Twenty Questions
Fel ♡
12-20-2020, 10:27 PM
When Azriel had found Fel curled up and alone in the cold outside his den, he had sworn to make sure she was taken care of until she was her former self. Thanks to the healing efforts of Sibyl and their company, Fel had made a decent turnaround since that night. By some stroke of luck, the silver-gilded fae had agreed to stay with them for a little bit of time to recuperate and allow them to look after her. Azriel had insisted, of course, but Fel was like a wild horse: her will was indomitable and her own, and woe be to the wolf who tried to curb her. While Sibyl had tended to Fel's physical injuries, Azriel knew that there was emotional and mental scarring the ebon-furred woman was trying her damnedest to keep hidden. It did not work with him. Azriel was far too intimately familiar with the overwhelming feelings of grief, anger, and helplessness he assumed plagued her thoughts like a pestilence. Fel seemed so broken and so defeated, like she was ready to give up. The stark contrast to the confident, sexy wolf he had first met wasn't just heartbreaking, it made the monochromatic man angry. Angry at a world that had done such a thing to such a beautiful creature. Angry at whatever individuals had left her in such a state. Angry that he could only sit there like a lump and do nothing about it. Azriel was a creature of action, of plans and strategies. There were no strategies for this, no actions he could take to make things right. All he could do was help Fel the best he could.
So when Azriel had asked Fel to join him for a trip to see the shimmering black sands of the Obsidian Beach, he had come with an ulterior motive. If there was one thing Fel needed right now, it was to vent; to release all of her pent up emotions and let the anger and hurt lash out at something. He was going to be that something. He was going to spar with Fel, let her get out whatever she needed to let out of her heart, and then once the purge had started he would enact phase two of his plan. More than anything else, Fel needed someone to look out for her, to let her know that she wasn't alone. Since the minute they met, the two wolves had played a game of cat and mouse with one another, taking sly or brash digs at details from one another's lives. Their pasts, their presents, their futures, their likes and dislikes, their strengths and weaknesses... So far, both had held up fairly well. Azriel still knew precious little about the smaller yet captivating woman, and he had let very little go to her. Deep down, Azriel would hazard to guess that they were more similar than either let on. This was the second part of his game, to allow one another to let down the walls for once. Though with the usually stoic brute, that would be easier said than done.
Azriel took his first steps onto the silt-like sands that glistened in the afternoon sun, marveling at the texture beneath his paw pads. The entire beach, while black as pitch, seemed to sparkle like tiny fragments of diamonds were embedded between the grains of sand. Set next to the dark blue of the ocean, it was a sight to behold! A smirk crossed Azriel's face while he studied the terrain for a second. Yes, this would do nicely. Out by the sea with the sound of the waves rolling up on shore and the occasional call of a gull, all of their conversation would be muted from prying ears—although judging by the lack of other paw prints on the beach, he guessed they were the only ones here right now. All the better for privacy. He didn't need anyone else seeing Fel like this, and he was feeling selfish with her attention. Azriel began a casual stride down the length of the beach, gazing out over the sea a few times before looking back to make sure Fel was still following him. He didn't think she'd try to give him the slip, but he didn't know how she'd react to his plans once he unveiled them.
"The rumors were true," he said after a moment, glancing down at the sparkling sands. "This place really is something worth seeing." Azriel turned to Fel with a rueful smirk, then sighed as he continued. "As nice as this place is, I wanted to bring you out here for a reason. You and I, we've done a damn good job at keeping to ourselves for most of our lives. You are still a mystery to me, Fel. As enticing as mysteries are, your answers are much more interesting to me. And perhaps its time for us to learn who the wolf sitting across from us really is." He gave her an admiring look, secretly quite amazed at her ability to keep him out and still have him hungry for more of her. "I want to play a game with you. If you win, I'll allow you to ask me anything you want. Anything your heart desires to know, I'll tell you—truthfully. But if I win, I get the same prize." Azriel stopped his gait where he stood, turning to face Fel. Although his eyes and smirk were playful, his featured hardened in preparation for either her rejection or the battle that was about to explode. "To get your prize, all you have to do is beat me in a spar. What do you say? Think you can get what you want out of me?" The gleam in Azriel's steel-grey eyes dared her to take the offer. He wanted her to try to win; he was trying to make it as enticing as possible for the little shadow wolf. This was what she needed—what they both needed. She just had to take the challenge.
"Speech" | Thoughts