and these people are still wondering about the couple and who elain will end up with, like GIVE IT A REST ALREADY. we all know, you all know. stop being in denial.

stop stretching already? GRAYSEN REALLY? even elain is probably who? graysen who? that book would be like 2 pages cause elain would never.

but she said elain thinks lucien is hot. no she didn’t though, turn the volume up.

no doubts about elriel in my mind and that’s done but will it be the slowest of the slowest burns? is this like a scheme to actually please everyone with some content? will it be multiple povs or just elain/azriel/lucien pov?

I don’t know what to think at this moment, I would totally be happy if elain is getting three books for her story to evolve but also I don’t know if I should get dissapointed if it’s not in some way centered on her but a whole ass mashup of characters and storylines.

like some people created a ship from nothing but they still can’t come up with a plausible theory over this subject.

and don’t come at me with those out of this world they will fuck and it won’t work out bullshit theories. sjm’s gonna spend pages on some other couple’s book exploring elriel, them fucking and then they understand they don’t feel anything but lust and then elain goes to her mate and it’s like “well I fucked azriel and it didn’t work out so guess what, it’s you I think” and azriel’s gonna be like “well I guess I should find someone else then, who’s available on prythian tinder?” and suddenly it’s gonna hit him that he actually has a mate that he found out about when reading acotar’s subreddit.

and we should talk about the other part that act like elriel doesn’t exist and they just ignore it. but it does though, It’s written on page and clear as day. like they just think they will never meet again apparently cause elain will be touring with readhead fox and leading some court and azriel will be training with redhead pegasus to save Illyria LMAO I’m crying just writing this.

scene 1: lucien tries to be helpful to elain but azriel can’t let that happen’.

Lucien murmured to me, eye still fixed on Elain, 'Should we-does she need ...?'"

She doesn't need anything, “Azriel answered without so much as looking at Lucien."

(my man was prepared with the answer he wasn’t gonna let that guy interrupt his moment)

scene 2: azriel’s supposed to do his job and track lucien but he’d rather retire and die than see him and elain together

"Lucien is away right now."

Az's brows rose.

"Where?"

I winked at him.

"You're my spymaster. Shouldn't you know?"

Az crossed his arms, face as elegant and cold as the legendary dagger at his side.

"I don't make a point of looking after his movements."

"Why?"

Not a flicker of emotion.

"He is Elain's mate."

I waited.

"It would be an invasion of her privacy to track him."

To know when and if Lucien sought her out. What they did together.

"You sure about that?" I asked quietly.

Azriel's Siphons guttered, the stones turning as dark and foreboding as the deepest sea.

scene 3: ultimate level of hating. when you are in literal pain and it’s a torture to even see them next to each other so you stand near the door prepared to leave if it becomes too much.

"Why don't you sit?' "My shadows don't like the flames so much." A pretty lie. She'd seen Azriel before the fire plenty. But she looked at who sat close to it and knew the answer

Shadows darkened his eyes, full of enough pain that she couldn't stop herself from touching his shoulder. Letting him see that she understood why he stood in the doorway, why he wouldn't go near the fire.

Because her mate had been in the family room and Azriel had needed to stay by the door the whole time because he couldn't stand the sight of it, the scent of their mating bond, and needed to have the option of leaving if it became too much.

we’re entering the ELRIEL ERA bitches (finally and hopefully)!

and no I have no doubts about the couple being elriel, I mean even the antis know at this point (they always knew). i’m just hoping it’s announcement time and not just some anniversary celebrations. or worse some kinda novel or something, or she is about to pull a “chaol” and give us like a tamlin spring court ass book.

WE’VE WAITED FOR SO LONG!

I think at this point I already imagined the plot, like I’ve thought of so many scenarios all these YEARS, sjm can’t find something I didn’t already think about.

based on the books only, among all the ships regarding the next book azriel and elain are the only two people who want each other, it’s mutual and it’s reciprocated.

don’t need to theorize, to interpret, to imagine, or to twist anything. that’s not an opinion or a thought, that’s an actual fact not based on my wishes but based on canon.

Elain said “It’s all very disorienting.” “I can imagine,”Azriel said. Cassian flashed him a glare. But Azriel’s attention was on my sister, a polite, bland smile on his face. Her shoulders loosened a bit.

.. and Elain, noticing Azriel’s ease as proof that things weren’t indeed about to go badly, offered one of her own as well.”

• when elain was about to be introduced to her new home as a new being, azriel was there:

Azriel arrived first, no shadows to be seen, my sister a pale, golden mass in his arms.

He set her down gently on the foyer carpet, having carried her in through the front door.

Elain peered up at his patient, solemn face.
Azriel smiled faintly. “Would you like me to show you the garden?”

• when elain was lost and they were trying to find a way to make her feel better, azriel was there:

“Can I set you up in the garden? The herbs you planted are coming in nicely.” “I can help her” said Azriel, stepping to the table as Elain silently rose. No shadows at his ear, no darkness ringing from his fingers as he extended a hand.

• when no one could understand her behavior and her powers, azriel was the one who did:

“She doesn’t need anything,” Azriel answered without so much as looking at Lucien. Elain was staring at the spymaster now—unblinkingly.

”We’re the ones who need …’ Azriel trailed off. “A seer” he said, more to himself than us. “The Cauldron made you a seer.”

• when elain was taken, azriel was the first person who noticed her missing:

But Azriel asked softly, “What about Elain?” Something cold went through me.

• when elain needed saving, azriel was the one ready to die to save her:

From the shadows near the entrance to the tent, Azriel said, as if in answer to some unspoken debate, “I’m getting her back.”

Nesta slid her gaze to the shadowsinger. Azriel’s hazel eyes glowed golden in the shadows.

Nesta said, “Then you will die.”

Azriel only repeated, rage glazing that stare, “I’m getting her back.”

• when elain was in chains, azriel was bleeding and really wounded but the first thing he thought was freeing her, thinking about what she needed first:

Azriel rasped, swaying on his feet, “We need Helion to get these chains off her.” Yet Elain didn’t seem to notice them as she rose up on her toes and kissed the shadowsinger’s cheek.

• when elain needed a weapon to defend herself and azriel gave her his most prized possession, the dagger that never failed him and he never let anyone touch:

“This is Truth-Teller” he told her softly. “I won’t be using it today—so I want you to.”

“It has never failed me once” the shadowsinger said, the midday sun devoured by the dark blade. “Some people say it is magic and will always strike true.” He gently took her hand and pressed the hilt of the legendary blade into it. “It will serve you well.”

Cassian gawked at Azriel, and I wondered how often Azriel had lent out that blade. Never, Rhys said from where he finished buckling on his own weapons against the side of the wagon. I have never once seen Azriel let another person touch that knife.

• even in the smallest, irrelevant things, anytime elain needed help azriel was there:

But Azriel only took Elain’s heavy dish of potatoes from her hands, his voice soft as night as he said, “Sit. I’ll take care of it.”

• when elain was upset cause she understood that there was no way of going back to how it was, azriel was there to lighten her up:

“I’d feel bad for the mice” Azriel muttered. Mor and Cassian howled, earning a blush from Azriel and a grateful smile from Elain—and no shortage of scowling from Amren. But something in me eased at that laughter, at the light that returned to Elain’s eyes.

• when elain needed someone to talk, azriel was there even for things he may be not interested in but that make her happy:

Azriel and Elain remained in the sitting room, my sister showing him the plans she’d sketched to expand the garden in the back of the town house, using the seeds and tools my family had given her tonight. Whether he cared about such things, I had no idea.

• when elain was insulted and hurt, azriel’s shadows were ready to strike in her defense:

“Maybe you’ll become interesting at last, Elain.” Nesta saw the blow land, like a physical impact, in Elain’s face, her posture. No one spoke, though shadows gathered in the corners of the room, like snakes preparing to strike. Elain’s eyes brightened with pain.

• even when he just hears elain laugh, azriel is there to wonder what caused it:

Azriel stood in the doorway, monitoring them. As if he’d heard Elain’s sharp laugh and wondered what had caused it.

yes cassian offered elain a knife but azriel didn’t just offer her a knife. now lemme explain it for dummies.

we’re in a battle, you need a weapon to defend yourself and I offer you:

1. one of my knifes, we’re in a battle and you need to defend yourself, here take this random knife and be safe.

2. my most prized possession, in 500 hundred years, all my life I haven’t let anyone touch this knife, NEVER gave it to anyone. you’re the first person in my whole life I ever gave it too, that has ever touched it. my friends, my brothers people I was raised with were gawking from this action.

now you’re gonna admit you can’t actually tell the difference between these two situations? the first one is an action you can do for everyone, people you don’t know, your friends. you’re gonna lend them a weapon to defend themselves in a battle. the second one is an action you never did for anyone before this X person, it has MEANING.

“Cassian gawked at Azriel, and I wondered how often Azriel had lent out that blade. Never, Rhys said from where he finished buckling on his own weapons against the side of the wagon. I have never once seen Azriel let another person touch that knife.

Elain looked up at Azriel, their eyes meeting, his hand still lingering on the hilt of the blade.

I saw the painting in my mind: the lovely fawn, blooming spring vibrant behind her. Standing before Death, shadows and terrors lurking over his shoulder. Light and dark, the space between their bodies a blend of the two. The only bridge of connection … that knife.”

but for a year, every night he chose to stay away, he couldn’t find sleep because of her. like he physically removed himself from her life but still couldn’t forget and move on. he still kept that literal bottle of tylenol, her gift in his nightstand every night. like the man is cherishing a bottle of advil. my man fell asleep, the little sleep he could get, thinking of her.