#shadowinger

Azriel the second he’s alone with Elain Archeron:

I don't think his slaughtering the men about to gang r*pe Gwyn had anything to do with mate behavior. It's cool if you disagree, but I'd like to explain why I think this.

One aspect of Azriel's character that I don't see discussed much is his protectiveness of women in general, particularly when it comes to how they are treated by men around them.

(Side note: It's not that he doesn't think women aren't strong enough to defend themselves or fight in battle, it's more of an abuse and disrespect thing)

And it makes sense since he grew up in such a sexist society, one in which his mother was abused. And while we don't know the specifics, we can infer quite a bit based on how Az was treated as a child and how his mother worked for his father.

We first see his protectiveness with the iconic, "Be careful how you speak about my High Lady" line followed by his beating the shit out of Eris for calling Mor a slut.

This is further confirmed for us in ACOFAS with the whole potato incident. And Rhys tells us it's because of how his mother had been treated.

So when he saw a priestess about to be horribly sexually assaulted, of course he didn't hesitate to kill them all. That sort of thing is a huge trigger for him.

I don't even necessarily think that it's impossible for Az and Gwyn to be mates, but I don't see how his saving her and killing everyone trying to assault her was mate behavior when it directly plays into his character and he hadn't even had a proper look at Gwyn yet.

The perfect parents

Like I mean annoyingly perfect parents. 

Don’t get me wrong Azriel was so panicked during the pregnancy and in the first few months but he realises after a while that a baby isn’t too far off what Cassian is like drunk. 

Gwyn has also grown up with children so she’s a natural and adores them and is a natural. 

You just know Azriel would be the hottest Dad ever! 

Imagine him finally feeling confident in himself because his purpose is to raise these children and he loves them more than anything and he knows that he could mess it up but he can see how happy his children are and that's all that matters to him. 

They sing lullabies to their children every single night. 

Azriel takes them flying from a young age so they’re never scared of heights. 

Azriel also makes sure they have night lights and keeps their door open so they never feel trapped in the dark. 

Daddy Azriel is king of cuddles. 

Like I’m talking big bear hugs. 

Whenever they get injured or they’re sad, a cuddle from Az makes it all better. 

Gwyn loves having a messy house. of course it’s an inconvenience but she loves it. She sees it as a sign of life and loves a busy house. 

I imagine them having 2 or 3 children relatively close together. 

Gwyn loved having a sister so close and Azriel loved growing up with Rhys and Cass so that’s why they have them near each other. 

But they’re Fae so ‘close’ together is actually more like a decade apart. 

They have children quite a while after Rhys and Feyre. Feysand’s kids are already adults and they love having the babies around. 

The entire IC loves Gwynriel’s kids.

As perfect as they are parents their kids are also perfect. 

They’re polite and respectful and have the cutest little voices. 

Azriel shadows absolutely adore the children too and if they're close by and one of them trips up the shadows catch their fall. 

Because they also adopt the order of the children coming into their lives and the ages don’t quite correspond. 

Their first child was a bit of a surprise, Gwyn wasn’t planning on being pregnant for a while but they deal with it. 

A decade or so later they adopt a 13 year old child and their first child still acts like the older sibling even though they’re a few years younger. 

The second child (3rd of their children overall) they adopt is 5 years after that and they adopt an Illyrian baby. 

Cassian and Nesta are their favourite uncle and aunt. 

Chapter 15

“Nobody looks after you the way that it matters.” Azriel said quietly. “Is it wrong of me to want to do so?”

Elain swallowed then, at a loss.

“It’s only that-” Azriel paused, speaking very softly, “I should very much like to look after you,” he said, his voice smooth and deep, “in whatever way you might allow me.” His eyes did not leave his book.

Elain realized then, that the request wasn’t just for her benefit.

It was because Azriel had a need to do so. A need left unfulfilled for five hundred years.

Elain’s gaze held all the tenderness in the world as she looked at the shadowsinger, all haunted eyes and long lashes and brooding shadows and ancient wings and the holy, perfect mess that was Azriel.

This.

This alone was worth defying every star in the night sky for.

What Bloomed in the Darkgarden by ehoney on A03

Chapter 7: Iris

The general air about Rosehall was a soft sort of decaying beauty. Not entirely in disrepair, but the place felt old. Lost already.