#soft bbys

wip thursday | wbitd ch. 41 by ehoney

Azriel’s eyes traced the glittering stars overhead.

“There is a word for it in the old language,” he uttered, drinking in their splendor. “The need to be beneath them. The Illyrians revere it still,” his voice lowered devoutly. “Eirenocții.”

A heartbeat passed, and waves lapped the distant shore.

“What does it mean?” Elain asked quietly.

“The luring of the night.”

She watched him beneath soft eyes. “That is very beautiful.”

Azriel nodded wordlessly. 

Silenced prevailed as together they admired the place the stars met the sea.

“Does it ever fade for you?” she whispered after a while. “The beauty of these lands?”

Azriel didn’t hesitate before admitting his truth.

“Not ever.”

Another bout of quiet followed. Until her voice slipped delicately through it.

“I think sometimes that I could listen to you speak for hours, you know."

Azriel’s pulse slowed. He was careful not to look at her as she continued.

“You say such beautiful things. And you don’t seem to share them with anyone.”

He was grateful that the night was dark enough to hide the flush now crawling up his neck.

“No,” he admitted. “I don’t.” 

“But you do with me,” he could feel her studying him carefully. “When we’re alone.”

When we’re alone.

The words sounded dangerous and holy. His eyes slipped to her. Clandestine and infinite.

“You are a paradox,” he remarked, too gentle.

Elain’s mouth twisted in the shy beginnings of a smile that refused to show itself. “That seems…” she chewed her cheek. “Problematic.”

“You have no idea,” Azriel uttered honestly.

He held her there, in his gaze. Far too unabashed, far too long.

The only certain thing Eris knew about their wedding day, even before Theo had actually proposed, was that white Forget-Me-Nots would be placed in her hair- that was easy. The rest of this? The rest of the wedding planning was difficult. The guest lists, the table seating, who would give her away which resulted in a very entertaining conversation between Draco and Harry. But when Theo was the one helping her with the plans somehow all the other stress melted away.

“I’m surprised you haven’t tried to look at my wrist all those times I passed out on your bedroom floor or the couch.” Pat spoke after he managed to choke down his bite of hamburger after almost choking on it when Sylvester shoved his wrist in his direction. Pat wrinkles his nose when he was called Patrick. 

“And you don’t look like a Sylvester, much less like that stupid cartoon cat, who’s always trying to eat Tweety Bird.” He wiped his mouth with the back of his shirt sleeve before rolling the same shirt sleeve up and turning his wrist to show the other that it did indeed have ‘Sylvester’ written on it.