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"You breathed into your cupped fingers, your hands red, cold and shaking in the winter night, your gloves forgotten at home."
Mala had slipped from the house when you had left the door open for a just a second too long, scampering off into the darkness of the bitter cold night.
Panic had entirely seized you as you rushed through the busy streets, calling Mala’s name, desperately hoping to find her once again and return her to the safety of your home.
Mala was a curious thing of six months, gifted to you by your friend living in the constant warmth of the Summer Court for your birthday months ago. You had come to love the ginger fluff ball of a cat. The one who - according to Dahlia - acted more like a puppy than a kitten. Yet now her curiosity had led her onto the freezing cold streets, lost and most probably scared.
Tears tracked down your freezing cheeks, the tips of your pointed ears numb from the cold. “Mala!” you called once again.
You walked through the crowds of people awake and lively with the beautiful, clear night, eyes down on the cobblestone streets, wandering down alleyways between buildings and parks with frosted grass and ice slippery swings and slides, “Mala!”
“Hey,” you turned around quickly, eyes drawn the to ball of fluff curled between two scarred hands.
“Mala!” you exclaimed as bright green, wide eyes, twinkling with fear peered up at you.
You grasped the shivering kitten from the males large hands, cuddling her close to your breast in the crook of your right arm. “You silly girl, what were you thinking!” you chastise sharply, combing your fingers through her soft fur. It was then that you peered up to your kittens saviour.
A gasp slipped from your parted lips as the shadowsinger stood before you dressed in dark, scaled leathers, donning glowing blue stones on his chest and wrists. The shadows surrounding him were quick to flutter away, some grasping out towards you and tickling at your bare knuckles before pulling back and dancing around the glowing orbs on either of his wrists. You could see his sharp, handsome face quite clearly in the light of the twinkling stars and half moon above the abandoned park. "Oh.”
“Thank you,” you stuttered, a smile slowly spreading across face. "She’s never done this before,” you added, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head as your fingers clutched her slightly chubby body beneath the thick fur.
The shadowsinger shook his head lightly, “it’s no problem. I know how troublesome they are.”
“You have cats?” your brows raise in surprise.
He nods his head, eyes hazel with flecks of gold showing the first emotion you’d seen from him: amusement. “Willa, Nyles and Nicks.”
“How adorable,” you cooed, “do they run off ever?”
He chuckled deeply - a sound you committed to memory. A look of fondness crossed his truly beautiful face, “just Nyles. When he was about Mala’s age actually. Came home shivering and scared. Still tried to escape again though, the little shit.”
You giggled sweetly. “I hope Mala has learnt her lesson, but I doubt it. She’s far to curious for her own good. I’m Y/N by the way,” you grumbled before introducing yourself clearly.
Mala purred as you scratched at the right spot between her ears.
“Sounds like Nyles. And I’m Azriel,” he chuckled again, the sound setting off butterflies in your stomach this time.
Damn, he was really good looking. His skin was tan and stubble was spread across the bottom half of his face. His face was narrow and bone structure sharp. He had straight nose and slightly narrowed eyes, his lips quite plump. Wisps of black hair curled down his forehead, windswept from flying.
“Perhaps they could have a play date some time. Mala hasn’t got any friend and maybe it’d do her good,” you asked tentatively. Dahlia had encouraged you to be more confident, and this certainly was a wonderful opportunity you had found yourself stood before.
A tiny smile began to curve at his lips as his hazel eyes met your own once more, “that sounds wonderful.”
Your smile widened, cheeks bright red from both cold and your intense blushing, “is Friday good for you? I work from seven-thirty till six, so after that is good.”
“How about seven,” he offered.
“Great! I live number 9 on Tunris Way.”
“I’ll remember it. Now, you best get home before you catch a chill,” he warns, a smile curling at his lips as he took a slow step away, shadows dancing around his excitedly.
You giggled once more, shivering inside of the heavy coat you’d quickly shoved on in your rush to leave the house, “I best. Thank you again, truly. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I couldn’t find her.”
“Well, I see a kitten in need, I’m there to help,” he bows his head in acknowledgment, eyes upon Mala once before before he meets your eyes again. “Have a nice night,” he took a few more steps back, dark wings unfurling from his back, spreading wide. Damn, they are big.
“You too,” you waved your hand in farewell, clutching Mala with the right as she curled closer to your chest.
You watched with bated breath as he shot into the night sky.
“Thank you, you cheeky miss,” you giggled, pressing another kiss to her head before turning and hurrying your way back home, incapable of wiping the bright smile off of your face.
The smile remained even as you curled up beneath you thick duvet, Mala safely tucked on the far side of your rather oversized bed.
That night, you dreamt of a certain shadowsinger surrounded by kittens, laughing and smiling. He looked up at you with those alluring eyes of his, glimmering with adoration and hope.