Nightfall {An Azriel (ACOTAR) FanFic}

Chapter 4

It wasn't hard to get Rhysand to agree that somebody needed to keep an eye on Heart. Even Feyre agreed that she was hiding something big that could potentially put them all in danger. Combined with the fact that she had never met her half sister before was enough ground to have Azriel spy on her.

He would have to later explain that the term "spying" was used very loosely because she spotted him in the first five minutes and snorted before telling him that he could just follow her to the library. Pip skipped by her side, swinging his arms and grinning, because his mother had promised to get him a new colouring book. Azriel sulked behind them but waited with Pip at the entrance of the library as Heart went inside. He watched the little kid make a pile of pebbles and then scatter them again, only to repeat the process.

After looking around for Heart and making sure she couldn't outsmart him this time, he called to the boy. "Pippor?" It occurred to him that this was a new low for his already pathetic life but it didn't seem important at the moment.

Pip nodded. "Yes?"

"Do you know why you have different ears than mine?" He wanted to phrase the question in a way that wouldn't be too difficult for the child to understand and not sound outright invasive.

"No." Pip looked up from his play. "But mine are prettier than yours."

"Of course." Azriel scoffed. "Go back to playing." He dug his boot into the ground and contemplated leaving the brat there all alone but decided otherwise. Heart was working to cure Nyx, he could look after Pip while she was busy.

Peeking inside the library, he saw no sign of Heart returning and slumped back into his seat. After a while, he asked, "Where is your father?"

Pip frowned, "I don't have one. Does everyone have a father?" The confused expression on his soft features filled Azriel with guilt so he shook his head.

"Not really. I was asking if you had one." He smiled weakly.

"Do you have one?" Pip asked after some speculation. "Does he live with you?"

"I don't, and he doesn't." He kept his voice as normal as he could at the mention of that man.

Pip returned to his game after a little shrug and Azriel sighed before taking on the job of making sure that he didn't get hurt. A few more minutes passed before Pip seemingly got tired of playing with the rocks and climbed onto the bench which Azriel was sitting on. The marble was slippery and he had to hold onto the tiny arm to pull the kid up so he could fold his legs before fixing his huge eyes on Azriel's wings.

"Nobody puts them on." Azriel clarified. "They're here to stay."

"How do you sleep then?" Pip inquired.

"I manage." He shrugged Pip mimicked him.

"I was just asking because you're heavy. They would get crushed."

Azriel paused before laughing, "You and your mother are both nightmares, you know that?"

"We are not." Pip vigorously shook his little head and Azriel picked him up and put him in his lap.

"You are." He argued with the boy who proceeded to stand on his legs and put both of his hands on Azriel's head. His hair get into his eyes and he squeezed his eyes shut. "Don't touch my hair." Azriel complained but it didn't stop pip from poking his wings. "Pip, no!"
Azriel pulled him back.

"Did you just-" Pip's face went from mischievous to teary in seconds. "-say 'no' to a baby?"

"I was just- no, no. Don't cry." He cradled the crying kid in his arms and as two big tear drops rolled down pip's cheeks Azriel started panicking. "Don't cry, pip. You can touch my wings."