A Court of Flame and Shadow (Azriel x eris)

Chapter 1: Azriel

A gentle rain fell on the streets of Velaris, tracking patterns down the townhouse window that Azriel stared out. Windows glowed in houses all down the street, like faelights.

Behind him, joyful chattering sounded, alongside the clinking of glasses of wine, and general sounds of love and happiness. The kind of night that would usually fill Azriel with a glowing joy, and newfound respect for life.

But not tonight.

"Hey, Az, come grab some wine!" Cassian's familiar drunken voice called across the living room. When Azriel turned, he held a bottle high, shit eating grin on his face.
"No thanks, I have to fly later." He replied stiffly. Booing filled the room, and he chuckled slightly before he turned back to the window.

The sun had set long ago, and he would have to leave soon. In reality, he was supposed to have arrived almost an hour ago, but, he hadn't found the nerve to. The fear that he would be left alone, or stood up, was to great. 

"Hey!"

A delicate hand brushed against his back, and he quickly stepped away. Elain frowned up at him. "Okay, what's wrong. You get like this every week." Azriel glanced down at her. "Don't know what you are talking about." He said quietly. 

"Please don't block me out, Az. You've been ignoring me all day, and its scaring me."
"I just have a lot on my mind, El. Nothing to worry about."

"Well I'm sorry, but when I see someone struggling, I like to help them." She worked her jaw, hand twitching as if she would touch him again.

"Its really nothing." He mumbled dully, averting his eyes.
"Do not hide in the shadows, Azriel." Her voice sharpened like he had never heard. 

He swallowed. "Did you get a hair cut?" He forced a smile.

She ran a hair through her newly shoulder-length hair, beaming at him. "Yes, Mor cut it ear- don't change the subject!" Elain cried.

He loosed a long sigh.

"I have meeting later that I am a little worried about." The almost-lie flowed smoothly.
She flashed him a satisfied grin. "Thank you!" She hummed.

"Y'know, I started growing this herb that brews a lovely, calming tea. Why don't you sit down with everyone, and I'll make you a cup! She exclaimed brightly. Azriel loosed a long sigh. 

"Okay, but I must be leaving soon."
"It wont take long" She grinned at him.

~ 

Five minutes later, Elain buzzed back into the room, cradling a steaming mug of some greenish brown liquid. 

"Lavender tea, a La Elain!"
"You certainly are in a good mood today." Azriel observed as he took the warm mug from her hands. 
"Luce gets home tomorrow, and I have this new flower I really want to show him!" She explained.
"So that's going well?"
"Oh, yes. I'm really so much happier than I ever was with Graysen, just as you all said!"

"I was talking to him last week, and he says he is really happy with you, El." Feyre chimed in. "He said you are the best thing to happen to him."
"He said that! He's so sweet! Isn't he sweet, Az?"
"He's great." He mumbled, but his mind wasn't on Lucien, more his brother. Gods, he missed Eris. Two months of a tug on a bond that couldn't truly be there yet. And now, that the end of the wait had come, Azriel was too chicken to even go. The thought that Eris had found someone else, or had married a woman as his father had demanded, were fears that had been eating away at him for weeks. A lot could happen in two months. What if Eris had decided that Azriel was too good for him?

"Hey!" Someone was clicking in front of his face.
"What?"
"You are fading into the shadows again, Az." Elain gave him a sympathetic look. "Just go, get it over and done with."

He scowled at her, but she was right. Best he go now, while he had the nerve.

~

A chilly breeze swept over his wings, and through his hair. It was refreshing, really, to feel the cool air of the mountains. He had used his shadows to get to the border, but he would have to fly until he reached no-mans-land -the only safe place to meet- the forest above Under the Mountain.