A Court of Shadows and Thunder // AzrielxOC SlowBurn Romance, ACOTAR FanFiction

Chapter 42 - Forbidden Fruit

"So, you have a crush on Brianna, huh?"

Azriel felt his shadows sink into him completely. He had gone still, and it felt like all the sound and commotion around him had floated away. All he could hear was the sound of his own hammering heartbeat, the clinking of Yohann's ring as his finger tapped against his cup of ale.

"Don't look too panicked now," Yohann said with a laugh, "I only heard what Cassian told you about making Bri your wife."

To say that Azriel felt uncomfortable would have been a severe understatement. He was already uncomfortable to begin with, in fact, he felt uncomfortable most of the time. But with Yohann looking at him like that, with those eyes that bore into him with hidden intent, with that small smirk that could mean a million things.

For some reason, it made the shadowsinger feel as though he was in trouble. In deep, deep trouble, and one that he perhaps could not escape from.

And despite wanting to appear nonchalant, he felt himself shift so that he didn't meet Yohann's piercing eyes anymore.

"Cassian was just teasing," he chose to tell him, not quite sure of what else he could possibly say but the truth.

Azriel didn't need to look at Yohann to know that he was giving him a knowing look.

"Oh, come on," Yohann drawled, swishing the beer in his cup, "I know how it is. Bri is pretty, and strong, and is indeed wife material. Trust me, I began to look at her a little differently too when she came of age, until I realised that she's practically my little sister and I was being disgusting."

Yohann let out another laugh, though it quickly died down as he came a little nearer to Azriel. Perhaps it was because it truly was very loud in the tavern, that the Syren only wanted to get closer to the shadowsinger to speak to him properly. But Azriel felt himself tuck in his wings, felt the need to be alert of his every move, even if could feel all the alcohol rise up in him too.

"And as her brother, I have to warn you," Yohann went on to say, and Azriel didn't miss the sudden serious tone he took on, "You'd be wise to keep those fantasies to yourself."

This made the shadowsinger look at him square in the eyes. And he remembered something that was told to him. Something that the Syren in question had told him herself, that had grounded his thoughts and had put him and his fantasies in place.

"She's with Dorian, anyway," Azriel told him, recalling the words Brianna had told him all those nights ago. A night where she had suspected him of being jealous, and at the thought of that, Azriel fought the blush that threatened to grow.

But the reaction that Yohann had to those words was surprising to the shadowsinger. Instead of agreeing, instead of words of confirmation, the Syren general simply let out a loud roar of laughter.

Then, Yohann sipped his beer, shaking his head to himself, before meeting Azriel's now confused gaze.

"Please," Yohann began to say, almost rolling his eyes as he spoke, "All they are to each other is a nice sweaty night of fucking. I've seen pigeon doves love each better than they do."

Azriel could not believe the words he was hearing, could not begin to comprehend what exactly Yohann was telling him. Though, something in him wanted to know.

He didn't need to say anything, because it appeared like the Syren General could clearly see the confusion on his face.

Yohann once again gave him that knowing look, that sly smile, that smirk that hid a thousand secrets.