A Court of Song and Shadow

Chapter 6: Azriel

Gywn was singing.

He hadn't realized how much he had been hoping this would happen tonight until he saw her walk up to that stage. All his emotions disappeared and he only felt the anticipation and desire to hear what came out of her. He was fully and completely immersed in her. All he could focus on was her. She was the only thing that existed.

She seemed as though she didn't want to be doing this, but as the song progressed she got more confident and free.

It was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. She was a confident girl, but this was something he knew she had shone very few, especially in such a casual setting. He was awestruck at the sight of her looking toward her friends and flashing them that smile that drove him crazy. She began to look around the rest of the crowd. Her gaze fastened on his.

It felt as though she was singing directly to him.

She drove him wild and the thoughts that entered his head at that moment... he had to take a moment walking to the bathroom. After splashing cold water on his face, he returned to find that Gwyn had finished singing and was now taking more shots with the whole inner circle. He made his way to the bar and ordered himself and her water. If he was right about how many drinks she had tonight, she was overdue for it.

After placing the water down in front of her he stood there next to her, slowly sipping on his cup. She was quiet. Before he arrived she was laughing and talking with the group, but now she wasn't even touching her drink. He opened his mouth to say something to her, but she turned on her heel and made her way over to the bar. He glanced over at Emerie and Nesta, and they just shot him a look that told him he had done something wrong. He then turned, to see that she was currently taking 2 more large shots. Grabbing her water he walked over quickly to her. She looked at him. "Oh, so now you're deciding to stay." She said, and he heard the distaste in her voice. "What do you mean?" He responded, as he realized exactly when she meant.

He had left in the middle of her song. Gods, he had just... walked away. She had been looking right at him and he had left. It made him look like a terrible person. "Was the song really that bad, that you couldn't even stay for the whole thing?" She said looking down the bar and the bartender mixed her next drink. "No, gods, no! It was amazing." He paused, not sure how to tell her. "That was why I had to leave." He said, feeling almost embarrassed. She looked at him with confusion. "It was something I had been hoping to hear for a... while, and I just hadn't been expecting you to go up there tonight. It took me by surprise. I had no time to prepare myself for you." He said, and she turned her gaze up to his eyes. "You were looking right at me and it was like the rest of the world went away. Your singing, gods, it made me feel something I haven't felt in a very long time." He looked away then, knowing he had said too much.

"Oh, uh, yeah ok." She said looking at the drink the bartender handed her. She turned suddenly to him then. "Let's go." She grabbed his hand then and began to drag him to the stage. "What?!" He said surprised. "We are gonna sing something." She said casually. "You're drunk," he replied cautiously. "And you're beautiful." She replied turning back to him, as she did so her foot caught on the chair of a table they were passing.

She stumbled. He moved quickly, reaching, and caught her by the waist. Wrapping his arm around her as he pulled her close to his chest. They both just stood there staring at each other, breathing heavily. "Thanks." She said out of breath. "You're welcome." He replied not taking his eyes off her. He went to step back realizing how close they were to each other. Stopped though, when Gwyn lifted her hand and placed it on his cheek. He closed his eyes, placing his hand over hers. He tried to pull her hand away. "Why?" Gwyn asked, grabbing the other side of his face, so she was holding his face. "Why can't I?" He watched her eyes search his face for an answer. "I don't deserve you." He said after what felt like an eternity. "You are everything good in the world, and I don't deserve all the good. I have done bad things, to good people, hurt them, worse. I don't want there to be any possibility that I would have to add you to that list." He admitted putting his hands on her wrists.

"Azriel." He didn't think he had ever heard her say his name aloud before. He couldn't think. "You deserve... everything." She said staring intently into his eyes, he wouldn't even try to look away. "You have been through just as much, if not more, than I have. You deserve to have something good in your life. Something that can be just yours, and can make you happy beyond belief. Not that I could do that-"

"You can. You do." He said and her fingers tightened into his hair.

He didn't know how long they had been standing there, seconds, days, years, Azriel didn't care, as Gwyn leaned in to kiss him. Their lips connected for only a moment, the light touch teasing him, as she pulled away, looking down with red growing on her cheeks. He grabbed her chin, pulling her gaze back to his.

"We will continue this later." he said leaning into her face that their lips were almost brushing. "But, for now let's go sing that song." He released her chin and grabbed her hand, this time leading her up to the stage.