Something that stuck with me in ACOSF for no damn reason:
When we find out Feyre is pregnant, Cassian and Azriel discuss whether or not they want children one day.
βOf course I want children.β Heβd contemplated it often, what manner of family heβd build for himself, how heβd make sure his children never spent a moment thinking they were unloved and unwanted; never, ever spent a moment hungry or scared or cold or in pain.
At this point, Cassian and Nesta arenβt an item, but they have established they have feelings for one another. They have their whole interaction in ACOWAR about not having enough time together and then in ACOFAS the emotional gift exchange.
But no female had ever come along whoβd tempted him enough to fight for that future. He supposed, deep down, that was what he was holding out for: the mating bond.
Nesta hasnβt reciprocated his passion to pursue what they have. He wants a healthy relationship like what he sees with Feysand first. But regardless, he has put a lot of thought into what would make him want children. Heβs put a lot of thought into how he wants to raise them.
Now letβs look at Azriel. His response to the question about if he wants children is:
βI donβt know,β Azriel said.
βDo you want a child?β
βIt doesnβt matter what I want.β Distant wordsβones that prevented Cassian from prying further. He was still happy to be Morβs buffer with Azriel, but thereβd been a change lately. In both of them. Mor no longer sat beside Cassian, draped herself over him, and Azriel β¦ those longing glances toward her had become few and far between. As if heβd given up. After five hundred years, heβd somehow given up. Cassian couldnβt think why.
Cassianβs inner dialogue here leads us to believe that Azriel has moved on from Morrigan β albeit reluctantly. And we know that he has his sights set on Elain, because in the bonus chapter we get that gift exchange/almost kiss/Azrielβs thoughts on what comes next.
Regardless, even with someone new in the picture for him, Azriel has no idea what type of future he wants. He decides that it doesnβt matter what he wants.
SJM has laid out something here.
Two characters who have prospective love interests.
One has a future in mind for himself with a nameless/faceless person.
The other doesnβt even know.
Itβs very clear to me that if Elain were Azrielβs endgame or if he was as serious about pursuing her as people like to believe, then this scene would have featured Azriel pondering his future in a more positive light. With cautious optimism rather than this sort of hollow uncertainty we see.
I usually donβt psychoanalyze this closely, but the parallels between him and Cassian who, at this point, have the same relationship status is staggering.
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