A Court of shadows and love

Chapter-11

"I am sorry" Azriel said after what felt like days but merely seconds. "Don't be. You just caught me off guard" Xander dismissed. Azriel nodded his head. "Give me a minute to get dressed" he said and stepped into his closet.

Only Xander Archeron can pull a black t shirt and grey jogger's pants look like elegant clothes. The black t shirt hugged him tight in all the right places. His biceps bulged as he tossed the towel into the laundry bag. His chest looked firm and Azriel desperately wanted to place his hands on them. He hissed. His hands. His scarred, ugly hands. Which ruins everything it touches. The same hands which tortures people without mercy. He shook his head to get rid of the thoughts of younger Archeron and concentrated on the task in hand.

"The queens hasn't replied yet" Xander said before he can ask him. He circled the table and took the seat on the couch facing the balcony. Azriel stood still near where he was leaning against the table. "I have another letter" Azriel said. He took the letter Rhys gave him and weighed it in his hands. The fate of pyrithian and mortal realms may very well depend in this single sheet of paper.

Azriel extended his hand. He waited for Xander flinch away from his scars like many have but he didn't. Xander's fingers brushed against his fingers like a spring breeze kissing the morning flowers soaked in mist. Azriel's pants tightened. He fought hard against his instinct to lay claim to the full lips of Xander. He diverted his gaze to the balcony window.

Xander didn't know why he didn't feel unnerved by the presence of a fae male who came unannounced to not his home, his bedroom. His first instinct would have been to hurl dagger in his direction. But Xander felt a sense of peace in the presence of the shadow singer. He didn't know why, and he didn't want to he just don't want this feeling to fade away.

"Do you want to see the training ring?" Xander asked him. Not sure why but he did. The possibility of spending more time with him seemed like a life time full of happiness.

Azriel's shadows went haywire when the words left Xander's lips.
Say yes.
Say yes.
Set us free.
Set us free.
His shadows hissed in his ears. They haven't behaved like this once. But the mere breath of Xander Archeron excited them beyond belief. Azriel studied Xander for a long minute. Even though freshly bathed his face showed the tiredness and the dark circles indicated the lack of sleep. "Aren't you tired?" Azriel asked him. His voice showing the emotion he was feeling inside. And yet he couldn't understand the emotion himself.

"Nah. I will be fine" Xander dismissed him. "So you want to?" He asked again. His grey eyes twinkling in the dusk light. "Do you wish to fly there?" Azriel offered. The possibility of having Xander in his arms set his shadows on fire. They caressed all of him begging to set them free. So they can go to Xander. Azriel was a man of patience or else he wouldn't have spent the 500 years of his life loving a single woman waiting for her to reciprocate it. But this moment he didn't want to be patient. He wanted to set his shadows free and free himself of the moral shackles he bound himself with.

"Really?" Xander exclaimed. Happiness whooshing out of his body. Azriel's lips tugged upward. He nodded his head. Xander jumped up from his seat and gathered his dual daggers in his hands.

"Nes, I am going out. I will be back for dinner later" he shouted into the open doorway. Azriel didn't know if his sister heard him but he could picture her sitting in the table listening to everything and anything like a wraith.

Xander had a large smile plastered on his face. He opened the balcony door and the winter air made him shiver lightly. Azriel stepped next to him and looked at him. Xander is not short by any means but Azriel still had an inch or two over him. He offered Xander his hand. His hand. He completely forgot about his hand when he offered Xander to fly. He waited for Xander to flinch away from his hands. But Xander didn't. His smile didn't even waver for second when he took Azriel's hand in his.