted suddenly, quickly moving to clarify when you furrowed your eyebrows at him. "I'm sorry that I got so distant, I just- I'm not good at trusting people, and you were so kind I- I guess I just presumed that you were doing it for some ulterior motive, but I didn't mean to upset you. I just got freaked out when you spoke about home, and I missed my friends and when I saw your back I got so worried..." he stopped when he felt the hand you hand placed on his knee in comfort suddenly withdraw, he looked up at you when he saw your eyes wide and fearful.