~°Hidden beneath your scales°~ ( Dragon Shifter X Reader)

- - - ~°15°~ - - -

Your breath caught in your throat and your knees felt like they'd give in at any moment. All eyes in the room were focused on you. You felt like their eyes were piercing into your soul.

Your breathing picked up and you could feel Azs attention shift to you as you didn't move when he made to move forward.

You breathing became loud and fast, your chest visibly moving up and down as your eyes darted left and right.

"*cough*".

You heard Az make a noise next to you but it all seemed muffled.

You felt your legs move on their own and before you knew it, you were bolting back down the corridor, hearing whispers behind you.

You heard Az shout behind you but you kept running. You exited the castle though the gardens and didn't stop running until you couldn't see the castle.

                         - - - ~°~ - - -

You were heaving when you let yourself fall down in a clearing in some woods you'd apparently run into. You were lying against a fallen tree trunk looking around you at the peaceful clearing with gras and flowers .

Your lungs hurt and burned from the running and your knees felt like jelly.

You hadn't let yourself think about it until now but...

you *liked* Az.

Az was...

well Az was perfect. He was beautiful and kind and gentle. He stood up for what he believed in and protected those he cared about.

Az had been raised as royalty and in luxury but he never lost his humility and empathy.

But you were just... you.

Your whole life you felt like the only way you'd be able to feel good about yourself was by helping others. You felt so grateful when you got to help Azakiel but that was simply *it*. You didn't have anything else to offer.

You felt hot tears run down your face and wondered when you had started crying.

You let your sobs wrack your body and wailed unashamed.

"Fuck!!"

You screamed and let your emotions spill out.

Self doubt and insecurity had always been a companion to you but you were usually good at stating logical and suppressing thus side of yourself.

But spending these couple days with Az made you felt a way you had never before. You didn't recognize this unrational side of yourself that couldn't suppress their emotions to this extreme extent.

Lost in your thoughts you didn't hear the presence of a man approach you.

You tried to rub your cheeks and get rid of the tears but it only irritated your skin because of the force you were using and made them more red.

Suddenly you heard a rustling sound behind you, you jolted and turned around quickly only to see Az.

He was crouched behind you and his expression spoke of deep sorrow and regret, it hurt to look at.

His eyes were glassy and were beginning to tear up, his mouth was turned upside down and he was biting his lip with his eyebrows furrowed.

"im.. sor..ry"

you heard his cracking voice utter and tears were also flowing down his face.

"di-d I do some..thing..?" He hickuped while you watched him frozen in place.