Friends, but not quite

"Friends, but not quite" Part 1

He felt it, the fire burning him. It was so hot that he was barely able to breathe. The flame now was so close that his eyes ached. Azriel knew that he was sleeping, he had to be. But he could never wake up; his past kept on hunting for him in his dreams, where he had to endure the torture over and over again. He felt the pain as flames licked his fingertips first, and then he felt steady hands shaking him by the shoulders.

"Azriel! Azriel wake up!" Elain shouted in a pleading voice. When Azriel opened his eyes, relief painted her face. "It was just a dream Az. You're here, and you're with me."

Azriel dragged his eyes through the dark room, lights from the city were illuminating the space, and there was a small candle on the bedside table. Azriel didn't look at Elain as he murmured "I'm sorry I waked you" He moved his hand through his hair. Sweat. He was covered in sweat, just like after a good training exercise with Cassian. Gods why did she had to see him like this?

"Don't do this. Don't cast your eyes away from me." Elain took his face in her hands making him look at her "Let me be there for you, let me help." He knew that he was not worthy of her help, but this amazing female always looked at him like he was worth saving, understanding and even more. She read it on his face and drew her own closer. Forehead to forehead Elain murmured "Az-,"

Azriel took her hands in his and kissed them. "You help me El. You helped me more than anyone ever had," he whispered against her lips.

"What did you dream about?" Elain asked, tracing the lines of his face with her finger. Azriel closed his eyes "These" he said raising a hand, showing the scars on it.

Elain withdrew from him slightly taking his hand in hers and brought it to her lips. She kissed his scars just like she always did in these kinds of situations. "Your scars are part of who you are. It is your past, your history; it should give you strength knowing that you survived it. Besides, you wouldn't be the Azriel we all cherish so much without them." Elain kissed his cheek, and Azriel smiled a bit. Only Elain could make him smile after his nightmares.

Elain was one of the best things of his long and lonely existence. Cassian, Rhys, Feyre, and Mor were his friends. But Elain was his best friend and so much more than that. She was there when his nightmares haunted him; she was the only person he wanted to be with when he felt miserable, she was the only one he wanted to run to when he was happy. Although he only was happy because of her.

She pecked his lips and Azriel tried to catch them, but she moved away asking "Bath?" He was so sweaty that even the sheets were damp, so he nodded. "Join me?" Elain smiled slightly and went to fill the bath up.

Azriel worked his house magic into changing the sheets; it worked similarly to their holiday's cabin. When he went to the bath it was halfway filled, Elain gathered the soaps and put some herbs into the water. Azriel was half naked as he strolled to Elain and hugged her from behind. "Thank you for being here," He murmured into her neck. "Always, Az." Azriel pulled the strands of Elain's nightgown, and it felt to the floor leaving Elain in nothing but her own skin.

He kissed her neck, working his kisses up to her jaw and nipped at her ear. Elain let out a tiny moan. "Azriel" he smiled a bit at the breathlessness in her voice. Azriel removed his undershorts and took Elain in his arms, carrying her into the bath.

She sat back to him, and Azriel kissed her shoulder blades. "Did it happen often, while I was gone? The nightmares, I mean." She placed her head on his shoulder leaning into his body.

"Once you left for the summer it started again," he said, and Elain tensed. "I didn't happen every day, but often enough."

"I'm sorry that I've been away for so long." Azriel just shook his head and stroked Elain's hair "It does not depend on you, how long you missions are." Elain sighed "True, but still-" Azriel turned Elain around so that she was facing him, "You're here with me now." She leaned in and kissed him. It was slow and deep, that kind of kiss when they both needed closeness.

Elain tasted like strawberries, and he couldn't get enough of that taste. She felt his urgency and broke the kiss first. "Before-" she started, tracing his chest with a hand, that hand traveling lower and Azriel growled, "before we do anything else, why don't we actually bathe first, huh?" Azriel made a little whining noise as Elain pulled away and laughed "Come on turn around."

Elain took the washing cloth, put some soap on it that smelled of lavender and started from his neck. She worked his arms, his back, when suddenly she dragged the other hand to his left wing, stroking the sensitive vein there. Azriels breathing hitched. Elain was able to make him so calm and steady in one second, and the next she would make every nerve in his body jump. It still surprised him how much power she had over him.

Azriel hands were white-knuckled on the corners of the bath. He attempted to keep his breathing even, but the second hand traced the same spot on the opposite wing. This was the game she played when she wanted to distract him, to take his mind off his worries, to make him concentrate entirely on her. And damn him, but she was good at it. As her nails scraped him lightly, he lost it.

He was instantly on her, towering over her in the bath and she squeaked from the surprise of the sudden movement. "My turn," Elain lifted her brows, a little smirk appearing on her mouth and Azriel kissed it right off.

He took the washing cloth, not for second braking the kiss. He traced her arms with it, her collarbone, while his right hand was stroking idle circles on her inner thigh. Azriel washed her breasts, with lingering movements and then he leaned in and took them into his mouth, the other hand going dangerously up her thigh, but not quite.

"Azriel" Elain gasped as his mouth kept on working her breasts. "What was that flower?" his fingers traveled to where she wanted them and stroked there lightly, so damn lightly that she could barely feel them. Elain leaned into him, but Azriel held her in place still teasing her so horribly. "Azriel-" She could hear the smile in his voice as he said, "use your words, El." She bucked her hips, whimpering as he kissed her collarbone, never withdrawing his hand from her thigh "Azriel please" once the words left her mouth two of his fingers pushed inside her and his thumb pressed her center. Elain cried out, the cry becoming a loud moan as his fingers worked her. She was a liquid in Azriel's arms, and Elain dragged her hands to his back leaving nail marks on him, marking him.

When the pleasure shattered her, Azriel lowered his mouth to hers. Then only when she was bursting out of her skin from that pleasure did he stopped.

By the time they finished, both Elain and Azriel were truly tired. They went to sleep in freshly made sheets, and neither of them had a single nightmare.

....

Azriel made breakfast this time, just like he does every time they stay in his place. Before Elain used to insist on making it, but he said it's a good practice for him, so she let it go.

Today it was pancakes. Az was a good cook. Better than good, Elain had to give him credit for that. Looking at his back while he cooked breakfast for her started to be Elain's most anticipated morning activity. "You're staring," Az said not even looking at Elain, and she smiled "can't help it," Az looked at her over his shoulder, eyebrow raised "Why's that?"

Elain smirked, coming closer "You are blocking the view of my breakfast."

Azriel laughed "Come here" he held her a fork. The pancake melted in Elain's mouth. It was dusted with powder sugar, and it was softer than a cloud. "How are you so good at everything?" Az laughed again, he seemed to be in a particularly good mood today, "I'm not, and I'm nothing compared to you although five hundred years of existence gives you some advantages."

"Oh, I'm sure it does." Elain chuckled. A chuckle quickly stopped as she remembered what she had to ask him for.

She hated that she might ruin his unusual good spirit, but this couldn't wait. He seemed to read it in her expression as he sat down the fork, "What is it?"

Elain bit her lip "I need to ask you for a favor."

...

Hoped you liked it, part two coming soon! :))