Azriel had just returned from dinner, his wings completely healed and feeling like himself again. Fallon hadn't been at dinner, which was strange, but apparently, she had some business to take care of in the city, Cassian'd explained.
He was glad that she had at least taken the news well. But he also couldn't get the feeling of how soft her cheek had felt out of his mind.
He had never been the affectionate type, never. His past had made sure he learnt not to get attached. And yet, he didn't have a problem allowing her to breach that.
Like how she'd hugged him that day when she'd lit her first candle, or how she hooked her arm through his on the strolls through the city - like it was the most natural thing in the world. And for some strange reason, Azriel didn't mind.
Like how her fingers grazed his cheek yesterday and how she gave over a part of herself, her power, her warmth to him. And how she didn't mind that, like he was worth caring for.
But how on earth could he know how she felt? And he was too afraid to lose what they already had. Of course, he cared about her, just like all his friends, but the way he cared for her wasn't the same.
Azriel was about to head to his bathing chamber when he saw a piece of paper on his nightstand.
Meet me on the highest peak overlooking Velaris.
---
Rhys had upheld his promise as well, Vivienne Fallon smiled to herself as she stood on the peak of a mountain overlooking Velaris.
It took her barely half a thought to light all the candles around her. They were set up all over the peak, leaving a small empty spot in front of her for the one she was waiting for.
Keeping the candles lit for the rest of the night wouldn't pose even the slightest problem - she wanted to show Azriel she was in control of herself now.
In control of her powers, her life, and her decision.
Suddenly a dark figure shot into the air from the House of Wind. Azriel had found the note, Fallon smiled. She had recreated the note he'd left her the first time they'd worked on her powers and she had trouble lighting one candle. And now she kept the whole mountain peak alit without even having to think twice about it.
The winged figure was soaring up the mountain and soon he would rise over the highest peak, soon he would -
Vivienne could see Azriel, his face bathing in the light from all those candles and the moon in the sky. She watched as his wings batted in to keep him up while he stayed in the same place, his mouth parted and eyes wide in surprise.
Vivienne bit her lip from smiling. She had to be the first one to ever shock Azriel this visibly.
He slowly flew closer, the candles burning despite the wind caused by his wings.
Azriel stepped on the ground in front of Vivienne, the only place not covered in candles.
"Wow," he sounded astonished and Vivienne just observed his stunning features as he looked around to an endless sea of light.
"This is incredible -" he seemed to be lost for words. But she knew what he'd been struggling about.
"Vivienne," she finished for him and the smile she got in return was breathtaking.
She felt the butterflies fluttering in her stomach and she knew it would be her last wish to see it once more before she died.
"This is incredible, Vivienne," Azriel repeated and by the proud look in his eyes, she knew he'd been waiting for that.
"I have known all along," he said, shadows of the lit candles playing on his face, "but it was your duty to realise it as well. You have finally become your true self." There was something in his tone that Vivienne couldn't decipher.
"You are both warrior and friend, you are a fighter, but you aren't afraid of weakness. No, because you are brave enough to face it." Azriel had come to know her better than she knew herself.
"That is why, Vivienne, tonight at dinner, we reached a decision."
What was happening? She had missed one dinner and they had made a proposition?
"Do you know what your name means?" Azriel looked at the starlit sky.
"Life," Vivienne remembered her buried memories of her mother telling her that. She was a survivor.
"Yes," Azriel cooed, "Vivienne means just that," she could barely keep his gaze, it held so much emotion, "but do you know what Fallon means?"
Did it even mean anything?
She waited for his answer because she'd always thought of her last name as a way of hiding her true, female self.
"Leader, it means a leader." Before she could ask him what the purpose of this was, Azriel continued, "You are just that," Azriel's voice was barely more than a whisper, a soft caress in the dark night, "you are a leader - a leader of the Illyrian forces, if you wish," a proud smile once again curled his lips, "Cassian's already waiting for your reply."
That was the proposition? The leader of an army. But in this moment that didn't matter, not when she hadn't said what she'd meant to.
"And you are also life," Azriel's voice broke, "you have brought me back to life, Vivienne."
The world stopped existing. She had brought him back to life. But didn't he know he'd done the same to her?
Vivienne swallowed and willed her voice to sound steady as Azriel watched her carefully, his brows knitted together in confusion about what was about to happen.
"Before I came here, before Velaris, I was nothing. Just a pawn in a game. Expendable." Azriel opened his mouth to object but Vivienne stopped him while already trying to fight back the tears. "I was a stranger, and yet you welcomed me into your home and asked for nothing in return."
"I had always thought it was me against the world, I had to look out for myself so that I could survive," the first tear escaped her eye and Vivienne didn't bother wiping it away, "But with you, I've realised that surviving is not living. It's not waking up hoping to see your friends, to laugh with them, to experience what this incredible world has to offer with them. And that is what you have given me, Azriel, a life worth living."
"You say I've done that for you, but you don't realise you've done the same for me." Azriel stepped closer as his hand reached up to catch the tears that kept falling. "Seeing your smile is what puts the broken pieces of me back together," a tear escaped his eye as well as he smiled at the girl before him.
"You," Vivienne lay a hand over his heart, "you are the one who makes me want to live this life. You are the one that makes me feel safe no matter the storms coming my way, you are the best part of my day, Azriel." She took a deep breath, as if she was admitting this to herself for the first time too.
"I had always believed I needed to find somewhere I belonged and in the search for my purpose I found this life," she looked over Velaris underneath. "And I have realised that I'd been searching for a new home ever since my parents died. But now I know," Vivienne cupped Azriel's cheek and pulled him closer, "You are my home."
Before Vivienne could wipe the rest of her tears, Azriel pulled her to him. His strong arms wrapped around her back as she slid hers around his neck.
Vivienne couldn't help but take in his scent of the midnight breeze and the leathers he wore.
Azriel buried his head into her hair and said, "Yes, I have found my home here in Velaris, and I've even found a new family. They are the reason I'm still alive and I love them for that."
Vivienne felt his rapid heartbeat as he held her closer, "But you have made me want to try again."
She had to pull away just a bit, just to see him in this moment. And what a magnificent sight it was. The golden candlelight reflecting in his glistening, hazel eyes and the sliver moonlight illuminating his raven hair. He looked ethereal, with the wings stretched out behind him and the light shining through them.
As he searched for words to convey his emotions, Vivienne brushed her hands against his cheek. The smallest scar spread from his temple to his cheekbone. Azriel closed his eyes as she ran her finger over it, pulling back a little as if he didn't want her to see his scarred past, but Vivienne kept her touch.
"You are the star that broke apart my darkness, Vivienne," Azriel said with such emotion it made another tear escape Vivienne's eyes.
She had always been searching for a purpose in her life. And she'd thought she'd found it with being an Illyrian soldier. She had been satisfied with her life. It had taken a few kind souls and this man standing before her, to show her there was more to life.
In this moment she truly was the luckiest woman alive.
And then a second later the world around her exploded and disappeared as Azriel's lips found hers.
Vivienne'd had a few relationships in her life, but as soon as his lips touched hers she knew. With every fibre of her being, she knew. He was the one. He truly was her home.
She felt his smile against her lips as he lowered his head to kiss the side of her neck. Her arms around him held on tighter, since she could barely stand when his lips kissed behind her ear.
"I could have won that fight, you know that, right?" Azriel's soft whisper against her ear sent a shudder through Vivienne's body. But she still managed to scoff back.
"You wish," Vivienne rolled her eyes at him as ran her hands up his toned chest and felt him catching his breath.
"I was distracted," Azriel kissed her cheek and then cupped her cheeks, forcing her gaze to meet his. "By how beautiful you looked."
Vivienne didn't even bother to hide her smile. "I would have expected one of the greatest Illyrians to be prepared for all distractions," she winked at Azriel, whose eyes were shining with amusement and suddenly glazed over as his gaze focused on her lips.
"Maybe I should st-" Vivienne was cut off by Azriel's lips crushing down on hers once again.