The Whispers of Shadows - A&A One Shots

aurora's birthday

Aurora didn't give her lost family much thought anymore. With her new found family and friends, there was not often a need to think back to Oberon, Aldric... Or her mother. That was a lie she told herself far too often. Aurora dreamed of her mother's voice, her soft white-blonde hair, her sparkling blue eyes. As centuries passed, Aurora began to forget what her mother truly looked like or even sounded like. Then again, she was four the last time she saw her.

Oberon never hid what had happened to her mother. When she asked why mama didn't come home, he sneered at her and said that 'whores have no place in his home'. Not long after that, Aldric began to tease Aurora for her mother dying at Oberon's sword, and the truth was clear. She grieved her mother those first years, but eventually, the comforting touch and voice were hard to remember. How can you grieve someone who doesn't even live in your memories?

And so, centuries gone and passed, Aurora only felt the prick of loss when she saw Feyre cuddling a young Nyx, or when her own Orion curled in her lap and asked for a story. She'd feign a smile, twist Orion's braids in her fingers, and vow to give him the memories of a mother that she never had. She prayed to the Mother that when she was gone, Orion would grieve for her.

It didn't take long for the young boy to latch onto her. Weeks after he began living with Azriel and Aurora, Orion often padded into rooms and asked for her to hold him, read to him, and even began to tell her how much he loved her. Now, decades later, as a matured male, Orion still clung to his mother like he was the too-small boy that argued his way into her heart.

Aurora couldn't help but smile as her son, well reaching his fifth decade of life, plopped himself onto her knees and hugged her around her neck. The weight of him was bearable, though her breath wheezed every time he shifted. Azriel sat across from them on the chair beside the metal table, brow raised as he sipped a glass of wine.

"Happy birthday, mama," Orion cooed, squeezing Aurora slightly. She gasped out, patting his back.

"Thank you, Orion."

"What are ya, a babe?" Cassian teased, flicking Orion on the back of the head as he passed through to the other garden chair beside Azriel. Orion shot his middle finger at his uncle before climbing from Aurora's lap.

"Don't be jealous that I have a mother that will always cuddle me," Orion spat. He walked around the chair and placed his hands on Aurora's shoulders, squeezing lightly. Cassian gave him a look of fierce invitation, finger tapping the blade on his thigh.

"Those are fighting words, little boy."

"My turn, then!"

Aurora hardly had a chance to turn her head as Nyx barreled toward her, practically leaping as he landed on Aurora's thighs. She yelped, pain flickering at his hefty weight. The chair flew back at the collision, but Orion caught it easily. Nyx's wing slammed into Aurora's head, his muscled legs flattening hers. Orion gave a well rounded smack to Nyx's head before shoving him off of Aurora.

"Get off of her, you dick!" Nyx laughed loudly, leaning over to press a far too long kiss to her cheek.

"Happy birthday, Aurora," he muttered. Her eyes were on Azriel, who was standing and glowering at the heir.

"Thank you, Nyx," she wheezed, rubbing her palms against her thighs. His crash landing onto her lap was a near-death experience, surely. The weight the male had gained in muscle was a near match to Cassian. His hand ran over her hair before he sauntered over to Cassian and flicked the center of his forehead.

"No cake until we train," he ordered. Cassian snarled and stood, following the male to the training ring.

"Are you alright, mama? Did he crush you?" Orion asked, circling around the chair. She grinned at him, accepting his hand as he pulled her to her feet.