✔ Mrs Mandray

37. Unexpected Allies

Previously, on keeping up with the Bat Boys

"Are you and Isabella mates?"

Motherfucker

His eyes are pleading and Azriel feels panic begin to cloud his mind. "Because I want you to be happy too and if-"

Azriel winnows away.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*

Rhysand

It was a peaceful evening for once. He guessed that's why one of the silent alarm spells was triggered in the hewn city. Feyre had been spending the morning reading while he went through reports, the pair of them both content to sit in silence during their rare calm days.

He won't try and lie, it had been... tough, readjusting to life in Velaris. Rhys knew it was naive to hope that everything would just magically go back to the way it was but still, he had held hope that it wouldn't be this... uncomfortable.

Amren had said barely two words to him, clearly bitter and betrayed at his disappearing act. The powerful female hadn't appreciated being confined to a small city while he suffered in their stead. Rhys was grateful of course, she had held his family together when they were breaking. But part of him had wished she would offer him even a glimpse of a kind look, anything to make him believe that what he did, what Amarantah did to him, was worth it.

Not that the other's hadn't expressed their gratitude and rage as well. Mor had spent the first three days clinging to his side, sobbing her eyes out as the pair remained in a state of shock. His cousin was necessary to Rhys' ability to keep function, to keep ruling. Morrigan had made a point of ignoring what had happened. It was only ever brought up in the shadows of the night in hushed tones and silent tears. She kept things light, trying to bring back the old days.

In some ways it was easier to pretend that he was fine with her. But it was mostly exhausting.

Cassian and Azriel had been the most... angry. They spent the first three days walking around on eggshells as Rhys tried to remember what his own power felt like, what his skin felt like in the night court air. The fourth they went training and no one commented when Rhys had collapsed after barely an hour. So they had settled for words and tears and battle strategy games.

Azriel had understood him best at the beginning. The desperate need to have nothing and no one touching his skin. The need to hide from their stares and the light. Cassian had hated it. He could see that all his brother wanted was to wrap him in a hug and keep him safe and sound. He refrained from doing so of course but Cassian is a tactile person, his love language screams physical touch.

He had once thought Feyre to be his saviour. To be the shining star and- and he finds it somewhat shameful to admit - a reward. Obviously he hadn;t thought she was put on this world solely for him, that she was there to protect him and keep him happy. No, he had just... seen a kindred soul and hoped they could be friends. It was never about love, or sex or romance.

Feyre was his chance at having another soul sibling, one who would understand him. One who had kept him safe and he could protect in return. He wanted to pay her back for all that she had done. Part of him knew it was guilt, that he was trying to make up for all the sins he had committed under the Dark Queen's rule.

Today was a good day at least. He had managed to bare the feeling of his suit against his skin at least so he counted that as a win. Cassian was off flirting with Isabella again.

He was happy for them, truly, but it didn't help his trauma and grief when Rhys could see his friends physically moving on with their lives while he was frozen in place. Even Azriel had come to life with the introduction of the Archeron sisters.