#sjmxreaderweekd5

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He watched you from the shadows, hazel eyes taking in every movement, every breath. You were the one thing he couldn’t keep himself from, and nearly couldn’t control himself when in your presence.

Not that you’d seen him before, or had even talked to him.

He’d been very careful to stay out of sight, to keep his affections secret. Fear of rejection ran deep in his blood, and he would be damned if he lost you before he’d ever had a chance to truly have you. So he watched, his shadows watched, monitoring your movements throughout the city.

You liked the café closest to your cottage, and went there every morning for at least a coffee if not breakfast. The bookstore next to the Sidra and a shop filled with threads, fabrics, and yarn in every shade were your favorite haunts. You worked in a nursery, tending to plant after plant with unwavering patience. Once a week your friends dragged you to Rita’s to blow off steam and you danced without a care in the world, the hem of your dress riding dangerously high up, attracting not only Azriel’s attention, but that of many a single male.

Those nights made his blood boil, knowing that you weren’t his yet, giving him no right to protect you from their vile gazes. Not that it stopped him.

Occasionally, he would let his shadows trail after you, ensuring that you made it home safely while he stalked after one of the males who had stared at you so brazenly. Truthteller easily wrung their secrets from them, and the pain they felt distracted Azriel from his soul deep need for you for the night. No one questioned where they went, and Azriel gave himself the slightest pat on the back for ridding Velaris of its filth.

Tonight, you were in the bookstore late. His shadows had whispered that you had finished a book not long ago, and had immediately made for the cozy store in search of the next volume.

While Velaris was usually safe, tonight there were a few males about, likely with less than stellar plans for how the night should turn out. But, there was a possibility that everything would work out perfectly in his favor tonight. While he hated the idea of you being scared for even a second, he despised the thought of you not being his even more.

Azriel continued watching you from across the street, tracking your movements through the glass windows and waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

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You knew it was a foolish idea, running to the bookstore after dark, but after finishing that book you had to have the next one, too greedy to wait one more sunrise to begin reading it.

Velaris was safe, you knew that. Nothing bad would happen to you on your walk home, and if it did - well, it wouldn’t.

You shook your head from your thoughts as your fingers ran over spine after spine, the smell of parchment filling your nose pleasantly. The sequel to the book you were reading was already in your grasp, and now you were looking for the last two in the series. One trip, three books. It would make the chilled air that much more worth it on your walk home, knowing that you had plenty of reading materials for the next few days.

"Find everything that you were looking for?” Gianna asked once you placed your finds on the counter, and you nodded.

“I always do,” you giggled, sliding over the gold pieces that you owed her while she placed your books into a small cloth bag, drawing the strings tightly to keep any possible moisture off of the precious items. “I’ll see you in a few days. Have a good night!” you said cheerily as you walked out the door, bag in hand.

“Get home safe!” Gianna called after you and you nodded, even if she couldn’t see it.

The walk home was only fifteen minutes in the day, though you walked more carefully now, unwilling to trip on uneven stones and scrape your skin. The wind whistled in your ears as you went, shivers wracking you every now and then when a particularly vicious gust would hit you. The streets leading to your home were mostly deserted, only a few people lingering about at this hour of night, before the real partying would begin.

You had the oddest sensation of being watched as you rounded the corner that put you on your street, the hair on the back of your neck prickling. You just barely managed to stop just before you slammed face-first into a male, lips already opening to apologize.

“Look what we have here, boys,” the male said, his voice low. “A pretty girl, all alone.”

Two other males came out of nowhere, surrounding you and pressing you against the wall. The stone bit into your back through your cloak and your heart hammered in your chest as you weighed your options. There was little you could do against three people, and you were unlikely to be able to outrun them if you managed to break away, but that was your only viable option. You gripped the bag in your hands tighter, preparing yourself to swing at the male to your right.

“What are you doing out here, sweet thing?” one of them asked, leaning in to close to sniff your neck. A shudder went through you, fear spilling through your veins.

“I think we should take you back to our place, keep you nice and warm,” the third said, two fingers tilting your head up to look him in the eyes. They were black and soulless, filled with promises of torment.

The first male chuckled at the suggestion. “That’s the best idea you’ve had in ages. Let’s go,” he said, a hand coming to grasp your arm.

You tried to wrench yourself free of his grasp, knowing that it was now or never if you wanted your freedom, to no avail. He began to tug you in the opposite direction of your house, your fear turning to full blown panic.

"I would stop where you are," a mysterious, commanding voice said from behind you.

“And I would tell you to mind your busine-” The male holding your arm dropped it as soon as he turned to look at the newcomer, fear shining in his eyes. “Oh, we- uhm-” He sprinted away, his cronies following him soon after.

You stared after them for a moment in disbelief before turning to face your savior. Your breath was stolen from you when you saw his face. His hazel eyes shined with warmth, and with his high cheekbones and elegant nose, he was perhaps the most handsome male that you had ever seen. Dark curls rested upon his head, paired perfectly with his golden-brown skin. The leathery, massive wings behind him only added to his allure.

“Are you alright, sweetheart?” he asked softly, hazel eyes flicking over you in search of any injuries. You nodded your head, not feeling up to speaking quite yet. “Would you like for me to walk you home? I would hate for anything else to happen to you.”

You supposed you should have rejected his offer, after what had almost happened, but he had saved you. “Yes, please,” you said quietly, taking small steps towards him. The two of you walked in a peaceful silence as you approached your cottage, your fear ebbing away with each step by his side. By the time you reached your door, you felt safe once more. “This is me.”

“Very well. I do hope you’ll be more careful in the future,” the male said, moving to turn away from you.

“Wait!” He stopped in his tracks. “What’s your name?”

“Azriel, sweetheart,” he said with a soft smile. “And yours?”

You introduced yourself, blushing when he repeated your name - it had never sounded as lovely as it did when he said it.

“Stay safe, Y/N. And have a good night,” Azriel said, pressing a kiss to the back of your hand before leaving you alone on your doorstep.

When you entered your home and slid the lock back into place, you still felt your cheeks burning from the contact between your skin and his lips.

Azriel… So he was your High Lord’s Spymaster…

You wondered if you would ever see him again. If you were being honest… You hoped that you would.

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