Nightfall {An Azriel (ACOTAR) FanFic}

Chapter 10

The next three days were spent anxiously as Heart expected Azriel to change his mind anytime and tell everyone that Pip was the son of The King of Hybern. She would make Pippor follow her everywhere, not wanting to leave him alone, and hardly talked to anyone. Most of the time, she buried herself in books and even had most of her books bought to her bedroom.

On the fourth day, when she was finally starting to relax a little, she overheard Morrigan and Rhysand discussing about something that was bothering them about Azriel. It wasn't clear to her what they were talking about but she still picked up on parts that indicated that they were worried about him. That night, she found out the reason for their worry.

Pip had fallen asleep a long time ago, and was mumbling something about a brownie in his sleep when Heart decided that she needed a cup of tea. Setting her books to a side, she exited the room and found the kitchen empty. As the water was set to boil, she leaned against a countertop and tapped her foot while humming a tune.

The first sound that she heard was the shuffling of feet. At first she assumed that someone had woken up but it soon became apparent that it was from someone who didn't usually make any sound. Quietly, she called out, "Azriel?"

The silence that answered back disappointed her and she was about to look away when she caught sight of large, black wings.

"So, it is you." She sighed. "Pip has been aski-" she stopped short when the spymaster came into her full view and she gasped at the sight of him.

Her mouth hung open as she took in the bruised knuckles and dark under eye circles. Azriel's beautiful features were a mask of stone as he stood under the shining lamp while his eyes held a weight that seemed to extend over his entire person. He flexed his fingers and a blood drop rolled down his finger, staining the marble floor. There was a cut on his left cheek that was partially hidden by how heavily his shadows clung to him.

However, he didn't meet her eye when Heart rushed over to his side.

"What have you done to yourself?" She whisper-yelled at him and inspected the cut on his cheek. As her fingers brushed over his cheek, he instinctively tilted his head a little to feel her touch. She ran the pad of her thumb under the slightly red cut with worry spreading over featured.

"I got a little......carried away. I'm fine. Nothing is wrong." He admitted but that didn't convince Heart.

She glared at him. "Nonsense. Look at you! Have you even slept for these three nights?" When he didn't answer she shook her head in frustration and removed her hand from his face. He stood silently in the corner while she poured warm water into a cup that was lying around. Dragging him by his collar, she made Az sit on one of the chairs and he silently obliged.

Folding a bunch of napkins, she dipped them into the warm water and dabbed them over the dried blood on his face all while mumbling profanities at the cauldron and the forgotten gods.

"When was the last time you slept?" She glared at him.

He opened and closed his mouth but eventually responded, "Five days ago?"

"How are you not dead?" She shook her head and sighed. "All this! And for what? What did you get out of this?"

"I couldn't risk snapping here with Pippor and Nyx in the house." He mumbled.

Heart went on to clean the wounds on his hands and if he wasn't feeling so drained, he would have felt more conscious about his scars. The rage had even blinded him to his instincts as her mate let alone fatigue. Now that he could see her again and her scent was filling his senses, ease poured into his body and his eyelids grew heavier.

"Get up." She instructed. Switching off a stove, she pulled him by the elbow all the way to her bedroom and he was too tired to object and also didn't care about it at all.

Pip was sleeping peacefully with his toy squished under himself and his blanket pulled up to his chin. They both silently sat down at the two chairs that faced each other. From one of the drawers at her side, Heart pulled out a small tube with a orange ointment inside it.

As she leaned forward to apply that to his face, Azriel's breath hitched as if he had never seen her before. The flame of the candle danced in her brilliant eyes and her hair fell forward like a curtain, brushing against his leg and he almost didn't notice the way her fingers lingered on his face until it was too late and they were both leaning forward in their chairs. There wasn't much sense he could make of the next few moments except that he was no one he recognised. He couldn't have described himself if someone had asked him to.

The spell broke when Heart blinked and pulled back. Placing her hand on his chest, she sighed. "You will heal quicker."

"Yes." Azriel gulped and nodded. "Thank you."

A weight settled in his stomach as Heart quickly set the ointment back in its place and her hand seemed to shake a little. She clutched her nightgown into a fist and said, "Good night, Azriel."

"I have something that I want to give to you." He said before he knew what he was doing. "A gift."

"For me?" Heart frowned.

"Yes." His fingers moved quickly at the small buckle that was holding the dagger in its place. "I think it belongs with you." He extended the blade towards her.

Heart hesitantly reached out and wrapped her fingers around the polished dagger. "Truth-teller." She whispered. "I have heard from Feyre you never let anyone touch it."

He nodded, "Anyone except you. I think it means more to you than it does to me."

She blinked slowly and chewed on her bottom lip before whispering, "I don't know if I can accept this."

"You have to. It's a gift.' He insisted and before she could protest further, stood up and exited the room.

Heart watched the door for a long time before curling up on the chair and tracing the pattern on the hilt until her eyes were burning and hot tears spilled down her lashes.