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Azriel couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t take his brothers finding their mates and falling in love while the woman he loved wanted nothing to do with him and there was no mating bond in sight. How many years had it been? How many days of watching and worrying over and protecting her had he wasted all for nothing? How many times did she have to reject him? Turning from him to Cassian, to Helion--motherfucking Helion of all people. And it wasn’t like he hadn’t considered it. Accepting Helion’s offer to join him in bed when Mor had already accepted. But as much as he wanted that, he couldn’t stand the thought of seeing her with Helion. Being with Helion himself was another thing entirely.
He had to get out. Out of his brothers’ spheres of happiness. Out of the House of Wind. Maybe out of the Night Court entirely.
So he flew. Savoring the wind under his wings, rustling through his hair. In the air he felt free. From everything. Feelings, memories, the past, present and future. It was his salvation. It had always been, ever since he learned how. Ever since he had taught himself how.
He was at the Court of Nightmares before he knew it. This was always where he went. The others hated it so they were never there. No one was ever there. And he had always appreciated the moonstone balcony above the Court. There it was quiet. There no one would bother him.
He landed without a sound, his shadows gathering to muffle out any and all noise, he didn’t want those who dwelled beneath him to be alerted of his presence. He didn’t think anyone was there, he didn’t feel anyone there. So he let his mind relax, let the focus that drained his energy fall away. He walked to the edge of the balcony, leaning against the rail, gazing at the sight he never got tired of. That held no horrible memories of his past. That held no horrible memories of Mor’s rejections. That held only his feelings for this land. This sacred land that he would never stop protecting no matter how old or how injured he became. Closing his eyes he let himself focus on the cool air around him.
Normally Azriel would have felt someone winnowing before they snapped into existence. Normally. When his focus was sharp and his mind occupied only by what was going on around him, on protecting those around him. But this time it wasn’t normal. And the only thing that alerted him to it was a male slamming into him.
His instincts took over, his hand snapped around the male's neck, his warm skin making his burns ach even through his glove. He shoved him up against a moonstone pillar and was satisfied to hear the crack that was the male’s head hitting stone.
“Why are you here.” He growled, staring down into Eris’ eyes, his forearm pressing into his throat. He could feel his blood pounding, his adam’s apple bobbing, feel every move Eris made.
“Just visiting,” a grin was painted on his face but there was panic in his eyes, giving him away.
“Why.”
“Would you believe me if I said I liked it here?”
“No.” He didn’t bother to hide the threat in his voice.
“I need to talk to Kier,” Eris shoved him off of him but didn’t try to walk away. He knew that he had no chance against Azriel and he preferred to keep his head.
“About what.” Azriel’s gaze followed Eris’ every move.
“My father, what’s it to you?”
“You are an enemy to my Court.”
Eris lunged towards him, getting right up in his face. “My Court fought with you—I fought with you. Hell, I did a lot more than fight for you.” He spat.
Azriel’s hand shot to his throat once more, his fingers wrapping around his neck. He growled under his breath, “We agreed never to speak of that again.”
“I forgot how much you liked to have your hands around my neck Azzy.” Azriel tightened his hand, drawing a quiet moan from Eris’ lips.
Azriel stared at him, that sound taking him back. Back to the image of the high lord’s son beneath him, to his hand around that pretty bronze neck, to the sounds that spilled from his lips, begging and teasing and longing. For a moment that was all he could think of. All he could imagine doing. And he had to hold himself back, calling on ever once of control he had to keep from ripping Eris’ clothes off and fucking him right there.
Eris chuckled, leaning closer so his nose pressed to Azriel’s cheek. “You’re not very good at hiding those thoughts of yours.” Azriel could feel his breath on his lips, the warmth of his body radiating off of him like a fire. “Right now…” Gazing down at his lips, Eris grinned, hesitating less than an inch away from his lips tempting him into kissing him. “You’re thinking of what it would feel like to have this inside of me.” His hand cupped the bulge in Azriel’s flying leathers, pressing against his impressive cock. Eris chuckled at the faint blush kissing Azriel’s cheeks. “I forgot how big you were.”
Azriel shoved him away, stepping out of his reach before Eris could reach for him and feel how truly hard he was from just a thought of him. He shouldn't be having this reaction, he shouldn't feel this for a male. For Eris of all fucking people. For Mor or for Elaine or any random female at Rita’s but Eris? Eris?? How could he ever feel anything--even simple lust--for Eris? For a male? “Fuck off, cunt.”
“Ooo,” Eris exaggerated a shiver. “So foul mouthed today. Come on Azzy, call me a cunt again, maybe I’ll cum.”
Azriel lunged forward once again, his hand returning to its place around his neck. That place that simultaneously felt like torture and home to Az. Where he longed to be yet where he hated himself for being. “Will you just fuck off.” He was so close to him. Too close. Yet he kept returning to that place. Kept stepping into Eris’ space not because he wanted to torment him or threaten him like he so often did but because he couldn’t bring himself to move away from him. Because if he moved away from Eris, if he stepped away and stopped pinning him to the stone he would leave. He was scared that he would leave. And he hated himself for it. But he hated even more that he wanted him to stay. He wanted to stand there and tease him, play with him, touch him. His heart ached for it. His heart that hadn’t moved, hadn’t felt anything for anyone besides Mor for centuries. His heart that he had begged to move for Elaine, for Gywn now moved for Eris.
What was wrong with him. What the hell was wrong with him.
“Will you just fuck me.”
Azriel froze, staring into his eyes. Had he really just asked that?
“You heard me,” Eris breathed, the shift in his tone remarkably distinct. From teasing and mocking and poking fun to so very close to begging. “I’m hard. You made me hard. You are so obviously hard.” Eris’ hands drifted to Azriel’s sides; drifted over the seams of his leathers, the laces holding them together. “Finish the job.”
This was no longer Eris. This was the future High Lord of the Autumn Court. And Azriel had never been one to disobey an order from his High Lord.
Azriel didn’t move his hand from Eris’ throat as he leaned in to kiss him. Eris breathed deeply into his mouth, pulling himself closer to him, shifting his hips to press against Azriel’s.
“You really are hard,” Az breathed. Eris moaned very softly in response, his body rocking into Azriel as he moved his hand between his thighs.
“Shut up.” Eris muttered. He didn’t want to hear him. He didn't want to be reminded of who was fucking him. He just needed to feel good. That was all. It didn’t matter that it was Azriel. Just that it was someone. Someone whose tongue was tracing his lips. Someone whose hand was pushing apart his thighs, caressing higher and higher; whose fingers tangled in his hair; whose body slammed his into the stone pillar behind him. He had always liked it rough. Whether it was with a female or male. Whether he was topping or bottoming. And Azriel was rough. Amazingly, wonderfully rough.
He moaned softly, gasping for breath against Azriel’s mouth and he felt Az’s cock harden against him, pushing against his hip, drawing his attention until he could focus on nothing else. He wanted that thing inside of him. Needed it. Desperately. But there wasn’t time. He was lucky enough that he had decided to arrive at the Night Court early. But he needed the release. He couldn’t just walk into the Court of Nightmares with his cock still aching and hard in his pants.
“Quickly,” he moaned, his hands scrambling to undo the ties that held his pants together. Azriel copied his movements and suddenly he had their cocks in his large hand, pumping them, grinding them together. Azriel groaned deep in his throat, it was an animal sound, dark and threatening. Eris could feel it rumbling through his chest; it made longing wash over him, hot and heavy and all consuming. He panted, his mouth against Azriel’s jaw. “Fuck,” he gasped, his hands scrambling to find something of Azriel’s to hold onto. He found his hair and pulled it back, forcing Azriel to expose his neck. His strong tattooed neck that his mouth longed for when he lay alone in his bed in the dark. That drove him to slip a hand down his pants and fuck himself thoughtless.
He kissed him, sucking at his tattoos, not caring one bit about leaving a mark behind. The feel of it forced a moan from Azriel’s lips, a moan that was entirely unlike his voice. Eris laughed, that cruel mocking laugh that he had perfected in his Court. “That was a bottom’s moan, Azzy.” Azriel growled, tightening his hand on their cocks. The pressure of it drawing a similarly high moan from Eris’ lips.
“Then what was that you little slut?” A blush deepened on Eris’ nose and cheeks, making Azriel grin smugly, pumping their cocks faster and harder until he had Eris bracing against him and moaning with every breath.
“Fuck…you,” Eris gasped, hands clawing at his back, dragging his nails up his spine, right between his wings. At that moment he was tempted to touch his wings. To trail his fingers across the delicate muscle and find all those sensitive parts that would make Azriel cum in seconds. But he didn’t want this to end. It felt too good. Azriel’s hand was too good, his mouth on his neck making his legs too weak. He was close and he could feel it, pulsing, building, threatening to spill all over Azriel’s hand. He tilted his head back, letting the moonstone pillar support him so he wouldn’t lean forward onto Azriel.
“Gods,” Azriel growled, bowing his head. He couldn’t look at Eris. He couldn’t look at him because he was supposed to hate him. Looking at him was supposed to make him soft, not make his heart pound in his cock. But fuck he was close. Just a little more and he could fly back to Velaris and never have to deal with Eris again. Just a little more and--
“Fuck!” Eris shouted, his orgasm washing over him, making flames flicker in his bones. Azriel followed him over that cliff only a few seconds later, his shadows dousing Eris’ flame. Their cum mixed together on Azriel’s chest, soaking his leathers.
Azriel shoved away from Eris as soon as it was over, no even saying a word to him before plunging over the edge on the balcony and into the sky. Eris watched him leave as he straightened out his clothes.
“Nice to see you too, jackass,” Eris muttered under his breath, stalking off towards the Court of Nightmares.