Storytellers used to travel from village to village, court to court, performing poems and folk ballads, accompanying themselves with guitars, reed organs, whatever instrument they had.”
His scarred fingers absently tapped once against the paper cup beside him.
Azriel looked at her in surprise when she admitted she’d seen him before.
His expression barely changed at all. Just the slightest widening of his eyes, a near imperceptible flutter of lashes, the tiniest shift in one shoulder. Reactions so subtle most people would never notice+
“I’ve seen you in class... and I’ve been to a couple of hockey games. You’re good— in both things.” she took her coffee with both hands while giving him a small smile.
“However, your career doesn’t have much to do with music. Are you looking for more credits or do you really
screen of his laptop.
“Music and I…” He paused softly. “We go way back.”
Then, quieter still, almost thoughtful, he added,
“And all the great classics were performed through music. Elizabethan theatre, Greek theatre… it was all sung, staged, brought to life. +
“Oh, no, don’t worry about it,” Azriel said quickly, gentlemanly as ever.
Still, his gaze lingered on the girl in front of him as she carefully split the cinnamon roll into two halves.
A faint blush crept across his cheeks, subtle but there. Still, he accepted it.
“Oh, I know.��
She smiled when she saw his little collapse. How is it that big, mysterious and so serene-looking man could be so tender without even wanting to be?
she gently thanked him for taking her small plate and positioning it in the middle.
“We can share,” she asked after seeing his
This is the best café on the entire campus. Thanks, Gwyn.”
He said her name in a low, gentle voice while reaching for a napkin from the dispenser nearby. Using it, he carefully took the piece of pastry she was offering him instead of touching it directly with his hands.
+
When Mor glances over her shoulder and catches his gaze, Azriel’s first instinct is the same as always; to look away before he’s caught staring, before anyone notices too much. Before she does.
But not tonight.
Tonight, he doesn’t look away.
Instead, he holds her gaze openly, +
She’s aware of the eyes of her but instead of having the hairs stand up on the back of her neck in fear.. she feels safer. Knowing it’s Azriel watching her.
Eventually however she cannot take it any longer, glancing over her shoulder until she is able to catch his —
his head, “may I have the honor of this dance?”
His other hand lifts hers carefully, reverently, bringing her knuckles to his lips in a soft kiss.
He can feel the interested looks from the two females beside her, and from others too. Hear the whispers already beginning around +