Battle Scars

The Summer Life

It had been eight weeks and Eve was yet to find it in herself to go home. She could not help it- Summer was a good change. The beaches, the company she found... how long was a few months for Fae anyway? She was humming a tune when Maven- another friend she had made- came to a halt, panting. She raised her brow in question when Ava came from the same direction, smiling like a Cheshire cat. "He finally got what was coming," she said and Eve 'ah-ed' for about at least once a day, Maven would try to flirt with someone- and end up getting rejected. It was funny really.

"Hello, beautiful," he said, looking towards her. He was her flirty friend. "You just got a book hurled at your face; do you really want to get punched too?" Ava asked and Eve barked. "I missed it," she said, almost mournfully as Maven grumbled. "One of these days, my charm is going to work." And to think this all started with a bet between Maven and Ava when she had said he could not get a date for a party due to his annoying personality.

"Well, I am off, see you two children later," Eve said, hopping off the table- she did not want to be late for her first shift at the café. She figured if she was going to stay for a while, she might as well do something to earn so she could spend. "Not children!" they both exclaimed at her back as she walked away, making her chuckle.

********

"You talk a lot about the shadow male," the kid observed and Eve scoffed. "I do not." "Denial is the first sign... you like him," came the reply and Eve had to let her hair cover bit of her face as blush rose high on her cheeks.

Sitting on the parapet of Zelda's Orphanage, Eve talked to a little girl. Eve had started volunteering a few days ago and the outgoing and curious child had quickly formed a sort of acquaintance with her. She was tutoring the kid on the literary works when questions started being thrown and pretty soon, Eve found herself talking about her city in Night and Azriel.

"That's enough, back to studying," Eve reprimanded and the kid groaned. "Why can't we play instead? Ava plays with me," she grumbled and Eve chuckled, "that's because Ava can't say no to you. But, your charm won't work on me..." She groaned again and Eve shook her head, "just a ten- minute break." Ok, maybe a little of that charm rubbed off on her.

*******

"Ava, do you have some accessory that will go with this?" Eve asked, staring at herself in the mirror. She looked hot. She felt hot- when was the last time she went out for a party? She didn't remember but after tonight, that was to change.

"Nope," the reply came with the 'p' popped. "Useless," Eve commented, earning a pillow thrown on her back, making her cry as it messed up her hairstyle.

"Where are we going?" Eve asked. "This bar down the main street, you will love it." "Hmm, we will see about that."

She loved it. The place had an old, calming vibe to it but at the same time had some youthful glow that attracted people to come and enjoy a good time- with drinks and snacks.

"So, you think we can get Vixen to have a fourth drink?" Eve mused. The whole group was present tonight- her, Ava, Maven and Vixen. "NO! I once had four drinks in row and you know the consequences! It's not happening again," Vixen screeched, making them laugh. Turns out, she her fourth drink tolerance included getting on the table and dancing like a deranged idiot, complimenting people that wore clothes similar to her style, reciting poetry and tragedy and then proceeding to walk through the town making a sound that sounded eerily like a child imitating the sound of a bike' motor. They had tried to stop her, they really had, but she had ended up smacking all their heads and renouncing her belief in friends and all bonds familial turning to unicorns for guidance. It had been a memorable day.

"Eve, mind getting us a few drinks?" Ava asked, throwing a sly glance at the bartender who seemed to be smiling at her unabashedly. Eve laughed but went, assessing the male as she walked towards him. "Three more please," she told him. "Coming right up," he said with a cute smile. His sandy-hair made him look absolutely cute and gorgeous. She sat there for a while before going back with the drinks, her friends smirking at her. "Shut up, we just talked for a while," Eve said, rolling her eyes. For, even if he was cute... he wasn't the one whose hazel eyes haunted her time to time.

She wondered how Azriel was doing....

******

Azriel felt annoyed. He hadn't seen her since two months and it was starting to affect him a lot- everyone could see it and he hated that even more. He eagerly waited for her letters, he craved them and smiled as he replied back but other than that, he missed her.

Her voice, her smile, the way her hands moved when she was explaining something, her love for cheesecake, her entire being. He missed how he felt lighter in her presence, how his shadows danced, making him want to sing. He was yet to sing for her, though. He was not sure if he ever would. Nervous.

He had spent the last months focusing on training himself, spying on the Illyrian camps, doing his job as the Spymaster, training his spies to be better, spending time with his friends at nights when it all got too much as all he could remember was the faint scent of hers.

He missed her.

He was about to go and try to sleep- his sleep schedule being messed up more than usual due to the nightmares of the war- when he felt a spark of fear, undiluted shock and fear down the bond. He did not even blink before winnowing away from his apartment, only telling Rhys once he was on the borders of Summer. This was the first time Eve had send- accidentally- something down the bond with such intensity. Other times it was a faint glimmer of happiness or sadness he could not erase. He would be damned if he did not go to her aid.

So, without waiting for his High Lord's approval, Azriel went in. 

Happy reading :)

XOXO,

the amazing author