âThe Fever in the Tent â
((Azriel/ reader) Cassian x Eris )
You were supposed to be resting after getting fever-sick mid-mission. Instead, youâre tucked into an Illyrian tent with Azriel, Cassian, and Erisâthree males, one cot, and absolutely zero personal space.
Eris is delighted. Cassian may never recover.
And Azriel? Heâs two seconds away from murdering them both and wrapping you in his wings forever.
This is very chaotic, I have no energy to edit again, sorry it's just crack ENJOY
The Illyrian mountains were merciless that night: wind screaming, frost creeping across the canvas, snow hitting in sheets.
Which meant the four of youâAzriel, Cassian, Eris, and youâwere forced to share one of the High Lordâs massive field tents.
A single fire. Four bedrolls.
Way too much male energy.
Sweating despite the cold, breathing unevenly against Azrielâs thigh.
Madjaâs syrup sloshed inside the little glass now tucked in Azrielâs pack.
âParadoxical effects,â sheâd warned.
âShe may become uninhibited.â
âDo not leave her unattended.â
Azriel had nodded calmly.
You blinked awake slowly, eyes glassy, hair sticking to your temples.
Cassian perked up immediately from his seat by the fire.
âOh good,â he muttered. âShe lives.â
Eris lounged on a pile of furs like a bored deity staring down at amusing mortals.
âYou look overheated,â he observed.
âIâm full of feelings,â you said gravely.
Azriel sighed softly. âSheâs delirious.â
âIâm delirious for all of you,â you clarified.
You pointed lazily at Cassian.
âYouâre strong. You could pick me up with one arm.â
Cassian blinked. âThank you?â
âAnd youâre pretty. Like⊠offensively pretty.â
Eris smirked. âI accept this.â
Then you turned to Azriel.
âAnd you,â you whispered, reaching toward him, âare for kissing.â
Azriel caught your hand mid-air, thumb stroking your fever-warm knuckles.
âSweetheart,â he murmured, âyouâre overheated. Try to rest.â
âNo,â you said. âI want all three of you to stay.â
Cassian dropped a log on his own foot.
Eris made a thoughtful sound.
You pushed up onto your elbows, eyes soft and unfocused.
âYou can all share my bed. Thereâs room if weââ
Azriel slapped his palm across your mouth so fast Cassian yelped.
Erisâs smile turned wicked.
âOh, this just got interesting.â
Azriel glared at him. âDonât.â
Cassian wheezed, âAz⊠sheâsâsheâs trying to start a foursomeââ
You licked Azrielâs hand.
Azriel jerked, losing all composure, letting out a startled laughâsharp and involuntary.
Erisâs brows hit his hairline.
Azriel looked horrified at himself.
You blinked. âYou laugh funny.â
âIââ Azriel rubbed his face, ears reddening. âThat wasâ you surprised me.â
Eris purred, âTicklish, Shadowsinger?â
Azriel sent a shadow to tug sharply at Erisâs bootlace.
âYou have a cute laugh.â
Azrielâs lips twitchedâan actual, reluctant smileâbut he shook his head.
âYouâre not thinking clearly.â
âIâm thinking about you clearly,â you insisted. âAnd about them. And about the bedââ
Azrielâs hand clamped back over your mouth.
Cassian snorted. âBuddy, thatâs not helping.â
Eris leaned back, amused beyond measure.
âPerhaps let her finish.â
Azrielâs jaw flexed. âNo. Absolutely not.â
You tried to keep talking under his palm.
ââwantâErisâandâCassianâandâAzââ
âCauldron save me,â Azriel muttered.
Your fever-flushed gaze drifted to Eris again, too soft, too warm.
âEris,â you said from behind Azrielâs hand, voice muffled but determined, âyou can come into the bed right now if you wantââ
Azriel launched across you, pinning you back gently but firmly, shadows flaring so sharply Cassian ducked.
âYouâre done, both of you leave now,â Azriel said.
Eris put a hand to his chest, delighted.
Cassian whistled low. âAz, she literally invited him to bed with you. Thatâsââ
âShe didnât mean it,â Azriel snapped.
âShe doesnât know what sheâs saying.â
You tugged at Azrielâs wrist with both hands and mumbled, âYes I do.â
Azriel didnât move his palm.
Azriel laughed again, shoulders shaking, breath catching.
âStopâstopââ he choked out, trying to sound stern but failing terribly.
Cassian: âAZRIEL LAUGHS WHEN YOU LICK HIM. IâM NEVER LETTING THIS GO.â
Eris: âFascinating. I didnât know the shadowsinger had weak points.â
Azriel: âBoth of you get out.â
Cassian lifted his hands. âLook, I didnât ask to be invited to this imaginary orgââ
Azrielâs shadows snapped around his ankles.
Cassian yelped and stumbled toward the tent flap.
Eris rose gracefully, brushing off his coat.
âI see when Iâm no longer welcome.â
âYou were never welcome,â Azriel said.
âYou say that, and yet your female invited me into your bedââ
Azrielâs shadows surged like a silent storm.
Eris actually backed up this time.
âYes, yes,â he said lightly. âThe fever speaks. I know.â
âAz, youâve got your hands full. And apparently your mouth too.â
Azriel threw a pillow at his head.
Cassian and Eris slipped out into the cold, muttering and laughing.
Azriel dropped the tent flap behind them, sealing out the wind.
You stared up at Azriel, dizzy and overheated and drunk on fever.
He brushed your hair back again, thumb stroking your cheek gently.
His voice softened to its most intimate register.
You blinked up at him. âYes?â
âYouâre not sharing me,â he murmured.
âNot with them. Not with anyone.â
Your heart flutteredâslow, heavy, fever-lazy.
âI only want you,â you whispered.
He exhaled shakily, relief hitting him like a blow.
âGood,â he breathed, leaning his forehead against yours, âbecause I was two seconds away from dragging you out of this tent and carrying you down the mountain.â
âI like it when you laugh.â
He did laugh thenâquiet, warm, desperateâand pressed a soft kiss to your fever-warm temple.
âGo to sleep,â he whispered. âIâm right here. No one else.â
You curled against him, his wings and shadows forming a protective barrier around you.
The fever fought you, but eventuallyâŠ
And Azriel stayed awake the entire nightâ
still smiling faintly at the memory of you licking his hand.
Part II (The Morning After)â
Your fever broke sometime before dawn.
âblinking against the dim grey light filtering through the tent canvasâ
âthe first thing you saw was Azriel.
Shadows loosely curled around you both like sleepy pets.
And he was looking at you with the softest, most devastating smile.
You groaned. âOh no.â
He chuckled under his breath.
You covered your face with both hands. âPlease tell me I didnât say anything humiliating.â
You peeked through your fingers. âHow bad was it?âHe brushed your cheek with the back of his fingers. âYou told Cassian he was âbig enough to carry you to bed.ââ
âAnd Eris was âshiny.ââ
âAnd that you wanted all three of us at once.â
Azrielâs lips twitched.
âI removed them before you added more names.â
âOh gods,â you whispered into your hands. âPlease kill me.â
Azriel laughedâquiet, warm, low in his chest.
âNever,â he repeated, leaning down to kiss your forehead. âI like you alive.â
You peered at him, face burning hot for a very different reason this time.
âYouâre⊠laughing.â
âYou were delirious. And adorable. And surprisingly dangerous.â
âYou licked my hand.â
You groaned. âDid not.â
Azriel tilted his head, smiling dangerously slow.
You collapsed back onto the bedroll and dragged a blanket over your face.
âTHIS IS A NIGHTMARE.â
Azriel pulled the blanket down just enough to kiss your nose.
âIt was not cute,â you hissed.
âIt was adorable,â he insisted.
âAzriel, I told ERIS he could get in bed with us.â
Azriel went still, eyes sharpening.
You swallowed. âAre you mad?â
His expression softened instantly.
âIâm not angry,â he said quietly. âYou were sick. Out of your mind. I know you didnât mean any of it.â
You whispered, âI meant the part about you.â
Azrielâs shadows stirred like a content sigh.
He smoothed a hand along your jaw, voice low:
Cassian barged into the tent without warning.
âGOOD MORNING LOVEBIRââ
Azriel shot him a single look.
Cassian smacked into the tent pole and froze.
âOkay. Adjusting tone. New attempt: good morning.â
Cassian grinned like a hyena.
âSo,â he said, leaning against the pole, âyou remember inviting the three of us to bed last night?â
Cassian held up both hands.
âJust checking her memory! Educational purposes!â
You wheezed. âCass, I swear to the Motherââ
âOh no, itâs fine,â he said smugly. âTotally normal to try to collect three males at once.â
Azrielâs shadows lifted off the floor.
Cassian held up both hands again. âIâm leaving! Iâm leaving!â
But not before whispering:
âYou shouldâve seen Azrielâs face. He looked like someone tried to steal his mateââ
Azriel threw a boot at him.
Ten seconds later, Eris strolled into the tent with two steaming cups of tea, perfectly composed as always.
âFor the invalid,â he said, offering one to you.
âAnd for the mate who survived.â
Azriel did not look amused.
You buried yourself further under the blankets.
âPlease donât talk to me.â
âOh, donât be dramatic,â Eris said smoothly. âYou were delightful.â
âYou told me Iâm âshiny and mean.ââ
âAnd invited me to share a bed with your mate.â
Azrielâs shadows rose like a dark crown behind him.
Eris took a polite step back.
âRelax, Shadowsinger. I declined.â
âIn case youâre curiousâIâm flattered.â
You buried your face in your hands again.
âPlease gods let me die.â
Eris patted your shoulder delicately.
âIf you ever change your mindââ
Azriel surged to his feet.
Azriel sat back down beside you, expression soft againâonly soft for you.
âIâm never drinking medicine again,â you muttered.
He laughed quietly, threading his fingers through yours.
âI like you any way you are.â
You peeked at him. âEven delirious?â
He brushed his thumb across your knuckles, slow and warm.
âEspecially delirious,â he murmured.
âYou say things youâre too shy to say when youâre awake.â
âWhat things?â you whispered.
Azriel leaned in until his forehead rested against yours.
âThat you want me,â he breathed.
âThat you choose me.â
âAnd I do,â you whispered.
Azriel smiledâquiet, real, private.
His hand cupped your cheek.
âI know,â he murmured. âAnd I love you too.â
âPromise Cassian and Eris wonât ever speak of this again?â
Azriel smirked, shadows curling.
âIâll take care of it.â
Cassian: âYOU CANâT SILENCE MEââ
Eris: âWeâre absolutely speaking of itââ
Cassian: ââFOREVERââ
âYou rest,â he murmured. âIâm going to commit two small murders.â
You fell asleep again with his shadows curled protectively around you.
And somewhere outside, Cassian whispered:
âIâm telling Mor EVERYTHING.â
âIâm composing a poem.â
Azriel groaned into his hands.