After ACOFAS

The Bet

The music was loud. Too loud for Elains liking. Azriel was wincing, and she could tell that he felt the same way.
Rita opened a new bar in Velaris after the first one succeeded spectacularly, and of course, the second Rita opened it Mor was dragging the whole family there.

Drinks and food were incredible, yet the music was giving a headache to Elain.

"You tired El?"

Cassian asked, and from his voice, she knew that whatever her answer would be, she'll be met with a sarcastic reply. Cassian was in that mood. That mood was when he would find a target from their little group to tease. Most of the time, it was Elain. "You're like my little sister" He once told her. "I tease the people I love" He bumped her shoulder "And you can bite back, you know." And that was that.

Right now Elain wasn't in the mood, one more comment and she really would bite back.

She was in her head again when she heard Feyre saying, "Rhys doesn't last that long anymore," Elain rolled her eyes, cheeks burning. Azriel groaned annoyed. Az seemed to be the only person who understood that inappropriate conversations weren't always the funniest ones. Sadly, among the inner circle, those type of conversations were the usual kind.
"Can we talk about something else for once?" Something that doesn't have to do with bed habits, she almost added.

Feyre gave her a look saying what are you suggesting?
"Alright, sweetie what about your love life?" And just like that, the attention was on her. Elain choked on her drink. "Do our conversations have to be about someone's love life?" She asked.

"You're no fun. Come on gives us something." Elain just shook her head. She felt Azriel eyes on her.

"It's been ten years, and yet you never share your personal life with us. You can be even more boring than Az, El." Cassian said. He can call her boring all he like, but Elain was not that stupid to give into Cassians trap.
Elain touched Azriels shoulder, and his hand was instantly on her tight. "There are plenty of conversations topics such as world hunger and wars and Illyrian-"

"Booooring" Cassian cut in. His eyes gleamed with a sudden idea. Sometimes Cassian was as easily amused as a child given a candy.

"I dare you to do something fun" He gulped his liqueur, "Oh, I got it. I dare you to kiss a stranger."

Azriels hand on her tight tightened and Elain felt the sudden urge to look at him.

She huffed instead, "And why would I do that?" Cassians just turned his head to the side like a dog not understanding a question.

"Because I dare you."

"Gods that is so male of you if you think that I will do that just to prove something to you."

The amused gleam in his eyes sharpened "Fine. A bet then." Elain looked at him, "Do I need to explain how bets work, what's in there for me?" She asked. He grinned, "What would you like?"

She tapped her glass with a finger. To kiss a stranger didn't sound appealing but to beat Cassian in his own game-
"Silence. If I kiss a stranger, I want a week of silence from you. And if I dont, then you can gloat about how boring I am all you like."

Cassian agreed immediately, "Silence from me, easy enough." The whole table chuckled, and Elain laughed. "Oh, I dont think you understand. A week with no comments or stupid jokes or teasing. You will only speak when it's necessary, and when someone asked you a question, you will answer it with no sarcasm." Cassian honestly looked pained of the idea of it, but he nodded at the end. "Brilliant" Rhys added.

"Can I choose who I'm kissing?" Cassian nodded once more. Elain could not help but glance at Azriel, who was throwing daggers at Cassian. His brother just smirked right back. Everyone knew that Elain and Azriel were more than just friends, but they never mentioned that or acted on it. At least they didn't poke their nose at their private business, which Elain was thankful for. "Alright." She said, standing up.

"Oh and Elain when I said kiss, I mean-" She cut Cassian off, "I think I got it."

Elain could not believe she was actually doing this. But it was worth it. A week of silence from Cassian was worth it.

She picked a male, Illyrian judging by his wings. Elain only saw his backside, but it was enough, for her plan to work, she couldn't see the males face.

The music was still too loud for her to like, but it was better this way. She was sure that otherwise, everyone would hear her thundering heartbeat.
Elain lightly tapped the male on the shoulder. The same second he turned to her; she captured his cheeks in both hands and brought his face down to hers. She didn't get the time to see his face. She didn't know his name, or if he had a mate. Gods, she will have to apologize later.

She felt two strong arms encircling her waist as he deepened the kiss. She let in on just a few seconds longer, in case Cassian would decide not to count it, and then she retreated.

Breathlessly she smiled looked at the male and dramatically let her smile falter.
"Hi." The male's voice was low and beautiful, but she didn't let herself think about that.

"I am so sorry," she didn't need to fake the blush staining her cheeks. The male shook his head, looking a bit dazed.
"No, really, I thought you were someone else. I'm so sorry." She looked down, turned around, and wandered to her table a smile playing on her lips.
She sat down and saw that Feyre was about to say something, but she looked behind her and Elain turned around to see the same male she just kissed, standing there.

He scratched his head, sheepishly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to follow you. You just ran off so quickly. Maybe you could tell me your name, or have a drink with me?" Elain looked at his apologetic. Azriel didn't spare one glance his way, his face looking like a stone-hard mask.

"Don't apologize." She saw Azriels hand on the table and slowly placed hers on top of his. Azriel looked startled. "But I wasn't lying when I said that I thought you were someone else."

Males eyes wondered to Azriel and then to their connected hands. "My bad." He said and moved to the bar.

Still not letting go of Azriels hand Elain looked at Cassian. "I bet you would really like to comment on that."

He smirked, opening his mouth, then his grin fell. Mor started laughing louder than the music itself and others joined her. Azriel squeezed her hand back, looking pleased.

Rhysand lifted his glass into the air "To the most excellent sister in law. The only person that managed to make Cassian shut up!"
They all drank to that.