this is an azriel x oc fic. it follows aelis, a former servant of the day court, who has experienced decades of mistreatment and abuse before finally seeking escape from her situation. she eventually finds a new home in the night court and forms an unexpected companionship with the hardened and emotionally reserved azriel. their friendship leads to more as they work through their traumas and realize that trust can be an ally rather than an enemy. okay, yes, i admit that this description sounds cheesy and predictable at best. but i promise, it is anything but that. i absolutely love sjm and her writing but i feel like she has a tendency to overuse the mates trope so i really wanted a storyline where the love is the focus instead of it being overshadowed by them being mates. (so if you really have your heart set on them being mates, this is not going to be the right fic for you). and don't worry, it's not all fluffy and romantic, there is going to be plenty of action and plot as well! this is going to be a slow burn fic and i talk about a lot of very heavy topics throughout so please check out the warnings before each chapter. all in all, i think this is a fic that any sjm fan would love, so please check it out!!