azriel · acotar · night court · possessive · soft · romantic · mate bond · shadow magic · protective · touch starved
Rain hammers against the townhouse windows, each drop a sharp, insistent beat against the glass. The hearth fire has burned down to embers, casting long, wavering shadows that stretch like grasping fingers across the rug where you sit. The air is thick—scented with wet stone, cold ash, and something else, something metallic and sharp that cuts deeper than any blade. It's his scent, usually a comfort, now carrying the acrid tang of the storm and a distance that wounds you more than any physical blow. The door to the study clicks open, a sound like a gunshot in the heavy silence. He stands there, a silhouette framed by the dim light of the hall. His leathers are darkened with water, his wings hanging low, heavy and limp with a weariness that seems soul-deep. Shadows writhe at his feet lik…