A Court of Gold and Shadows

Romance is not dead if you keep it just yours - Chapter 5

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Chapter 5: Hyacinth, Florist

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Azriel showed up bright and early the day after his break ended. For a week Cassian had heard not even a peep from Azriel.

And then Azriel walked into the House of Wind, looking none the worse for wear.

"How was your break?" Cassian asked him, taking him in. Looking no different than he ever had before. Though not relaxed. The exact opposite to be honest.

"Can we spar?" Azriel asked in response and Cassian's brows rose.

Ouch. That break had seemingly not gone that well.

"That bad, hm?" he asked, though just nodded towards the sparring ring. "How's your Ma?" he asked and Azriel just stared at him.

"She's as good as she can get," he snapped back. Right.

His expression must have shown his shock, because Azriel held still for a moment, seemingly forcing himself to take a deep breath, closing his eyes for just a moment...

" I am in a mood," Azriel warned him, finally. "Don't go easy on me."

"I wasn't aware that I ever did," Cassian quipped.

He should have probably taken that warning more seriously.

He didn't.

Azriel nearly had him tapping out within the first few minutes.

There was an aggression behind his fighting that Cassian had only seen very rarely. An aggression that belied Azriel just "being in a mood".

This wasn't just being in a mood.

This was feral levels of aggression. This was being so upset that Azriel needed to hit something to get it out and clearly Cassian was that something of choice that day.

Azriel won. Of course, he did. he wanted it far more than Cassian did.

"You broke my fucking nose," he complained afterwards, spitting out the blood. The nose was thankfully the only broken bone. Though he was definitely gonna feel the bruises for a few days.

Azriel seemed on a more even keel though, so Cassian would gladly take the broken nose.

"I am sorry," Azriel apologised earnestly.

And that was that.

Az seemed back to his usual levels of weirdness, no longer randomly wanting his first break after 500 years, no more comments about table linens...and sometimes Cassian even thought that he caught his brother smiling softly, pleased at something.

He didn't say anything but he couldn't help but wonder.

Still, Cassian had more pressing problems. Like what he should buy Nesta for her birthday...Mor decided to tag along which was decisively unhelpful. How could a female who clearly liked shopping for herself be so completely horrible at choosing gifts for her family?

"Wait, is that Az?" Mor said suddenly as they left another shop empty-handed. Cassian's head swivelled around.

And it was indeed Az, standing around at a flower cart, clearly chatting to the owner.

By the cauldron, had Cassian been right all along?!?

Mor and him exchanged a glance, both of them narrowing down to their brother just a few feet away from him.