Let You Down |Azriel|

.13.

Azriel stood next to me on the veranda. We looked out at the sea that looked as though it was sparkling like millions of diamonds. It was all so peaceful. He reached his arm out for me to step into. I looked at him for a short moment before stepping into his embrace. He gently scooped me up and shot into the sky like a reverse lightening bolt. The wind wove through my fingers again and soothed the anxiety I had boiling up inside me. Our venture wasn't far, just to the other side of the mountain which was easily reached considering we were able to fly up and over versus around.

When he landed he gently set me on my feet and waited until I had proven stable before taking his arm away from behind me. I stepped over to a rock and planted my butt on the edge. My eyes scanned the environment before me and I was slightly terrified at the large drop-off just a few paces from where I had chosen to sit. My fear must have been visible because Az came and sat next to me. We sat in silence for a few heartbeats.

"It can be really scary at first," he started. "I remember when I started learning how to fly. I was much older compared to when Illyrians typically learn how to fly. Jumping from a high place and seemingly plummeting to your death goes against a lot of instincts."

I nodded, "it looks absolutely terrifying. I can take a decent fall if I shift into my cat form and land without being hurt, but not that far," I peered over the edge at the death drop.

"I'll catch you if you fall," he nudged me with his shoulder, "bring them out."

I relaxed every muscle in my body and brought my wings into view before stretching them out wide and rolling my shoulders.

"Why do you hide them, still?" He breathed as he took in the large black wings sitting behind me.

"It's really hard to let myself be free after so many decades of being confined. I have to keep reminding myself that it's okay to show them, to walk around with them, that I won't get tortured or locked away because of them."

"I'm so sorry, Lia."

I shook my head and stood up, "I don't really feel like crying today so let's get to it."

He nodded and stood next to me. "I see you've already got decent control of them by the way you've been expanding and contracting them. Are you able to lift off of the ground?"

I thought about it for a moment, "I don't think I've ever tried."

"Just follow my movements, okay?"

I nodded and watched him, ready to mimic. His motions were slower to allow me to understand them. I did my best to copy what I saw, feeling an intense strain in my back when I attempted to lift off. The work it took to go up was significantly different than what it took to just stretch. Nevertheless, my feet came off of the ground and at that point I had been watching them with laser vision.

"Oh my gods," I laughed and my smile spread across my face, "I'm doing it!"

"Yes, you are," I could hear the smile coming from him.

I kept getting higher and higher, when the rock that I had been sitting on became as small as my fist, I looked out ahead of me. My smile grew wider as I took in the skyline and Azriel right in the middle of it all. As I took in his bright face and charming smile, I faltered slightly.

"Oh shit," I looked back at my feet, it was like I had tripped and couldn't get my balance back.

My body plummeted toward the ground and I shifted quickly. My joints prepared for a rough landing. My front paws made contact with the mountain,  but my back never touched the ground. The weight of my back end flying past the ground ruined the chances of my claws saving me. I shifted back into my Fae form with any hope of saving my fall by expanding my wings. It didn't work.

I was headed toward the bottom of the valley with outstanding speed. My hearing decided to jump ship, or at least most of it did. The wind screaming in my ears overtook everything else. Just before I hit the ground and became a pancake, arms grabbed me tightly and we rolled several times against the rocks and mud before coming to a complete stop. One of Azriel's hands had protected the back of my head the entire time, my face buried in his neck and my eyes slammed shut. When we landed, both of us panted like we'd just run a marathon.

"Are you okay?" I was slightly panicked as I tried to pull my head back to look at him. His hand was keeping my head against his neck just as it had been when he caught me. "Azriel, are you okay?"

He continued to pant instead of answering me, it seemed like his muscles were all locked in place. My fear had become overwhelming. I sent healing energy through the only place I could touch- his sides. Even if it didn't break him out of his frozen state, at least I would know that he wasn't bleeding out while I couldn't see him.

"Azriel," I tried to keep my voice smooth as I realized my lips were moving against the nape of his neck. When I blinked, my eyelashes brushed against his skin. My heart had gone into overdrive. "Azriel, please, please answer me."

His panting changed pace, started to slow down. "I thought you were going to die," he choked out.

"I mean, same," I laughed lightly, "but I'm okay. Are you okay?"

He nodded but kept his arms in place. We had both been lying on our sides. His legs were both cushioning my thighs. One arm protecting my head and neck, another around my shoulders.

"I'm okay," I said again, releasing all self control and melting into his embrace. "I'm okay."

He took a deep breath. A long inhale and even longer exhale. I could feel his heart pounding inside of his chest. He loosened his muscles and relaxed his breathing. I looked up when I realized I could move. He was looking down at me with strain.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, moving one hand to his chest but leaving the other on his side.

"I didn't act fast enough, you came inches from death and it would have been my fault."

"No, Az. You can't put that on yourself. I'm the one who went so high, I was the one not paying attention to how far I'd veered away from my starting position. I was the one who fucked up the initial landing. None of this is on you."

"But I said I would catch you if you fell."

"You did," I smiled lightly.

His face softened. The hand once around my shoulders then moved to cradle my cheek. Just as he once did during a night in the city, he inched closer to me. My eyes fluttered shut and my lips parted ever so slightly. This time, with no one to interrupt, he closed the gap.