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"Mother's tits, will you just hold still?" Eris murmured, readjusting his grip on Azriel's face. The Illyrian sniffed, scrunching his nose.
"It tickles," he complained, lashes fluttering rapidly before he relaxed and closed his eyelids again. "Can't you just use your fingers like before?" Eris sighed and set the brush down on the vanity with a distinct clicking noise. Azriel opened his eyes again as Eris reached for his face and wiped away a smudge of dark powder from his cheekbone.
"No, not for this. You'll just have to get through it," he said, picking up the brush and dabbing it into the small tub of gold flakes. He leaned over Azriel and tilted his chin up to inspect his work so far.
"Eyes closed." Az breathed deeply and followed Eris' order. He leaned into his husband's touch and Eris hummed. "Good," he murmured. Then the tickling sensation continued as he carefully placed the gold on Azriel's eyelids. The shadowsinger could feel the concentration, Eris breath warm on his face until he finally pulled back.
"Look at me," he said, knitting his brows, "Center." Azriel turned his head slightly and stared straight ahead at his husband's face. Eris was already done, only missing his jewelry. After all, he could do his makeup himself on top of having servants assist him, while Azriel still insisted on having Eris do it for him.
"Yes, I think we can move on." Eris put the brush down and grabbed the kohl from the table, which was an even darker shadow than the colours already on and around his eye. He endured this too, although he liked how close Eris always came to him when applying it, until they noses almost touched. He was less enthusiastic when Eris grabbed the colour for his lashes. Azriel always got it in his eye for some reason, even after the years of practice he'd had at this point. They managed it without incident this time, but he was sure he'd smudge it later tonight.
"Up, look up," Eris instructed him impatiently, and Azriel did as he was told, staring up at the ceiling.
"You're so bossy."
"Not half as bossy as I should be, seeing how you don't listen to me," Eris replied, too busy dabbing colour on Azriel's face to argue. Eris worked quick, and after a few minutes of fretting over how symmetrical the look was there was only one thing still missing.
"Pout," Eris told him while he grabbed the lip colour he'd chosen. They'd regressed to one-word-orders again. When he turned back around instead of applying it as carefully as he had the rest of the makeup he leaned down instead and took full advantage, slotting his mouth over Azriel's and kissing him deeply. By the time he pulled back, the shadowsinger was breathless and flushed, his pupils wide and dark, and Eris was smirking, clearly very happy with himself.
"Pout," he repeated, and Azriel complied again. Unfortunately for him, Eris was serious this time, and instead of stealing another kiss he painted his lips with razor sharp precision until they were stained a deep red.
"Perfect," Eris said and Azriel preened at the praise. Although he himself had done nothing but show up and let himself be dressed and painted, he could feel his mate's excitement and arousal through the bond egging him on.
He turned to the mirror and smiled, leaning a little closer to look at the gold on his eyes and cheekbones. It had taken him a while to get used to Autumn Court customs, especially the fashion. Males simply didn't wear makeup in the Night Court unless they were performers or whores, but in the Autumn Court, it was normal to add a little colour to one's face, embellish or concealing certain features. He knew the look he was wearing now would get him more than a few derogative glances back in the Hewn City or Ilyria for playing so openly with masculine and feminine traits, but as consort of the High Lord of Autumn it was just right. He liked it. Eris left the vanity to pick out his jewelry and Azriel turned to the options he had. He needed some kind of necklace with his robe, and bolder earrings than he was wearing now. He'd picked up a few things after living with Eris for so long and occasionally being dressed by him or even his mother-in-law, the former Lady of Autumn, but he still had trouble deciding.
"Eris, help me," he called over his shoulder. His mate was by his side almost instantly. He grinned, tucking a loose lock of hair behind Azriel's ear. "Help me choose," the shadowsinger repeated, gesturing at the many different sets laid out in front of him.
"Either of these two go really well with my outfit," Eris said, picking two heavy necklaces and holding them up to his husband's neck.
"This one," Azriel decided, pointing at a golden neckace with an intricate design that would spread from his adam's apple to his collarbone. It was covered with tiny diamonds which sparkled in the firelight. The necklace was one of Azriel's personal favourites and he just so happened to know that it drove Eris insane. "Put it on me," he demanded.
"Now who's bossy?" Azriel rolled his eyes, staring at himself in the mirror as Eris laid the necklace around his throat and closed the clasp at the back of his neck, his warm hands lingering on his skin, readjusting the collar of his robe to display the collier perfectly.
"What next?" Eris asked, his voice low.
"Earrings." The High Lord was equally fast in choosing those for him. It only took him a few moments. Azriel held the jewels for him until Eris had found the right place for each of them. He didn't usually wear dangling earrings except for occasions like this. He liked how heavy they felt, and how the blue studs would match his siphons. Speaking of...
He could usually wear his siphons over his clothes, but the shape of the robe he'd chosen for tonight didn't really allow even for the new harness Andreya had made for him. He waa grateful for her help even though he'd been reluctant when Eris had first proposed employing an illyrian tailor to make his clothes for royal events. He'd quickly come to understand that his role in Autumn was vastly different to the one he had played in Night, and required not only a different skillset but also a different wardrobe. And Autumn fashion was not made to fit lesser fae. It seemed almost intentional how impossible it was to find fashionable clothes fit for a High Lord's consort as a male with wings. Eris had recruited Andreya through Emerie, and she'd been adjusting Autumn Court robes and clothes for everyday wear for Azriel in such simple yet clever ways that he increasingly found himself choosing the outfits she'd made for him over his old leathers. She'd also made him adjustable harnesses for his siphons that he could wear over or under his clothes, like he was doing now. Azriel would forever be grateful for her expertise and her hard work. He'd never admit it but he'd wanted to give up a month into moving to Autumn, feeling humiliated and rejected, standing out like a sore thumb in Eris' court. He'd never wanted to be othered again, and it had felt like he had walked right into the high fae elite's trap.
"Hands," Eris interrupted his miserable thoughts, reaching for him and sliding rings onto his fingers, thick and golden, some of them set with pretty gems. When he was done he lifted Azriel's hands to his mouth, kissing every ring. His warm lips lingered on their wedding band the longest and Azriel blushed like they'd been married yesterday and not more than fifty years ago. Eris stepped behind him, resting his hands on Azriel's shoulders as they watched each other in the mirror.
"Do you like it?" Eris asked gently, fluffing up Azriel's hair a little. Azriel grinned suddenly.
"You know, when we freed my mother all she asked from the High Lord were a couple goats. And she'd keep them with her at the house, and every spring without fail at least one of them would be pregnant. When the kids were old enough, my mother would always sell some of them down in the village. I joined her once when she took them into the valley, and I found out she doesn’t simply sell them, she dresses them up in little knitted outfits and self made jewelry so people would pay attention to them." Eris laughed and Azriel's grin widened. While Eris had been smiling much more in the last five decades than he'd ever seen before Beron died it was rare to get a real laugh out of him
"Well, you're the prettiest goat I’ve ever seen," Eris declared, still smiling, and kissed Azriel on his gold-dusted cheek.
"Oh, fuck off." Eris only laughed harder.
"I'm serious. I could never walk past you at the market, I'd simply have to buy you."
"I'm too expensive," Azriel countered, deciding to play along. They both knew that was bullshit - over his unfortunately long life Beron had amassed such obscene amounts of wealth that Eris could buy whole countries if he wanted. Azriel crossed his arms in front of his chest, knowing that it would draw Eris' attention to the necklace again.
"It's my birthday, will you lower the price for me?" Eris winked at him, dragging him closer by his waist, his gaze indeed flicking down to his neck several times. Azriel placed his hands firmly on his chest to maintain a reasonable distance.
"Eris Vanserra, are you haggling? Should I be concerned about the state of the High Lord's treasury?" His husband snorted and only pulled him closer despite his arms between them. "Either way, no. No special birthday deal for you." Eris pretended to grimace like Azriel had cancelled solstice and as consolation for himself, the High Lord leaned in and stole a quick kiss, careful not to smudge his lipstick.
"But I do come with certain birthday benefits," Azriel added quickly, before he could forget over the heat of his mate's body so close to his. Eris' eyes gleamed with excitement. "Do you?" he asked, sounding a little out of breath himself.
"Mhm." The corner of Azriel's mouth twitched up at his husband's enthusiasm.
"What kind of benefits?"
"I guess you'll have to wait until after your birthday dinner to find out," Azriel teased, "Which, by the way, we should be leaving for. Surely by now all the guests have arrived." Eris groaned, clearly struggling to let go of his mate as he weaseled his way out of his arms.
"You're a cruel goat, Azriel Vanserra."