#✦ callum || ic ✦ i get to choose who i want to be

[stardustedstories]

@dragetunge liked this post for The D.ragon P.rince!

"Wait a minute," Callum says, looking over the other person, a young man about his own age, "if you're half-elf…., then what's the other half?" Somewhere Ezran is probably just shaking his head at his brother's cluelessness.

[sorinethemastermind]

Hi, so I just saw your post about the "Review Fic-athon". First of all I love this idea and just wanted to thank you for doing something like this for this series. Fingers crossed for Act 3🍀

I posted reviews for all seven seasons of TDP on Rotten Tomatoes under the username "FL Z".

I've never participated in something like this so I don't know how specific or not I should be. So obviously it's completely up to you but could you maybe write something about when Claudia is fighting Callum (maybe Runaan takes a second longer to intervene or something) preferably after/during the fight in Akiyu's cave? With her thinking about/contemplate what could've been.

Basically angsty Claudium from Claudia's perspective at some point in Act 2.

(No shade to Terry but I adore angsty Claudium)

Sorry for the rambling. Also again I love the idea for this to help the series. Have a wonderful day.

(Sidenote I love the reference to Soren's "Hungry horses need hay" line)

[sorry for the delay in response, I've got so many fandom events going but finally starting to chill out with my writing load 😩 so here's your angst, as requested! Love me some angst Claudium vibes. Thx so much for participating, this was a lot of fun to work on. Hope you enjoy!]

"Oh Callum, I was hiding. But not for the reason you think," Claudia watched them from the shadows. Callum and that elf. The very one who had killed his father. Had he already forgotten everything they'd done to them?

"Oh, is it because you've done something terrible? Because you're afraid to face the consequences?" Callum said, the last word nearly a snarl. He had always been so judgy.

Claudia stepped forwards, letting the shadows fall away from her form. "No. It's because I didn't wanna have to kill you, too."

They turned on her, the elf's bow already raised, and she lifted her staff.

"Petra volarai!" the chunk of stone rose behind them, perfectly positioned to strike, but she hesitated. Claudia stared into Callum's eyes, searching them for any sign of the boy who used to trail her around the castle, asking about magic and sharing books. But his green eyes were narrowed, judging, like they always were.

He thought she was gone, just like all the others. He couldn't see that she was still her.

She closed her fist, sending the chunk of stone flying at him. But her moment of hesitation had bought the assassin enough time to notice and he turned, lunging to push Callum out of the way, the chunk of stone smashing into him instead of it's target.

He grunted, falling to the ground, and Callum gasped, rushing to his side. So loyal to the very man who had killed his father. His loyalties were so misplaced. Claudia knew he would choose his father's killer over her in a moment and didn't let herself hesitate again.

Her next casting was quicker, Callum hardly able to get his staff up in time to summon ice and quench the wall of fire she had sent roaring at them both. The puff of steam from the two elements meeting exploded across the room and she averted her gaze momentarily, raising her staff again as soon as she could see, the next spell already on her lips.

"Fulger hostil!" the violet lightning sparked from her fingers and shot at Callum, but he deflected it with a swing of his staff. He was getting better. She could only imagine what he might be able to accomplish if he wasn't so stubbornly stuck on Primal Magic. If he had a real teacher.

She would have taught him, if he'd asked her too. It would have been nice, having someone to practice with besides her Dad, who was always too busy. Claudia's eyes narrowed. Her Dad, who that elf of his had killed.

She couldn't let herself get soft. Wishing wouldn't change what had happened. Wouldn't change who Callum had become.

He raised his fist as she watched, clenching it tight as he shouted out a pair of unfamiliar words; "Venus frigoris!"

Pain shot through Claudia's hand and up her arm, the skin turning blue. She bit back a cry of pain as the sensation spread across her body, hunching in on herself. Her veins burned with a cold fire, contracting and expanding, sending needles of agony shooting through her flesh.

She fell to her knees with a half sob, one hand desperately clutching her staff. Claudia had known Callum had changed, but she hadn't thought-

Anger burst through her. She was only doing what she had to, first for her Dad, and now for Aaravos. But Callum didn't need to do any of this. She remembered telling Soren that Callum would never hurt her, that night after their date. She'd been so afraid of upsetting him, of betraying him.

And here he was, hurting her without remorse, with no sorrow in those piercing green eyes. They acted like she was the one who had changed, and yet it was them who were different. Soren who had left her, Callum who had betrayed her. Who was hurting her.

She didn't owe him any remorse, either.

Forcing body to obey and her fingers to move, Claudia took the pufferbat from her belt and crushed it between her fingers, the purple veins of the spell floating through the air and into the dark core of her staff.

Callum's hand went to his throat as the air was pulled forcibly from his lungs and she felt the spell's pain fade from her body, the bluish tint to her skin retreating back to palid grey. She straightened up, eyes narrowing.

"You're impressive, Callum," she admitted. "Somehow you learned Primal Magic. But Dark Magic will always have the edge."

"Please... Claudia-" Callum fell forward, eyelids fluttering as the air continued to funnel from his lungs and into her staff. It... hurt to see him like this. But Claudia took the pain and crushed it the same way she had the pufferbat.

"What am I supposed to do?" she asked, taking a step forward. She knelt before him. "Come on, Callum, I don't hate you. I don't want you dead! But you're leaving me no choice." Her voice wavered on the last word, and for a moment she thought that, maybe, he might give her a way out. A way forward where no one else had to get hurt.

But then the elf's voice sounded from her periphery, and she turned to find him with his bow drawn, arrow nocked and pointed in her direction. "Don't move."

She rose to her feet as the elf walked around to stand beside Callum, arrow never wavering from where it pointed at her heart.

"Now drop the staff," he instructed. "Throw it out of reach."

"I mean, how am I supposed to throw the staff without moving?" Claudia asked, tilting her head. "You said don't move."

Callum collapsed at her feet, gasping. She spared him a glance, hand tightening around the staff. She'd meant what she said. She didn't want to kill him. She didn't want any of this to happen. She didn't have a choice. She'd never had a choice. Why didn't they ever give her a choice?

"Do it now!" the elf shouted, drawing back the arrow.

Claudia smiled, narrowing her eyes, and dropped the staff into the pool of water beside her. It landed with a splash and Callum's head jerked up as the spell ended. He gulped in air.

"Now what?" Claudia asked, same smile playing across her lips.

"Now," the elf said, "we wait for Callum to catch his breath. And then he will decide whether you live or die."

For a moment she considered letting him choose. They never gave her a choice, anyway. And Callum wouldn't-

But the affects of the ice spell were too fresh, the memory of the pain fresh across her skin. She didn't know. Maybe he would. Now that he'd changed.

Her eyes narrowed. Maybe he would kill her. Now that he thought she was some kind of monster.

Her gaze went to the amulet hanging around her neck. She knew who didn't think she was a monster. She smiled at the elf and watched his eyes widen in alarm. She clutched the amulet as he released the arrow, eyes glowing violet as the spell took hold. The arrow turned to ashes as it reached her, charred by the bright light the talisman was emanating.

She spoke the command words, closing her eyes as the warmth washed over her entire body, covering her skin with the scales of a dragon. More of them stretched up her throat and framed her face, stretching across her cheeks.

If they thought she was a monster then fine, she'd be their monster.

Claudia threw her head back, feeling the warmth gather in her chest and flare across her skin. Her hair swayed around her face as though in an invisible breeze, vision flaring as her eyes once again glowed violet. The warmth spread from her chest and up her throat, exiting her mouth in a torrent of flame.

Callum pushed himself to his feet just in time to call a wave of water and block the worst of it, steam once again filling the room. Claudia took advantage of the moment to turn and flee, vanishing into the shadows once more. She threw one final glance over her shoulder as the fog began to clear.

She Callum he was okay, not too singed. She would be their monster, if that's what they wanted. But that didn't make her a real monster. She didn't wish him dead. Not when she could still remember the moonlight reflecting in his eyes that night at the Nexus, or the wonder in his them she'd seen every time he saw her cast a spell.

Before the green eyes grew cold towards her and warm towards that elf of his. Before he chose the man who killed his father over the ones who'd tried to save him.

Claudia turned away, leathery wings sprouting from her back as she emerged into the open once again. She had work to do. She couldn't let what might have been distract her.

[raayllum]

As always, a few notes:

1) Parallels to Ezran re: choosing to no longer run away under the goal of acquiring more power, but for Ezran it's to help / shield others (2x09-S3)

2) Terry begins this scene by being scared for Claudia, but that's not how it ends (more on that later).

3) A return to ice as a form of entrapment, which we've seen a few times now (aspiro frigis from Viren on three occasions, I think, Callum on one, Finnegrin's blood freezing spell later, and Ibis also used it on her earlier).

4) Claudia literally making a Circle / cycle with the water and some dark magic, using her opponent's strengths and magic against them.

5) There are also some parallels - specifically the encroaching edge towards the dragon's neck - that mirror shots of Claudia trying to stab Ibis in S4.

A few more things:

1) It's worth noting that Claudia has like... zero context for this dragon. For all she knows, she and Terry could've wandered into its territory / river and that's why its investigating them. The idea that its politically motivated / wanting to stop her on her mission is an assumption on her part - even if she's not wrong to defend herself either, after it blasted her boat.

2) Irregardless, this dragon has no prior history with Claudia. It's not the dragon that hurt her brother, or the dragon queen, or anything like that. It's just a dragon who's bee following her for maybe two days. But Claudia doesn't see it as an individual, nevermind as a person. She sees it as a representation of its entire species. As a symbol, which we all know is a key road to depersonalization (Karim's entire issue with Amaya being the symbolism, after all, the same as Viren's old concerns about an empty throne being "a beacon/symbol of weakness").

3) Up until now, "times are changing" has been a hopeful concept of peace, that elves and dragons and humans can all learn to get along, and that change itself is mostly positive (with exceptions largely to dark magic users). Here, Claudia takes that sentiment, and completely repurposes it, much the way Viren took concepts of "a bright future for humanity" (language that Harrow, Ezran, and Janai have used) with a very different idea in mind of what positive change would actually look like.

Quietly files this away into Callum's parallels to Terry / potential parallels to Ezran, if he's hesitant to do anything more with the prison than re-hide it, because Aaravos is already trapped, isn't he? while Callum and Rayla may press for a more permanent end.

I've never subscribed to the theory/take that dark magic literally makes you worse / erodes 'goodness' (it's malevolent, but not that malevolent as a magic system), but I do think dark magic can very easily give you a bigger outlet for your worst emotions: in this case anger, resentment, and smugness, all qualities Claudia has expressed before. The dark magic here, imo, doesn't leave her eyes because she chooses not to be violent, but because she's having a literal moment of clarity: the dragon is afraid of her, and fear is a powerful motivator for almost anyone.

Terry, perhaps, included, seeing her make the right choice (like in 4x09) for even more of the wrong reason(s).

[domxmarvel]

Trial

Masterlist

Pairing: Soren x Female!Tidebound Elf!Reader

Slot:Princess/Prince!Reader + Castle + primal stone @hugesimp1234

“Your highness,the king of Katolis is here to speak to you” You had received word of the king's quest to unite all the kingdoms across Xadia and the five human kingdoms,so you weren't too surprised when he turned up at your palace. 

"Let him in"

"What about the people accompanying him?"

"Who?"

"Two other humans and a moon shadow elf"

"Let them in" 

You looked over them as they walked in,the so-called king looked younger than the rest. All of them looked focused on their mission,all except one. A taller blond that looked to be some sort of guard,although with how distracted he was looking around you weren’t sure how good of guard he was. You stood up as they knelt before you. 

“Your highness we’re in need of your help” You were confused as to why he said it like that,but you simply asked. 

“What do you need my help for?” He stood up

“We need your ocean primal stone” The primal stone your family had kept since the start of their reign,was only given away for one night on one very special occasion. You couldn’t just give it away for no good reason,you were only supposed to give it away to the person you choose to marry.  

“Why should I give it to you?” Before their king could answer, the blonde stood up saying. 

“We could trade you for something?”

“The primal stone isn’t something I can just give away or let you borrow” He had moved to stand next to the king,he seemed more excited.

“We have to complete another quest,let’s go guys” His energy seemed to be contagious somehow,everyone was willing to do whatever it took to get that stone. And somehow it affected you too,you wanted to go out and have another adventure which you hadn’t,since you took the throne. “So what do we have to do?” There was a trial that someone could do that would award them the stone but it was only ever completed three times,you weren’t sure if you should tell them about that. 

“There is a trial that will award you the stone but it has never been completed” You lied,hoping it would scare them off but it backfired immediately. 

“Then we’ll be the first,where do we go?” 

“Follow me”

As you led them through the castle the blonde walked faster to catch up with you.

“Say what’s this trial about?”

“A leviathan,you could call it a sea serpent and all you have to do it defeat it”

“So no one’s defeated it?”

“No” You lied again “You should back out now and keep that pretty face of yours intact” You swear you saw him blush. 

“You think I’m pretty?” You froze up not expecting that question,you turned to face him and he looked really good in the dim blue light of crystals that lined the dark hallway. 

“I do” 

“I’m Soren by the way”

“Great now I know what to put on your plaque when you get eaten” You half joking,half still trying to scare him. You reached the door and led them down the stairs until you reached a smaller door. Opening it to reveal the inside of a cave with a small pond which actually wasn’t small it just looked like that. “That’s as far as I can take you from here you’ll have to go on your own,one by one” That seemed to make them stop and look at each other. 

“I’ll go” The moon shadow elf Rayla ,who’s name you caught through their conversations. “I can fight and I’m really fast”

“What about the water” The brunette said and you quickly got his name as well when Rayla said. 

“Callum,I’ll be fine” Before they could make up their minds you noticed that Soren was gone,they noticed when you turned to see him running in.

“Soren!” They tried to run in but you quickly stopped them

“You can’t go in now,if you do the trial is deemed invalid” You held your hand up and one of the guards tossed you his spear,before you turned to look at Soren. 

He fought for a while before being knocked down,his sword out of his grasp and you were starting to panic. With a roar the serpent tried to attack him,forming the water into ice you rushed over to stand in front of him. Once you were sure it had given up you let the ice melt and it slowly sunk back into the water,quickly turning back to Soren. That’s when you realized what you had done,the trial was now invalid but you couldn't tell why you had done what you did. You didn’t know why you wanted to protect him,you helped him up but before he could say anything. You turned to your guards.

“Lead them to the guest rooms and get them some food” You turned back to them “The trial is invalid and I won’t let you fight the serpent again,I’ll let you stay for tonight but you need to be gone by tomorrow morning” You quickly walked off. 

You had no idea why you saved him,you barely knew him but something about his energy was so contagious and somehow he seemed happy no matter what. It was a full moon and you were laying on your back in the water,your legs had turned to form your tail. You heard a quiet ‘whoa’ which made you open your eyes and look in the direction of the sound,seeing Soren standing just outside of the small lake and looking at you. 

“What are you doing here?” He stepped into the water,moving closer to you.

“I know you were angry but I just wanted to say goodbye before I leave” He tried to walk back out but you grabbed his wrist.

“Stay” He immediately moved closer to you 

“Can I ask you a question? Why did you save me?”

“I don’t know,I just didn’t want you to get hurt” You brushed some of his hair back,keeping your hand on his cheek. In what seemed like seconds you had pulled him in and kissed him,his arms moving to wrap around you. “I want you to stay,don’t leave tomorrow” 

“So you’re not mad at me?”

“Not if you choose to stay” you laughed quietly. “Why did you want the stone in the first place?”

“There’s a star touch elf that’s super dangerous and is about to escape. We need the stone to breath underwater”

“Was that elf named Aaravos?”

“How did you know?”

“I’m joining you,we need to stop him before he escapes. Get some sleep,I’ll tell the other’s in the morning because we need to get going and do it quickly”

[alittlebirb]

Some goofs and gaffs from the MCC 22 Orange Ocelots!

Pete talking about how MCC 14 was his favorite because of all the new stuff that was added

"I love new things in MCC." -Pete

Ry then saying he loves RNG, like in Mario Party!

"We should play Mario Party sometime, see which one of us deals with RNG better." -Pete

"Never gets easier with the anxiety man, but god I'm happy to be here." -Pete

Pete having asked questions after BM got skipped last time, and learning that the game actually gets chosen before the final few seconds

Pete acting as team leader during MD and everyone communicating so well with great chemistry even on the first round

Pete saying he's "hot and bothered" during MD ;)

Orange winning the first round of MD with all their players alive!

Pete discovering an ice path and immediately speeding down it like a kid on a snow day, with Spifey close behind

"Sorry, we're just having a little bit of fun." -Pete

Orange winning the second round of MD with all their players alive!

Everyone agreeing it is incredibly satisfying to break the coins in the middle, and Joel talking about how he got a rush just from breaking two blocks

"I probably weigh less than the chickens walking around the hub on the logo, but I'll get in the elevator anyway." -Pete

"Pile in admins! Pile in!" -Ry

Everyone talking over each other in the elevator, and then going dead silent in shock and awe once the voiceover starts

Spifey's legs breaking in the elevator and him typing <oh no my legs> in chat

Ry asking if they wanted to get BM out of the way to a pair of BM enjoyers and Pete replying, "Out of the way? That's the finale, brother!"

Spifey agreeing that PKT is a good game. exhilarating...

"Stick that baby." -Pete after using the adhesive

"I panic too much when hunting, my hands start shaking." -Ry

"My hands are cold but sweaty, I hate it. I don't know how to fix it." -Joel

"They say it's puberty, I don't think so, man!" -Pete, fading out of frame

Pete explaining how he used to pump dumbbells in his office in order to calm down for MCC

Spifey calling Red a "sweat team".

Ry AND Joel surviving against Dream in PKT!

Joel immediately choosing to hunt against Aqua because they're his friends

Spifey warning "he's coming, he's coming", and Pete saying, deadpan, "phrasing."

"I've been trying to be a little quieter and less loud during MCC, and now I'm being told they can't hear me. Well maybe I should just scream all the time. I mean, I can arrange that." -Pete

"I fell, I'm gonna die probably." -Ry

"Not with that attitude." -Pete

Joel and Spifey being terrified of Callum Seapeekay

Joel, Ry, and Pete getting into the Top 5 Players for PKT

Lizzie pointing out to Joel in chat that Spifey had been using his webcam mic for Discord the whole time instead of his stream mic

"That was Lizzie who pointed that out, she wants credit for it." -Joel

"Thank you Lizzie!" -Spifey

Pete revealing his lifetime coins and the rest of the team just groaning at the number

Pete being the first MCC player to win on their birthday during MCC 3

Joel mentioning how Lizzie played during her...birthday week?

"That's basically the same thing." -Pete

"It's so not in my blood to go for kills at all." -Pete the Pacifist

Ry briefly being Joel's hypeman in RSR (he kinda gives off malewife vibes tbh)

Pete almost falling into the void but somehow miraculously spawning in with the next island and surviving for another few seconds

Everyone just cackling while watching Tubbo plummet in the last round of RSR

Everyone going I Do Not See 😞 at Spifey's coins

Joel checking the names in tab, with him becoming a singular Smallishbean, Ry being a Ryguyrock, Spifey rhyming with strife, and Pete the same but with something off about him...

"That's usually the spelling that I check for any sponsorship emails, so I know to avoid them." -Pete

"I'll be the wood guy. I'll be the man with the logs." -Spifey about BM

Joel being a HITW hater

Several people incorrectly calling out purple in HITW and Pete following along with the peer influence

Pete dying to the same wall 2 rounds in a row

Everyone oohing and ahhing at Jojo destroying HITW

Pete mistaking Joel's ocelot on the back of his head as his face and almost telling him to turn around

Spifey seeing the team rankings and saying, "Oh my gosh. I think I need some dumbbells real quick."

"Chat, why do you keep spamming for me to eat my burrito bowl?" -Ry

"You haven't eaten your burrito bowl?" -Pete

"I mean I've nibbled on it, but there's a lot going on!" -Ry

Pete asking Ry to share what's going on in his burrito bowl, and the two of them entering a discussion about Chipotle

Ry's chat continuing to ask him to turn Pete up even though he's already at 200% audio

"HOW LOUD DO YOU WANT ME TO BE, MAN? I'M JUST RELAXED, I'M JUST CALM, IT'S FINE!" -Pete

Ry wondering if he can try to get his cat into the MCC hub

Ry talking about how he got a cat that doesn't trigger his allergies by taping the parent's fur to his nose for 24 hours and testing if he got sniffly

"I want cats, you're making me want a cat now." -Spifey

"Dude, my cat is my life." -Ry

"My weakness for cats is going to PetsCo or PetsMart on the weekends when they have the cats for adoption, and I'm just, we need to leave now, we need to get back in the car." -Pete

Ry and Pete theorizing that maybe the NoxCrew chose to mirror some parts of the map and not mirror others, just to mess with them

Joel noticing Michael hadn't finished yet and saying "he's probably swearing like mad".

Pete looking at his chat, seeing someone tell Illumina they love him, and telling them to "back off of my VIPs. We go out to dinner. Not you. We go out to dinner together."

"I'm not gonna lie to you guys, it's been a few MCCs since I was on a team that was excited about Battle Box, I'm not sure to react to this." -Pete

"I feel like I've committed a sin. Standing in a Battle Box instead of Build Mart, that's a little..." -Pete

The ongoing saga of Ry being told the audio is too quiet

"I'm starting to think you guys might be messing with me." -Ry

Ry not knowing to place the wool after killing Pink

"Do we have to place wool, or no?" -Joel, 2 seconds before the timer runs out

"Uh. Yeah." -Pete, just as the timer runs out (Feels like this team might be a little toooo chill lol)

Everyone getting antsy for Spifey to quickly place the wool a few rounds later after winning a fight

"I felt like the Son of Christ was gonna pick him up by his shoulders and yeet him out of the map in the last 12 seconds!" -Pete

Spifey telling them to watch out for uhh...well, everyone on Cyan.

"Watch out for the entire team. Just hide guys, just hide." -Spifey

Mr. Slime getting the ultra adhesive during the decision dome

Pete throwing the adhesive and finding out "it's not hit scan..." :(

The struggle of SOT and the subsequent hailing of TGTTOS as their last hope

"Look, I've watched enough anime to know there's always a way." -Ry

Ry and Spifey contemplating bribing Scott Smajor for a few extra coins

"We're looking a bit thinner on this side, boys!" -Pete during the majority vote

"That was top - down - up - down - top - down, what was that??" -Pete about the new TGTTOS map

The shock and hilarity at Blue going feral and attacking everyone

"That's creative." -Pete about Tubbo building a wall

"Maybe Quig woulda done better if he didn't have the birthday hat clogging up his head. I didn't need anything on my head for my birthday MCC, and here he is walking around with a birthday hat. Alright special guy, I get it." -Pete, unprovoked??

"Whoever on Reddit who said we had a 97% chance of getting to DodgeBolt, uhhh..." -Ry

"I'd like to have a nice lobster dinner with that other 3%." -Pete

"I said that phrase 'You want your win, you hit your shot', as a person who has won four dodgebolts and has only gotten a round winning kill once. Just so we know where I'm coming from." -Pete

"Oli does not do well under pressure, lemme tell you that right now." -Joel

Pete calling Dream and George the "deadly duo".

Pete moving up to the rafters for his Cinematic Shot of DB and saying he feels like "a camera operator for NFL".

"If we're gonna lose, that's how I want to lose!" -Joel about the Captain's win

Orange Ocelots finished MCC 22 in 5th place!

Bonus:

[minimitchell]

callumhighwayweek day 2 - “I can’t think straight around you.” (ao3 link)

.

“I should go. Whit will be wondering where I am.”

Ben doubts it. Whitney was surrounded by Chantelle and Lola on either side, doing their umpteenth shot for the night at the bar the last time he’d seen her, right before he followed her fiancé through the heavy, wooden doors of the pub.

The Vic is packed tonight. The party they had going on for whatever reason and the regular Friday evening punters mixing together to fill the place up to the brim and no one even noticed Callum leaning down to whisper the words car lot into Ben’s ear on his way to the gents. He doubts anyone even noticed both of them are missing.

He’d sworn to himself he wouldn’t do this anymore; wouldn’t come running whenever Callum asked, or begged, him to. But it’s almost like he’s powerless when it comes to this, to him. Callum only has to look at him to get him to follow; to meet him somewhere secluded in the dark of the night; to accept the invitation to have him in his bed whenever Whitney is out or away.

He didn’t plan for it to happen again after that first time in the park and it’s obvious Callum hadn’t either. But there was this confrontation between them before the second time, a snide remark from Ben that snowballed into a full-blown argument, and before he could even get his wits about him they were tearing at each other’s clothes, pressing biting kisses onto the other’s lips. The third time started with a text from Callum saying they needed to talk and ended with Ben on his knees in the Arches.

He stopped counting after that.

Ben would love to pretend this is just about his purely selfish want for sex, a quick and easy way to get an orgasm, but it hasn’t been about that for a while now; maybe it never was. There’s nothing easy about this or about the ever-growing want to march into that building in a couple of weeks and beg Callum not to get married.

Ben Mitchell doesn’t get attached anymore and he certainly doesn’t catch feelings - only it seems he does for Callum Highway of all people.

So they meet up. They kiss, they have sex and Ben pretends he doesn’t leave a piece of his already battered heart with Callum every time he leaves him afterwards.

“‘Course. Don’t want her to think you’re playing away.”

He can barely keep the venom out of his voice; the jealousy bleeding into their conversations more and more the longer this affair between them continues. Callum might not want to label this as one, might not want to think too much about what they’re doing at all, but it’s exactly what’s been happening.

They’re sneaking around behind Whitney’s back and Callum might want to refuse to believe it, but he is actively cheating when he fucks into Ben on the couch at the car lot after basically eye fucking him across the pub the entire night at the Vic beforehand.

“Ben, come on.”

Ben masks his eye roll by looking down at the buttons of his shirt he’s still doing up again, fumbling with the little, white buttons and smoothing the fabric down when he’s done. He’s becoming more and more transparent the more they do this, have this kind of conversation with each other, he knows he is but he just can’t help it. He can’t keep pretending this is enough for him.

Callum is standing a feet away from the couch, stepping back into his jeans and flattening his hair back down so it doesn’t look like Ben ran his fingers through it while they were having sex with each other - even though that’s exactly what happened.

Looking at Callum now, Ben knows he’s easily the worst mistake he’s made since coming back to Walford; the one thing he never planned for. Not trying to help Callum find his way to himself, or kissing him that first time, he couldn’t regret that even if he tried. But letting himself go back time and time again; letting Callum touch and kiss and feel him ways he hasn’t let another man do in so long; letting himself fall for him in the process of all this.

“It’s alright. Don’t matter, does it.”

He isn’t really sure whether he’s talking about his own feelings or about Callum going back to Whitney when they both know this will happen again anyway, but it does make Callum pause in front of him, looking up to search Ben’s face for something he doesn’t really know. Ben doesn’t meet his eyes; his shoeless feet prove to be more interesting right now.

Callum takes a step forward, feet aligning with Ben’s on the ground. He’s wearing his black sneakers again already, ready to walk out the door and back to his fiancée, leaving Ben behind in the cold; nothing more than the outsider looking in.

The thought alone makes something in his stomach squeeze and turn.

“I know this is… complicated. And I do love her...”

Callum’s voice sounds strained, pained even, so Ben holds back the snort threatening to come out of his mouth, refraining from pointing out that Callum can’t love her that much if he keeps going back to Ben, keeps telling him he misses him the second they’re back in each other’s arms. If he really loved her as much as he likes to claim in front of Ben, he wouldn’t feel the need to keep texting him in the middle of the night.

He’s getting married to a woman while Ben keeps doing everything to get him to somehow choose him - complicated doesn’t even begin to cover it.

“But with you- it’s like I can’t think straight around you.”

Callum crouches down so he’s on Ben’s eye level, one of his hands darting out to run over Ben’s thigh in front of him. His eyes are bright and sincere, expression so completely open and honest, and this is why he keeps going back. This is the Callum he can’t seem to walk away from.

Because there’s so much potential between them. Ben is sure they could be so good together if given a real chance. They feel like two puzzle pieces to him sometimes, only making sense when put together to create an entire picture.

The knowledge that they’ll never get there is sobering. And too much to think about right now.

“Unfortunate turn of-”

“Ben.”

They huff out a quiet laugh together, heads falling forward before their eyes meet again with quiet smiles. Callum's thumb on his thigh moves back and forth, caressing the skin underneath in soothing motions. His other hand comes up to Ben’s cheek, taking it safely into the palm of his hand, and it takes every ounce of willpower for Ben not to lean into the touch.

“Just- when I’m with you, it’s like my head ain’t even working anymore. Like it doesn’t know what’s good for me. Nothing makes sense until you’re there with me. I can’t make sense of any of this.”

Ben knows that trying to convince Callum that the solution to how he feels is being true to himself and admitting he’s gay is for nought. They had this conversation, sometimes even an argument about it, a million times before and the outcome always remains the same - with Callum storming off insisting he loves Whitney and Ben getting drunk alone in the Albert, rejecting every guy that comes up to him because they aren’t the one he really wants.

It’s hopeless. And the endless cycle of it does neither of them any good.

“It’s okay. You’re gonna figure it out.”

It’s the closest thing he can say to what he wants, that doesn’t make Callum walk away in a huff. But the more he says it, the less he truly believes in it. He’s resigned; almost emotionless when he says it. Because there’s only so many reassuring words he can say when the results just don’t match.

Because while Callum does come back to him again and again to kiss the truth onto his skin, he still goes back to her every time afterwards to plan a wedding that keeps creeping closer and closer.

They are something with an expiration date, a limited lifespan.

And when the time, the ending, finally comes, Callum will be blissful and happily married and Ben will be left with a heart that’s been broken one too many times to ever be complete again.

“Please don’t be mad at me.”

Ben doesn’t think he could be even if he tried. He’s in way too deep for that.

No matter how disappointed or hurt he is by this push and pull they have going on, he knows Callum isn’t doing any of this intentionally. He knows, from deep personal experience, that his head is in a right state at the moment and he doesn’t want to add to the storm that’s already raging inside of Callum. He wants to make it better for him. If only Callum would let him.

“I’m not. Promise.”

They keep looking at each other for a long moment; no further words shared between them. Ben keeps fiddling with the hem of Callum’s shirt, running his finger along the stitching on the inside. It doesn’t take long for their eyes to drop down to each other’s mouths and when they do, the space between them becomes charged again; heat rising inside their bodies.

Callum leans forward at the same time Ben leans back and so they fall back onto the couch together, Ben pulling Callum back on top of him with hands fisted in his shirt. Their mouths meet again, tongues sliding together and hands back to wandering over each other’s bodies.

There are kisses being pressed along his jaw and down his neck and Ben can’t help but let out a low moan in response to it, his hands coming back around to mess with the buttons on Callum’s checkered shirt again.

He’s about to slip the top button free when there’s a sharp ping coming from Callum’s jacket on the floor beside them, ripping through the tension between them. It’s like a bucket of ice cold water is being dumped on them; the sharp burst of the bubble they keep creating around them.

Because Ben already knows who it is that’s texting Callum right now and it serves as another stark reminder that he’s just the other man; the bit on the side.

Callum leans away from him to unearth his phone from the floor and Ben can immediately tell by the way his face changes that there’s no round two for them right now. Instead, Callum shuffles off of him, pocketing his phone again so he doesn’t have to look Ben in the eye. It’s probably easier for him that way, Ben reckons. He can’t relate.

“It’s Whit.”

He doesn’t elaborate any further. Ben is grateful for that; he doesn’t want to hear it anyway.

“Yeah.”

He watches him while Callum shrugs his jacket back on and runs his hands over his clothes to make himself look presentable again; combing through his hair and straightening his shirt.

When he’s done he turns back to Ben, taking one, two steps to him and leans down to press a soft kiss to his cheek as a goodbye. They never say ‘bye’ or ‘see you later’; still stuck somewhere between insisting to themselves this won’t happen again and knowing they will go back to longing for each other by tomorrow.

Ben knows the moment Callum’s lips leave his cheek, leaving behind nothing but the ghost of his touch, that it’ll always be like this for as long as this thing between them continues.

Callum will text again. And Ben knows he’ll come running each and every time.

No matter how much it hurts him.

[tenspontaneite]

Wish Fulfilment (Chapter 1/?)

Rayla woke up in a tiny body in a tiny bed, blinked, looked at her tiny hands, and said “Right.”

(Time travel; indulgent and light-hearted. Ao3 link)

---

  Rayla woke up in a tiny body in a tiny bed, blinked, looked at her tiny hands, and said “Right.”

She spent the next few days taking stock of herself, the time-frame, her living situation, and her own abilities. She was a pipsqueak, lacking the advantages of a decade of training and conditioning, but she’d been a scrappy thing even at this age – climbing trees, making a nuisance of herself, getting hardier and more agile than most bairns did, and so on. She scrambled experimentally about some trees for a while, and assessed her stealth by mud-bombing the townspeople she disliked, and in the end decided that it would do just fine.

Her parents had joined the Dragonguard recently, and judging by her age, Callum must have lost his mother only a month or two ago. She regretted that she couldn’t have stopped that, but, well. Nothing to be done.

She spent a further week stealing supplies, testing herself, and getting ready. The Moon answered her when she called on it, even so close to its darkest phase. Magic answered too, when she begrudgingly tested the spells Callum had bullied her into learning. It would be enough.

She left a note for Ethari and Runaan that read ‘I know you’ll never listen if I tell you not to look for me, so just try not to waste too much time, alright? I’m fine.’ She took a moment to feel disconcerted at her history of leaving notes and disappearing, then added ‘Sorry. Try not to worry. I’ll see if I can send letters or something.’ With that in mind she took a brief detour into Ethari’s workshop and stole a shadowhawk. With that tucked into her pack, she did some last-minute checks of her supplies and headed out.

First on her agenda was heading North-East and breaking up her trail. Runaan would absolutely try to follow her, so she made it as hard for him as she possibly could, laying false trails, disturbing the true ones, and dunking herself in every body of water she could find to break up the chance of the family Moonstrider being able to track her. He’d probably still find his way through the first leg of her journey, but that was okay. She could live with that.

Rayla arrived at the mountainous plains on the edge of Lux Aurea a week later, finding with satisfaction what she’d expected to: vast tracts of farmland, developed for the feeding of the equally vast population of the golden city. It took a further day to find the farm itself, whereupon she broke in, ambushed the residents, and made some very uncompromising demands.

The Sunfire farmers looked so bewildered at having been hogtied and extorted by a baby-faced Moonshadow child that they offered absolutely no resistance except plaintive questions like ‘where are your parents’, or ‘are you okay’, or ‘do you need any help’. In the end Rayla departed with her packs three bags of seeds heavier, and also stole a Sunfin on her way out. She flew on the placid creature for three days due West before running afoul of the Sunfire army.

Rayla spent eight disgruntled hours in the custody of those soldiers, refusing to talk, until they finally left a twin-tailed inferno-tooth tiger to guard her while they went off to send letters to their superiors, trusting the guard-cat’s intelligence and ferocity to be equal to the task of keeping watch on a wee Moonshadow bairn. This turned out to be a mistake.

Within an hour, the animal was eyeing her with interest. Within two, it had drifted close to sniff at her. “What’re you looking at?” She demanded, in her tiny irritable child-voice, and that was when the thing instantly and very plainly took a liking to her. She spent ten minutes grumbling loudly about being sat on by a giant cat, then finally conceded to pragmatism and started using its tail-flames to burn through her ties. They’d only used rope, not wanting to restrain a child too sternly. It was very helpful stupidity on their part.

Rayla escaped on the cat and was only mildly singed by the ordeal. Later, after a day of very enthusiastic pursuit-evasion, she settled down with said cat and eyed it with resignation. “You’re not leaving, are you.” She said. It licked her with a sandpapery tongue almost as big as her entire face, and that was answer enough. She sighed. “Well, it’ll make the journey a lot faster, I suppose.” She decided. “But you’re going to be a pain to hide.”

Unconcerned, it rubbed its face against her insistently enough to push her over. But she’d grown up with a shadowpaw, so she was used to that.

Rayla, who was not good at naming things, named it Cat.

 ---

 Brightly-coloured cats with two flaming tails were not stealthy. They just weren’t. Cheerfully unaware of how inconvenient this was, Cat spent the next two weeks ruining her efforts at stealth by roaring at inconvenient times, following her when she’d told it to stay put, and in general by being constantly on fire. As such she arrived in the Pentarchy and crossed the Weeping Bay with considerably more flair than she’d have preferred, but at least the tails eliminated the need for campfires. It had obviously been used to cook food before, and tolerated the experience very agreeably, if it had also been fed.

On the third week she finally figured out that the thing had been trained with Luçais commands, and muddled her way through her extremely bare vocabulary in the language to finally get Cat to follow basic directions. With the ability to tell it to stay put somewhere while she went off to do something else, things went much better. She disappeared into the mountain range on Cat’s wings, choosing the least-populated route she could manage, and in the end managed to approach Katolis castle with no one the wiser that she was there.

Finding somewhere to leave Cat proved challenging, though. She briefly considered the alcove in the cliff under the castle, but dismissed it on grounds that someone would notice the roaring eventually. Cat was a noisy bastard. Eventually she resigned herself to the fact that she’d just need to relocate it periodically, and left it in a relatively well-concealed ditch with a freshly-killed deer corpse to occupy it.

Rayla waited till nightfall for the first excursion, calling on the Moon to turn her skin to shadows, and stalked down the castle halls, learning it as it was in this time. Learning the guard stations, the patrol patterns, its rhythms and sounds. She was half-way to checking whether Callum still had the right room at this age when she stopped in the middle of the hallway, goosebumps raising up in lines over her arms, feeling a vast and familiar presence passing over her mind. She slumped with relief.

“Ezran.” She murmured, more thankful than words could say. “So you made it back too.”

Being a baby had apparently not agreed with him, because he seemed to lack the control and finesse he’d developed with age. Instead his ability brushed at her in vague sweeps of feeling and intent, saying relief and frustration and this way. She followed his lead to the nursery where he was kept, his guards pressed into sleep by his far-reaching touch.

She looked down at him in his cot, so tiny she wasn’t even sure if he could crawl, and raised an eyebrow. “Somehow, you’re even tinier than I expected.”

“Ee,” he expressed sourly, blinking up at her with eyes that looked too big for his face. Babies were so weird. His hands reached up and made grabby motions at her, so obediently she leaned in and let him slap one baby hand onto her cheek. With the skin contact, it got a lot clearer.

Been here months, he seemed to complain, along with a rush of gratitude/relief/fondness at seeing her. Couldn’t do anything/missed you/been awful.

“How many months?” She asked with interest, and after a little back-and-forth managed to surmise that he’d awakened in his body very shortly after the titan-slaying party had departed for Xadia. She winced, entirely aware of how terrible that must have been for him. “I’m sorry, Ez.”

His little baby face screwed up, as if he was going to start crying. He almost did, but then seemed to summon the will to suppress the infant-body’s powerful instincts before it actually got going. Really sucked, he managed to express, with a little echo of his helplessness and anger. Then, subverbal: an impression of the heavy miasma of grief that had hung over the castle. Harrow crying, Callum crying.

She inhaled sharply. “Callum-“ she couldn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t make it back? She thought, numbly, and that was as good as saying it, with Ezran touching her.

He blinked wide ice-blue eyes at her. Hasn't yet/getting worried, he said, tangled up in the impression he had that she’d arrived later than him, hadn’t she, so maybe, maybe Callum would join them eventually too. He hoped. But time was passing and he was afraid.

She closed her eyes. Exhaled. “Did Zym make it?” Yes, he had. “Can you talk to him the same? Reach past him?” Talking: yes, but it was hard. Reaching: no. “Okay. We can work with that.” She hesitated, steeling herself, not thinking about Callum. “I’ve got a hotcat a little bit past the castle. Think you can convince it not to make noise?” She asked, half-heartedly.

Ezran blinked again. Then he looked delighted, a wide baby grin spreading across his face. He nearly bowled her over with the wave of enthusiasm and approval for her having made a proper animal friend, and expressed his intention to begin communing with said animal at once.

Rayla nodded a little, still tightly controlling her reaction to the news about Callum, and after a moment reached into the cot to lift Ezran up under his wee chubby baby arms. He made a surprised gurgle at her, then burped contentedly when she hugged him, patting her clumsily on the shoulder. He was so bloody little. It was making her annoyingly emotional. Damn it, Callum, she thought to herself, get back here already so you can look at how tiny your brother is with me.

Ez sighed, patting her with mental impressions of hope and affection and subdued sadness. Then he told her, though not in as many words, that Cat was a terrible name and someone really needed to make fun of her for it.

Rayla huffed and set him back down again. “Shush, you.” She said gruffly, and hesitated. “I’ll…come back to see you tomorrow, alright? Maybe in the day this time.” She had to get an idea of the daytime watch rotations too, after all. She still wasn’t sure what the plan was, but taking someone hostage might well end up being part of it. That would be a lot easier, with Ez on board. A lot of things would be easier.

A little spitefully, to let off steam, she made one final stop before leaving the castle that night: she broke into Viren’s rooms and stole one each of three pairs of his boots. She took these back to Cat and watched it maul the boots in question with a great deal of satisfaction.

Cat did quiet down after whatever Ezran communicated to it, but unfortunately also decided that if it wasn’t going to announce its presence by roaring, it had to do it some other way. This was how Cat ended up spraying the brambles at the edge of the ditch in urine, and incidentally also how Rayla discovered that it was a male. Thereafter the area stank too much for her to linger in, so she had to go off to sleep in a nearby tree, beyond the warmth of Cat’s burning tails. Rayla woke the next morning with a pronounced crick in her neck, grumbled a little, then went back to work.  

  ---

 Notes:

So this story exists because I made myself Really Sad about five year old Callum when writing the latest chapter (21) of piaj, and then made myself Even Sadder by promptly writing a future scene where Callum talked about said period of his life to Rayla, and then out of abject desperation I fired up a fresh document and started writing this to comfort myself.

Setting background: canon, but with worldbuilding borrowed from piaj. Future Rayla was somewhere in the region of 18+ years old, unspecified. Circumstances of the future and method of time travel left extremely deliberately vague. I have every intention of playing as fast and loose with this story as I can possibly manage; I already have one exhaustive and meticulous tdp work and I’m not interested in reallocating my brainpower from that to this.

Warning: what plans I have for this story heavily feature piaj worldbuilding that I consider pretty critical to the setting, and also unlikely to come out any time soon. Therefore, it’s pretty guaranteed that I’ll get two or three chapters in to publishing this and then have to keep the rest to myself for the next four years while piaj progresses.

 Other details:

Sunfin: a creature I came up with for piaj worldbuilding. It cannot breathe, and uses Sun magic in place of respiratory processes. If kept indoors it will die very quickly. It’s unintelligent and usually lives at high altitudes and will not generally touch the ground in its lifetime, but can be trained for use in farming, where it’s very useful in dispersing large amounts of Stuff (i.e. water, seeds, fertiliser) over a field from the sky. They’re basically crop dusters. Concept and name inspired by the Skyfin from endless legend. Looks somewhat more like a cross between an air shark and manta ray though.

Ezran: future Ezran in this setting was very, very powerful. Less so now that he’s a one year old baby. Rip.

Rayla: future Rayla learned how to use Moonshadow form at most times of the month, and in addition was eventually nagged by Callum into learning some spells. She uses them as part of her stealth repertoire but doesn’t consider herself a mage.

Callum: is baby.

Cat: a twin tailed inferno tooth tiger, highly trained, and in use by the Lux Aurea military as a war mount prior to his desertion in this story. They had a different name for him, but he rather prefers ‘Cat’.

Luçais: piaj worldbuilding; this is the in universe name for the French language as Draconic is the in universe name for Latin. Spoken by many Sunfire elves.

[babygirlgalitzine]

but today we’re changing history (ao3)

“Lexi’s in the living room.” Ben pointed out, leaning up to kiss Callum. “Can you watch her while we finish this?” 

“Yeah, course.” Callum smiled, and passed his boyfriend, walking into the house. 

It was the start of summer, and, as promised, they were all off on a weekend excursion. Two couples, and one child. Which means a packed car, filled to the brim with bags, bags and more bags. It was only supposed to be three days, but still the car was ready to burst with the amount of things that had been unnecessarily shoved into it. There was no way Lexi needed three different buckets and spades - but no doubt she would come away from the holiday with even more to choose from.

Callum walked into the living room, and saw Lexi standing in front of the television, a music channel on as she danced along to the music, hat perched on her head and sun glasses already on, prepared and clearly excited for her mini-holiday. 

“Callum!” she shouted, finishing a pirouette before running over to him, arms wide as he picked her up. 

“You ready for the holiday then Lex?” He asked, placing her back down on the ground. 

Their relationship had grown stronger the longer that he had been around Ben. Callum never really thought about having kids when he was younger, just assuming that it would happen if it happened, and then when he realised his true sexuality, he thought that it would never actually happen. But now, he was happy. He was with the man he loved, and they had a family set up going on – albeit not conventional – but when was anything? It just worked for them all, and Lexi was spoilt rotten, with so many adults who loved her and cared for her, in her life. 

“Yeah!” she giggled, jumping up and down. Callum sat down on the sofa, knowing that they would be finished packing the car soon, with three of them working on it. “Mummy said we ride some donkeys on the beach! And daddy’s given me twenty pounds!”

“Are you going to pay for all my ice creams then?” Callum laughed. 

Lexi laughed, and flung herself onto the sofa besides Callum, her little legs swinging mid air as she struggled to reach the floor. “Don’t be silly, Cal.” She berated, with a giggle and a cheeky smile. “Daddy can pay for yours!”

“I think you’ll be the one to tell him that.” Callum chuckled.

“Can I ask you something?” Lexi inquired, pressing her body into the side of Callum’s. She did this when she was tired, or nervous, but never to Callum. It was always to Ben. Callum loved it, especially when Lexi was tired out from a day at school, Ben stressed with work worries, and she would be in her pyjamas, cuddled into Ben’s side, reducing his stress instantly. It only ever got better when Ben would pick her up, Lexi having long since drifted off into a deep sleep, and she would sleepily wrap her arms around Ben, letting him carry her to her bed. It was nice. Familial. Something that Callum never thought he would be fortunate enough to experience.

Callum stroked her hair, placing it over her shoulder, watching as it curled under his touch. “Course you can darling.”

“Can I call you daddy Callum?” she asked innocently.

Callum’s mouth opened in shock, his throat contracting and suddenly going dry. His hand stilled, and he stopped stroking her hair. His mind raced in over time, and he was certain a blush had risen on his cheeks. 

“Car’s packed, time to go.” Ben shouted from the kitchen. “Lexi, run to the toilet quickly please.” 

Callum stood up, and watched as Lexi skipped upstairs, delighted that the holiday was happening. He walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Ben, sinking into his body. “I love you.” He whispered. “So much.”

Ben grinned, and turned under Callum’s hold, pressing his head to Callum’s chest, letting the taller man envelop him completely. “I love you too.” Ben smiled, tilted his head for a few seconds, just to press a kiss to his chest. “What’s all this in aid of?”

“Nothing.” Callum smiled. “I’ll get in the car, shall I?” 

“Hmm.” Ben hummed, lips connected to Callum’s, savouring the moment. “I’ll get it out of you eventually. You’re in the passenger seat, kick Jay out of it. I’m driving. Want you next to me.”

The sand was warm under their feet, too dry for Lexi to build sandcastles, unless she walked to the shore with a bucket to collect some water. It was too hot to do that really, so after having a short ride on the back of a donkey, she started to dig the sand, with no real aim - except she found great pleasure in putting it over Jay, who had fallen asleep whilst sunbathing. 

“You gonna tell me what’s wrong?” Ben asks, nudging into Callum’s side. 

Callum faces his boyfriend, and smiles. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s just Lex.”

“I thought you loved her?” Ben asks, suddenly nervous. He thought he finally had it all. The family he had always longed for. A man he loved, and who loved him. A daughter who was out of this world. Best friends, more like family than his own biological ones. He runs his fingers through dried sand, raking them through and watching as the grains have way under his touch.

Suddenly, his hand is encompassed by Callum’s, stilling his movements. “I do!” Callum confirms,hurt that Ben could even think that he doesn’t. “God, of course I love that little girl. I love the bones of the both of ya. It’s just - promise you won’t kick off?”

Ben smiles slightly, letting his finger lock with Callum’s, the warmth of the touch sending shivers down his spine. He nods.

“Before we left, Lexi...she asked if she could call me her dad.” Callum explains, the words tumbling off his tongue, terrified that Ben wouldn’t want that at all.

“Oh.” Ben smiles softly, a flutter in his stomach. Of course she did. He presses a kiss to Callum’s shoulder, and then rests his chin there. “Do you want her to?”

Callum watches as Lexi tries not to laugh, pouring more and more sand over Jay’s body. “I love her like she’s mine, you know that. But does that mean I’m ready to be a dad to her?”

“I think so.” Ben smiles. 

“Yeah?” Callum asks. “Do you mind that she wants to call me that?”

Ben shakes his head. “Callum, I love it.” He admits. “You’re my boyfriend, and I love you. If I have it my way, you’re going to be in her life for a very long time. You love her, and you’d do anything for her, so if she wants to call you Daddy Callum, and you want that too, I couldn’t think of anything better.”

Callum grins, wrapping his arm around Ben, pulling their bodies together. “When did I get so lucky, eh?” He chuckles. 

“About the time you kissed me in the park.” Ben laughs in response. 

Callum rolls his eyes, but leans in for a kiss all the same. It was short and sweet, and they both jumped at the same time when Jay leaps up from his sand body wrap, chasing after Lexi, who runs towards Ben and Callum. 

Ben pulls her in for a cuddle, and Callum grabs the hat that had come flying off of her head when she sat down with them. “Callum was just telling me something, princess.” Ben spoke, wiping her hair out of the way of her eyes. “You want to call him Daddy Callum?” 

Lexi nods. “Can I?” she asks, smiling up at both of them.

Callum grins, pulling her in for a cuddle of his own. “If that’s what you want darling, then I’d be honoured to be your dad.”

And if Ben cries the first time Lexi does it, calls Callum, “Daddy Callum”, with pink ice cream all around her mouth, toothless grin beaming on her face, nobody really needs to know.

[basketcase1880]

Wallets, Photographs and Memories

This is my entry for the Ballum Quarantine Gift Exchange organised by @ballumlockdown.

My recipient is @laurenkmyers. Hope you like it? I kinda suffered major writer’s block because I had a whole load of ideas but they just wouldn’t work for me.

Summary: After Ben and Callum reunited in January when Ben decided not to leave the Square, what happened that night? Where did that photo we saw on the end table in the flat come from? Here’s how I imagine it went after the doof doof on 24th of January.

As Ben was leaving the letter for Kathy before he left for Portugal with Louise, all he could hear was Callum’s voice begging him not to go. It was heart breaking. He knew exactly what he was giving up; ever since Callum walked into his life, he didn’t feel the pain he had felt since Paul’s death. And to be honest, Ben liked the way that Callum seemed to numb his pain. He had hated breaking Callum’s heart earlier when he tried to stop him. Yeah, he’d do anything for Louise, she was his sister, after all, but their shared pain over their lost loves wasn’t a substitute for the way he felt when he was with Callum.

 Standing with Louise and Phil while Lisa made her way over to them, Ben knew he was being a coward, but his dad and his nan had drilled into him over the years that “family means everything”. So, that’s how he found himself waiting to leave with Louise, to be the big brother she deserved and to support her in her new motherhood. After all, who else was going to support her: Lisa and Phil?

 As the five of them climbed into the taxi with Phil making plans to send for Denny soon, Ben began to feel that doubt monster creep back in. He knew he was giving up one family for the other, but he felt that it was the right thing considering what he had done. Leaving Walford would protect Callum and Lexi in the long run.

 Lexi. Ben pulled out his wallet and looked at the picture Callum had put in there of the two of them. He smiled tightly at Louise as she told him he’ll see Lexi again, but then Ben caught a glimpse of Callum coming out the Vic. That was when Ben made his mind up. He wasn’t going to leave Walford. Leave Lexi. Leave Callum. He was going to face the consequences head on and stay with his true family.

 Phil seemed to know exactly what was going through Ben’s head and started to tell him to forget about his life in Walford, but Ben wasn’t having any of it. He was shouting for the driver to stop the taxi and before he knew it, he was jumping out the car and running back towards the market.

 He knew that he was being foolish by staying, but by leaving he was leaving his heart behind. He wasn’t complete without his heart.

But Ben finally felt complete as he stood outside the cafe with Callum, Lexi, and Lola. As much as he wanted to be there for Louise as she entered motherhood, he knew this was where he was meant to be.

"Want to ring Jay?" Ben asked Lola. "The five of us can have dinner together?"

 "I'd love to," Lola said with a smile. "But Jay's promised a date night and I was gonna ask Pops if he would watch Lex."

 "We'll take Lex," Callum said without hesitating. "Make it a celebration dinner now that Ben's staying with us. Huh, Lex, how does that sound?"

 "Mac and cheese?" Lexi asked as she looked up to Callum with a bright smile on her face.

 "I guess we could do that," Ben agreed, knowing how much Lexi loved Callum's mac and cheese.

 "If you're sure," Lola said. "I wouldn't want to ruin your reunion. I'm sure Pops won't mind..."

 "Nonsense, Lo'," Ben interrupted. "I can't think of a better way to celebrate staying than spending time with my boyfriend and daughter."

 "Alright then, if you're sure," Lola said as she bent down to face Lexi. "You have a good time with your dad and Callum. I'll see you later."

 "You'll see here in the morning," Ben corrected. "You and Jay enjoy yourselves tonight, we'll keep Lex and stay over at number 55. It's empty anyway."

 "See you in the morning mum," Lexi smiled as she wrapped her arms around Lola's neck to hug her.

 "Okay baby, have fun with your dad and Callum," Lola said returning the hug, then she turned to Callum. "I'm trusting you to be the responsible one here, Callum. I know it'snot a school day tomorrow, but I still want her in bed at a reasonable time, and not too much sugar."

 Callum nodded in agreement as Lola walked away from the trio to go and find Jay. She'd tell him about the upturn in events and their child-free night.

  "Why are you trusting Callum to be responsible?" Ben demanded as Lola walked away. "I am Lexi's dad, why can't you trust me to be the responsible one?"

 Callum just laughed at Ben's antics and bent down to lift Lexi up on to his hip. "Your mum knows your dad too well, doesn't she? She knows he will just spoil you rotten tonight and wanted me to play bad cop when your dad is letting you away with murder. But what your mum doesn't know won't hurt her."

  "Can we go to the park?" Lexi asked.

 "Of course we can," Callum answered before Ben could. "And we'll even get ice cream if you want, because..."

  "It's never too cold for ice cream," Ben and Lexi chimed together, finishing Callum's often heard catchphrase.

 ***

  Later on, after they had been to the park, Ben decided it was time to spend some time with his daughter, just the two of them, while Callum made dinner.  Maybe explain to her about his behaviour earlier.

 "Lex? Remember what I said earlier?"

 "That you were going away for a few days," Lexi said as she looked up from her picture. "What happened now that you're staying?"

 "I was going to help auntie Lou with Peggy," Ben explained. "But grandad and Lisa were going too, so I decided that I was better off staying here with my own baby."

 "I'm not a baby, daddy," Lexi admonished with her usual sass. "I'll be 8 soon."

 "I know that, but no matter what age you are, you'll always be my baby girl."

 "So, you're not going anywhere then?" Lexi suddenly questioned. "You're going to stay here with me?"

 "Of course," Ben smiled as he opened his arms to Lexi, encouraging her to climb onto his lap for a cuddle. "You mean everything to me, and I don't want to miss you growing up now, do I?"

 "Everything alright in here?" Callum asked as he stuck his head around the door., smiling when he saw Ben and Lexi snuggled up on the sofa.

 "Yeah," Lexi smiled. "Daddy was just telling me why he decided to stay. He was going to help auntie Lou with baby Peggy, but he decided she had enough help and wanted to stay with me and see me grow up."

 "Is that so?" Callum asked as he grabbed his phone to snap a picture of Lexi and Ben the way they were.

 "Yeah, Lou didn't need me," Ben continued so Callum would know the story he was telling Lexi. "She has my dad and Lisa to help her. My advice won't be relevant until Peggy is much older. Oi, did you just take a picture of us?"

 "What if I did," Callum smirked in reply.

 "We weren't ready, were we princess?" Ben said as he turned to Lexi.

 "I'm always camera ready," Lexi sassed in return. "Now, let me take a picture of you and Callum."

 "Alright," Callum agreed as he handed Lexi his phone. "And don't go complaining, Ben, let's get a good picture of us. Mark the start of our future."

 Yeah, dad," Lexi agreed. "Pictures are important."

 Ben smiled at that comment from Lexi. After all, it was a picture of the two of them that kept him in the Square."Ok, let's get this show on the road, and clog up Callum's phone memory of memories of the three of us."

 That had Callum laughing as he and Ben smashed their faces together and looked towards Lexi who was telling them to say 'mac and cheese', which caused another round of laughter to erupt from the three of them.

 Soon, both Ben and Callum's phones were being passed around as photos were being snapped left, right, and center.  They were definitely beginning to make new memories and Ben was sure he had made the right decision to stay.

 When the timer went off to say that the mac and cheese was ready, Callum said he would put together three bowls and bring them through while Lexi chose a film to watch. Ben trusted Lexi to choose a suitable film herself, so he made his way into the kitchen with Callum to get a bit of time with his boyfriend.

  "Was that okay?" Ben asked. "Telling Lex that the reason I was leaving was to help Lou with Peggy?"

 "She's your daughter, Ben," Callum replied. "It's up to you what you tell her. But make sure you let the others know about it too."

 "I will, that's why I told you," Ben said as he came up to Callum and hugged him from behind. "I know there's going to be some whispers, but as long as the important people know  what I've told Lex, the story should stay that way."

 "As long as you let Lola and Jay know what you've said, you'll be fine," Callum reassured. "And I'll talk to Stuart. I know he won't be around Lexi without you around, but I don't want him to say something to you when Lexi is around."

 "Thanks for that, Callum," Ben smiled. "Now, let's get Lexi fed before she starts to complain. We want to stay in her good books tonight so she'll go to bed at a reasonable time and let us make some more memories that are just for us."

[kinnsporsche]

a tender heart with clenched fists

Their daughter gets in trouble at school and Ben and Callum want to know why. May just wants to stick up for her brother.

word count: 2.2k

read on ao3

“May, darling-” Callum starts, sliding into one of the free chairs at the table next to her.

Ben takes one of the ones opposite her and smiles when she looks up at him from her painting. She smiles back, all bright-eyed and innocent in a way that reminds him so much of Callum, before focusing her attention back on the painting she’s been working on.

“Yes Daddy?” she asks, swishing her paintbrush around in the cup of water to clean off the old paint. She dries it on the newspaper they’d put down to stop her from making a mess, before dipping it into a different colour. 

“Did something happen at school today?”

May hums in thought for a few seconds and then shrugs her shoulders. “We did our spellings and I got the most right out of anyone in the class!” she beams, sticking her tongue out in concentration as she paints a bright yellow sun in the corner of the paper.

“That’s great, honey!” Ben beams back, glancing down at the floor when he feels a tugging on his leg.

Teddy’s there, and he’s holding his arms out in a way that means he wants to be picked up. So, Ben does. He reaches down and lifts his son so that he can sit him in his lap. 

“Except for me. We got the same,” Teddy says quietly, shifting until he’s comfortable in his dad’s lap. He’s always been curious about the world, so it’s no surprise to any of them when he stares at his sister and watches her paint.

“Miss Marrs says it’s a twin thing but that’s not right. It’s because we’re both really good at spellings!” May insists, giving the sunshine on her painting two eyes and a wide smile.

Teddy nods his agreement and sticks one of his thumbs in his mouth, the other curling tightly around Ben’s arm.

“It’s definitely because you’re both so smart,” Ben says, peppering kisses across Teddy’s cheeks until he giggles around his thumb and swats at his face. “What do you say we pick up your sister this weekend and go for some ice cream?”

“Ben!” Callum hisses, glaring at him. It’s a glare that says she’s supposed to be in trouble and his husband just shrugs back at him. The kids are already beaming at the prospect of both ice cream and seeing Lexi and Callum doesn’t have the heart to tell them no.

“Did anything else happen today? Maybe something that you shouldn’t have done? Something you might have got in trouble for?” he continues, scooting his chair a little closer to his daughter.

She just shakes her head and carries on painting.

“May, sweetheart, can you look at me for a second?” Callum asks, watching as she nods enthusiastically and puts her paintbrush in the cup of water. Once she’s sure it won’t drip on her painting, she scoots around so she’s sitting sideways in the chair and facing him. “We got a phone call from your teacher today, darling. Miss Marrs?”

May scrunches her nose up at the mention of her teacher and folds her arms defiantly across her chest. “I don’t like her.”

Callum makes a mental note to ask her about that later. “She told us that something had happened with you and another boy today. That you did something you shouldn’t have done, but we wanted to talk to you about it first. Do you want to tell us what happened?”

She sighs dramatically and uncrosses her arms, letting them rest on her lap instead. Her bottom lip trembles for a second and Callum’s worried she might start crying but then she’s huffing and saying, “he was being mean!”

“What do you mean, darling?” Ben cuts in, leaning a little closer to the table. “What was he doing to you?”

“Not me,” May says, shaking her head.  

“He was being mean to somebody else?” Callum prompts, and she nods her head. “Do you want to tell us who it was?”

She looks across the table at her brother for a second. He’s still looking at her painting and she reaches up to turn it around so that he can see it. It’s a picture of the two of them and he grins when he recognises himself. She hands him one of the dry paintbrushes and some paint and lets him start adding his own paint to the picture.

“It was Teddy,” she says once she’s sure her brother is at least a little distracted by the painting. “They were being mean to Teddy.”

Ben doesn’t say anything, but he tightens his grip on their son.

“What were they doing?” Callum asks, glancing over to Ben and meeting his eyes.

“They were picking on him! He was reading outside by himself and they went up to him and took his books,” she starts, curling her little hands into fists. “I thought they just wanted to share at first but then they started pushing him.”

Callum reaches down and coaxes her hands out until she’s holding onto him. She takes after Ben when it comes to her temper, they both know that.

“And I told them to stop it and that it wasn’t nice, but they kept doing it and they were making fun of him for sucking his thumb. They called him a baby and he was getting upset.”

She goes quiet, like she’s reluctant to say anymore.

“You can tell us, sweetheart,” Callum says, moving one of his hands to lift her chin up until their eyes meet.

“And I told him to stop being mean to my brother and I pushed him down,” May says quietly. “And he got upset and told Miss Marrs and she said that Teddy had to share his books. She didn’t tell the boy off for being mean or anything!”

Callum nods once and drops a kiss to her forehead before he turns his attention to their son.

“Teddy?” he asks. He doesn’t stop painting, but hums in acknowledgement so Callum knows he’s heard him. “Is it true? What your sister’s saying? Were those boys being mean to you?”

Teddy doesn’t say anything, just nods his head a few times.

Ben’s angry, he can tell. His shoulders are tense and he’s clenching his jaw. Callum can feel it too.

“Am I in trouble, Daddy?” May asks, her voice uncharacteristically soft and timid.

“No, baby, of course not!” Callum insists, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into his lap. She throws her arms around his neck and holds on and Callum already knows he’ll be giving that teacher an earful tomorrow.

“You and Dad always tell us that we have to take care of each other, and I didn’t want anybody to be mean to him!”

“I know, I know,” he whispers, rubbing small circles into her back to try and calm her down. “You’re not in trouble, I promise. You were just trying to protect Teddy. But what do we always say to do if someone’s doing something mean?”

May sniffles a little and pulls back to wipe at her eyes. “Tell an adult. I promise I tried to tell the teacher, but she said they were just playing but they weren’t! He was being mean!”

Callum holds her a little tighter against his chest and lets her cling to him until she calms down.

“You’re not in trouble, baby, I promise, alright?” Callum says, a little of the tension leaving his shoulders when she nods in understanding. He runs his fingers through her hair to soothe her as best as he can. “Me and Dad will talk to your teacher’s tomorrow, alright? We’ll get this all figured out.”

He glances over at his boys; Teddy’s showing Ben his painting and his husband’s eagerly asking questions in return.

“And who’s that?” Ben asks, pointing at one of the figures in the middle of the picture.

“That’s Lexi!” Teddy says eagerly, moving his finger to the other figures as he names them. “And me, and May, and you, and Daddy!”

Callum wonders how he got so lucky.

“Right!” he says, getting to his feet and balancing May on his hip. She giggles in delight and clutches at his neck. “Who’s turn is it to pick the film?”

“Me, me, me!” Teddy beams, scrambling down from Ben’s lap and running over to their ever-growing movie collection.

In his arms, May’s smiling as she watches her brother, and Callum sets her back on the floor so that she can run over and help him. It’ll take them at least ten minutes to decide on a film. Teddy won’t watch anything May doesn’t want to and he’ll end up going through their entire collection asking, “what about this one?” until he gets a nod from her. 

It’ll be Tangled; it’s what they always choose.

“We’ll get the snacks ready!” Callum calls to them and gets two mumbled ‘thanks!’ in response as they walk into the kitchen.

“We’re taking the kids to school together tomorrow. And we’re talking to that teacher,” Callum huffs, pulling a bowl out of one of the cupboards and rooting around until he finds their movie snacks. He tears open a packet of popcorn – toffee, the only flavour that Teddy and May will eat – and pours some into the bowl. “I mean, what kind of teacher says that bullying is just playing?”

“A shit one?” Ben suggests, wrapping his arms around Callum from behind and hooking his chin over his shoulder. “There’s nothing we can do about it right now, and you’re still tense. They’ll pick up on it.”

Callum sighs and leans back into Ben’s arms, his eyes drifting shut. “I know, I do. But the fact that May was the one to get in trouble when she was the only one to stand up for him isn’t fair. I swear, when I get done with that teacher tomorrow.” He draws in a breath when Ben kisses at his neck and lets himself relax into it.

“And that’s exactly what it is-” Ben counters. “A problem for tomorrow.”

“When did you become the reasonable one in this marriage?”

Ben laughs and nips at Callum’s neck in response which has his husband gasping and gripping at the counter. “You know, it’s kind of hot when you’re defending our family,” he teases, sliding his hands up the front of Callum’s shirt to rest on his stomach.

“Easy tiger-” Callum hums, moving his hands from the counter to rest over Ben’s, thumb brushing across the cool metal of his wedding band. “They’re waiting for us.”

Ben doesn’t say anything, just busies himself with kissing across Callum’s neck for a few more seconds until he forces himself to take a step back. “Later?”

“Later,” Callum promises, turning back around and pulling Ben in for a chaste kiss. “Now go and get ready to sing for your audience, Rapunzel.”

“Does that make you my Flynn Rider?” He steps forward until Callum’s back hits the counter and then reaches around him to grab the bowl of popcorn.

“You’ll have to work harder than that to get me to sing for you.”

Ben hums and tosses a piece of popcorn in the air then catches it in his mouth. “Pretty sure I’ll have you singing for me later, Flynn! Grab the drinks, will you?”

Callum rolls his eyes fondly as Ben goes and roots around in the cupboard for what they’ve affectionately dubbed the movie cups. One’s in the shape of a unicorn, a straw where the horn should be, and the other’s a rocket ship with a straw at the top. They won’t spill if the kids knock them over, something that they’d learned the hard way.

“Right, I’ve got the drinks! Who wants the unicorn and who wants the rocket?” he calls out, almost stumbling when Teddy runs into his legs and reaches up for the unicorn cup. He scampers off once he’s got it and drops himself in the corner of the sofa.

“I guess that means you get the rocket, darling,” Callum says, dropping down in the space next to Ben and handing May the cup when she climbs up next to him and deposits herself half in his lap, half on the sofa.

“So, what are we watching?” Ben asks, leaning into his husband when he curls his arms around his shoulders and drops a kiss to the top of his head.

They both know it’s coming even before Teddy holds out the DVD case. It’s Tangled, because of course it is.

“Perfect choice!” Ben practically beams. “Daddy told me in the kitchen he was in the mood for some singing.”

Both the kids beam and throw their hands up as the movie starts – Callum’s never been more grateful than he has in that moment for the movie cups, he doesn’t fancy cleaning apple juice off of the walls all night – and it doesn’t take long until they’re scream-singing along with the lyrics.

“I love you,” Ben whispers towards the end of the movie once the kids have tired themselves out. The popcorn bowl is empty and he’s pretty sure he can hear snoring.

“I love you too,” he whispers back, craning his neck just enough so he can lean in for a chaste kiss. May groans in protest at the movement and Callum smiles against Ben’s lips.

He leans back up and takes his husbands hand instead, thumb fiddling with the ring again and wonders to himself for the second time that day how he’d ever managed to get this lucky.

[stardustedstories]

@kyujosha liked this post for The D.ragon P.rince!

When Callum had heard there was a princess visiting, he had not been able to contain his curiosity. She almost looked like she could be an elf, but she wasn't? Unless she was? He honestly wasn't sure, and the stories he'd heard were confusingly conflicting. How could someone be an elf but also not an elf? Someone had to be wrong.

If there was anything Callum was good at, it was asking questions.

"I was wondering, Princess," the mage began, jumping right in, "Someone said you have magic, but if you're not an elf…, how is that? Did you figure out one of the arcanums, like I did?" Bam. Question about magic and whether or not she's an elf without coming right out and asking.

[allykatsart]

I was tagged by my friend so have this long rant about The Dragon Prince.

#1. Which Primal Source Do you identify most with? Why?

The stars. I find outer space fascinating and calming...also apparently those who relate to the stars often have their heads in the clouds thinking about stuff and since I stay up every night with like 14 stories in my head, that seems to fit.

#2. Elves or Humans?

War and conflict wise: Humans since they were the ones kicked out and most Katolis were just kind of chill about them killing their king and didn’t want to retaliate. They don ‘t want to fight anymore.

Design wise: Elves, I love how different they are from regular humans and all the varieties they come in! They just look so good!

#3. If you had to choose, would you rather free Runaan from the coin or Aaravos from the mirror?

Runaan from the coin. I really like Aaravos but he’s been in there for awhile he can handle a little longer. Also I don’t trust him completely. Freeing Runaan gives more opportunity for story conflicts and character growth while Aavaros is probably gonna be free at some point anyways.

#4. Best animal companion?

I...I can't decide, I love all of them. Zym is great for story purposes (also he’s a dragon), same with Pip, Thunder was epic, Bait need more love, and Phoe Phoe looks so cool!

#5. Best humanoid companion?

Claudia. She’s strong when it comes to magic and would do anything to keep her family close. I can relate to that.

#6. You can revive one character, who is it and why them?

I don’t know. There’s no one in the first two seasons that died that didn’t need to die for the story to work out. I would say Aanaya’s parents but Aanaya needed to be there to make sure Viren didn’t start a war. She wouldn’t be queen if her parents were still there.

#7. Otp?

Harrow x Sarai. They have a good relationship and I loved their chemistry and interactions. Sarai being funny and jovial contrasts well with Harrow’s more serious and deeper moments. At the same time she won’t hesitate to tell her husband when she thinks he’s doing something wrong. They just have a really good relationship and I wish I could see more of it.

#8. Unpopular opinion?

I prefer platonic Rayllum. If romance is gonna be the end game, fine, I’ll tolerate it. I’ve just watched so many Hallmark movies where boy meets girl and they fall in love I get sick of it. It’s mainly a me thing.

#9. Favorite headcanon?

I’d like to think that Claudia and Soren go see their mother every once in awhile. That they might hold a little contempt towards her but they want to try and have a mother. I’d also like to think that their mom also planted a seed of doubt in them about their father, because while Viren is a really complex and morally grey (leaning towards the darker shade of grey) character, I don’t think he realizes it. I think there’s a reason his wife left him that had to do with him not seeing himself as the bad guy, and I kind of hope Claudia and Soren aren’t brainwashed into thinking that their father can do no wrong.

I’d like to headcanon this cause it offers a great naritive appeal in realizing your parents aren’t always good people and that you do NOT have to be like them or make their mistakes. That there are two sides to every story and that people who leave their spouses are not inherently bad or do it for bad reasons.

#10. Best siblings pair?

I know I just talked about them but it’s Soren and Claudia for me. They have One Brain Cell each and most of the time they juggle them for fun. XD

On a more serious note, they remind me of my own relationship with my siblings. My sister is the most important thing to me in my life and we get along well. We also...well, we also live in a split home, just like these two. We’re silly, we make up memes and laugh a lot, we read fanfiction together and draw. We’re really close and help each other with everything. So yeah, how could I not love a sibling pair like Soren and Claudia?

#11. Who’s your Queen?

There’s not many living queens huh? Personally I like Sarai. From what we’ve seen of her, she really cares about life in general.

#12. Lujanne offers you ice cream, how do you respond?

Suspisious…...but I’ll bite (as long as I don’t know it’s grubs XD).

#13. Be honest, do you have the guts to use dark magic?

…...Yes. In all honesty, Claudia’s decision to take that deer’s life to save her brother really struck a nerve in me. If it had been me in her position, my sister paralyzed and I could actually do something about it? I would take that deer’s life in a heartbeat. Dark magic takes a toll on you, I can understand that, but if it takes part of my life to take someone I love? I would do it with no questions asked.

Would I use it constantly? Probably not. I can’t stand being near spiders much less kill them. But I could and would use it if I had to.

#14. Who’s best elf? Why?

Rayla. I love Aaravos but if I’m being objective? He killed people, or helped Viren kill people anyways. Rayla refused to even at her own mission being at stake and has never killed before. 

15. Hot brown morning potion or leaf flavored water?

I don’t know. I don’t particularly like either, I much prefer hot coco.

#16. Best use for magic?

Helping those around you directly or indirectly. Also pranks. Pranks is a good use.

#17. Who wins the best hair award?

Aaravos. Sorry but there’s very little competition there.

#18. Viren; misguided, evil, or actually the good guy?

He knows what he’s doing, but doesn’t think it’s wrong to do so. He does bad things but he feels they are justified. He would take one life he doesn't care about to save a thousand he does know. He’s understandable. He tries to do what he thinks is right.

However he still sends his son to kill two children so he can have the throne. He tells Claudia to disregard her brother in the interest of his own gain. He disregards everyone and everything so that his plans can survive. He hid the dragon egg from Harrow (endangering Ezran) to presumably use against the elves. He wants war no matter the cost. That, no matter the reasoning, is flawed thinking. 

#19. Would you rather fly with Phoe-Phoe, hike with Corvus, sail with Villads, or stay home with Opeli?

I’ve hiked before. I’ve stayed home a lot. I’d prefer flying or sailing, those seem like fun.

#20. Who’s your crush?

Aaravos. I don’t trust him but I’d love to have a conversation with him. His characterization is fascinating and visually he’s very easy on the eyes. I would love to have the opportunity to do what Viren had the chance to do, to talk to him ask questions about him and maybe figure out where he is. I’d also like to learn exactly why he was placed in that mirror….

#21. You’re being chased by a cotton candy hippo; reaction?

RIDE AND EAT IT!

#22. Choose a champion.

Sarai, and if I can’t have her, Zym.

#23. Favorite scene? Why?

Everything in Callum’s mind. I love the funniness of it all, but also the lesson it taught. Just remembering to breathe, to not focus on all those swirling and baffling thoughts that eat you up and to calm down. You don’t need to fix it all, focus on the present and let your brain settle. (Also, it was great to see Callum and his mom.)

#24. Should Soren be a poet?

Yes, well at least at some point. Even if he’s better physically, continuing to be a guard and under his father’s influence might be bad for his mental health. He was just a drone, not really thinking about killing Ezran and Callum, just doing what his father wanted to get approval. Poetry and creative writing is a really good outlet for that.

#25. Soggy Socks. (No more context)

gET OUT!

@theblackdragon-studios I diiiid it

[raayllum]

i don’t believe that anybody, feels the way i do about you now

a/n: this drabble is based entirely on this screencap from 3x04 that shows other tents at the oasis and i can/will cram in blatantly pining callum at any opportunity. parkour.

set after nyx’s “only one blanket” comment!

So she doesn’t like him.

Callum doesn’t know why it feels like such a let down. It makes more sense than the alternative—someone as amazing as Rayla, liking him?—but he’d really started to think, with her choosing to wear his scarf longer than she had to, and having fun with her in the meadows, and she’d caught him staring and blushing and had just smiled, softly, he’d thought that, well, maybe... 

But she’d been nothing but angry if not also embarrassed when Nyx had suggested it, and a blushing panic still threatens to overtake him whenever he remembers it. He’d blabbered like a fool until Rayla had cut him off and she hadn’t returned any of his uneasy smiles, either.

Then again, it’s not like this has been the easiest time for her in any way. He’s been giving her space since the ambler, but he knows she’s still a bit down in the dumps as they set up camp with Nyx. The adoraburrs settle next to Zym and Callum’s bedroll as he unfurls it. He just hopes that Rayla will talk to him eventually before she falls to pieces and not during, like on the ice. It’s hard, to see her in pain. Way harder than her clearly not returning his stupid feelings. He’ll just have to work on burying them.

“I’ll go get the firewood,” Rayla says, straightening and brushing desert dirt off her pants. At least, in spite of Nyx’s comment, things aren’t awkward between them. 

“I can help?” he offers but her fingers skim over her necklace. He tries not to let his heart sink. It’s not a bad thing if she wants more space.

“I’m alright,” she says, pensive for a moment. “And one of us should stay with Zym.” Keep an eye on Nyx too, he knows. Then Rayla flashes him a quick, genuine smile. “But thanks.”

The firewood pile is one of the bigger ‘structures’ of the oasis, near the largest palm tree by the wider rim of the river, close to where most of the tents are pitched. Callum watches absentmindedly as she jogs over and gets into line. Is it really fair that they’re doing all the work while Nyx slacks off? Callum thinks she mentioned something about getting them food and drink for the night, but who knows how true that is.

His attention is drawn back up when a Skywing elf with low blue wings and different garb than Nyx starts chatting to Rayla in line. An elven boy around their age, it looks like. Callum expects her to just brush him off—she’s in a bad mood to begin with and small talk can’t be what’s on her mind right now—but she smiles. He can see the sort of playful teasing light in her eyes that’s usually directed towards him.

A sharp pang pierces his chest. It doesn’t hurt, exactly—Rayla is more than allowed to show interest in anyone she wants—but it does make a pit drop into his stomach. It’s not like Claudia, after years of hoping and the one shining night before it all came crashing down. Not least of all because of the betrayal or because he never had to see Claudia possibly flirt with somebody else.

It’s because she’s Rayla and Callum is pretty sure he loves her, because how could he not, and he knows he’s never felt this way about anybody before. Not even Claudia. And this skywing boy doesn’t know her, doesn’t know the lilt of her voice or what all of her different eyerolls mean or what her favourite berries are. He doesn’t know how her voice can break and her laugh can fill a whole meadow and the concern underlying her snark. 

Callum may not be sure of a lot of things, but he knows at the very least that he loves Rayla well. That whoever is lucky enough to win her heart had better love the way he does, wholly and with all of themselves to put her first. She’s amazing and his best friend and deserves the world.

And so maybe it hurts a little, to watch her possibly flirt with someone else—to see someone else receive the one side of her he never can.

But it’s still okay, because he loves her and he’s her best friend, and that’s more than enough for him. It really, really is.

So Callum pushes himself up and forces a hopefully genuine sounding cheer when she returns with some firewood. “Who’s the skywing elf?”

Rayla blinks, perplexed, before she seems to remember. “Oh.” Then she snorts and sets down the wood. “No, I didn’t ask him anything about sky magic for you.”

“Was he nice?”

“I... suppose so?” Rayla crouches over the fire pit, squinting at him. “Why’re you asking?”

Callum does his best to be casual, leaning back against the log. He gestures towards the palm trees. “You looked like you liked him.” The skywing’s interest in her had certainly looked familiar. Callum’s torn between looking nonchalant and looking at her, and it throws him a bit off balance. His hand slips against the uneven bark and his rear end hits the sand. It doesn’t hurt, but his cheeks flush a bit anyway when Rayla laughs. So much for nonchalant.

“Dummy,” she says, coming over and offering him a hand. He takes it and tries not to nurse his wounded heart instead of his slightly bruised ego (and ass). “I can talk to a boy without being interested in him, y’know,” she almost chides, although she’s smiling too widely for it to work. “I don’t even remember his name.” 

“Oh.” Callum can’t help but brighten. At least, if she’s not interested in him, she’s not interested in anybody else yet either and he can have a bit more time to collect himself. “I knew that,” he says hastily, waiting until she drops his hand first.

She does, even if her fingers might linger. “Mmhm.” She rolls her eyes, still with that sweet amused little smile on her face, like she’s chalked this up to him just being his usual weird self. “Can you light the fire with a fulminus after I set it up?”

He’d do anything if she just asked, he thinks. Callum smiles and lets his elbow brush hers while she assembles the fire. “Of course.” 

Yeah. This will be more than enough.

[theblackdragon-studios]

The Dragon Prince Tag

I wasn’t tagged...but I saw this and I had to fill it out. I am obligated by my own laws about quiz taking to do so. Sorry. (I read from the one I got this from that it was made by @ true-neutral-earth-elf)

Rules: Answer all 25 questions to the best of your ability, then tag 5 other blogs.

#1. Which Primal Source Do you identify most with? Why?

The official quiz said Ocean, and I agree. At least for now.

Moon is a good second guess though.

#2. Elves or Humans?

Dragons. *shot* Uh...I can’t really choose right now. We’ve only seen the human side of the conflict so far. I want to see the elf side of things before I choose a side.

#3. If you had to choose, would you rather free Runaan from the coin or Aaravos from the mirror?

...I know I’m basically an Aarahoe...and it’s very obvious by the era title “Return of Aaravos” he’s going to break free...but I still don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.

But Runaan...I’ll get into my opinion on him later. I’ll just say the one reason I’d have for freeing him right now is because of Rayla. If she asked, I’d try.

#4. Best animal companion?

Oh don’t make me choose! Um, Bait is the obvious choice because he’s got the most personality. Ava’s also a good girl though...and Phoe-Phoe is a beautiful Moon Phoenix! Oh and then there’s the Aarapod/Wormavos...but if I had to choose, I guess Bait.

EDIT: Actually Berto the parrot! Best animal companion! XD

#5. Best humanoid companion?

To have as your own? Also a tough choice...since they’re all good choices. Except Fen. *shot*

#6. You can revive one character, who is it and why them?

That’s also a tough one...Sarai seems like a good choice, based on what we saw of her...but almost every death in this show is for a reason that leads to major story choices. So...probably no one.

#7. Otp?

Please note this is my opinion. Not yours. If you disagree, that’s fine, but none of my choices are meant to be controversial.

Rayllum. I don’t care if they end up canon, not to the extent I’ll meme or throw a fit or something if it does or doesn’t, but they have the best chemistry I’ve seen in a cartoon in a while.

Other pairings I like:

Amaya x Gren-This is very unlikely given the age gap...I know they’re just close friends as we’ve seen, but it seems nice as a background ship to me.

Harrow x Sarai-Do I need to explain?

Harrow x Viren-Again, I know they were just friends but...it’s also a nice thought. What if they were? You know? (Alternatively: Harrow, Sarai, and Viren could be interesting to think about in an AU too)

Viren x Aaravos-Not super into this one...because this is a Toxic relationship with a capital T if you only look at canon footage. But the fandom has made some interesting “What if it was like this” content...and I love both Viren and Aaravos as characters. Just not their dynamic so far.

Aaravos x Reader/Self-Insert/OC-Aaravos x Anyone really, but I love the self-inserts and “x Reader” stories and headcanons. I’m a part of the problem of course...but that’s beside the point.

Viren x Reader/Self-Insert/OC-I see less of him than any of the main cast in this area, for good reason, but what I have seen...I support you and wish there was more out there. He wasn’t always who he is now.

#8. Unpopular opinion?

1.) Ok, probably the most unpopular...I’m not a huge Runaan fan. I don’t dislike him, don’t get me wrong. I’m just kind of indifferent. I like that he’s an uncle figure to Rayla and that’s really sweet...but I’m just not as interested in him or Tinker as what looks to be a lot of the fandom. Again, I don’t dislike them at all, but I don’t have strong feelings yet either. (That is a bit hypocritical since I know just as much, if not less, about Aaravos...but he intrigues me. There are so many mysteries surrounding him and he’s being built up big time...starting with his role as narrator. I’m not seeing that with Runaan. Sorry.)

2.) Viren is my favorite character, hands down. He’s the most interesting and such a refreshing take on an old idea. I don’t love to hate him for this either, like I do a lot of my favorite villains in the media I consume. I genuinely like him as a character, and that adds to my conflict on how to feel about Aaravos...

3.) I really hope Harrow isn’t Pip (the bird.) I think Pip escaped, but it’s not Harrow. It’s just Pip...whom Ezran can still communicate with if they go that route.

I also hope Callum isn’t half-elf. I don’t know if that’s unpopular, but it just feels like an easy way out. The show doesn’t feel like they’d do that when they’re trying to say Dark Magic is an easy way out, a short cut instead of spending years learning runes and the philosophy of the magic you study.

#9. Favorite headcanon?

More of a theory...but the one that Crowmaster is an Earthblood elf in disguise. I really like that.

Also all the Aaravos headcanons. Some are super cute, others are fuel for my angsty, sadistic writer’s heart.

#10. Best siblings pair?

Both the Broyals and the One Brain Cell Siblings. I won’t choose between them, they’re both great.

#11. Who’s your Queen?

...We haven’t seen the Dragon Queen yet...so I won’t say her in case she’s insane from grief or something... Uh...man, I don’t know. I’ll stay undecided for now.

#12. Lujanne offers you ice cream, how do you respond?

Is it Bubblegum flavored?

#13. Be honest, do you have the guts to use dark magic?

The guts? Maybe. The drive? Not really. My only reason to use it would be to test my theory if everyone goes through what Callum did when he used it. That weird dream where he had to choose. But that’s coming from someone that knows the consequences of Dark Magic and all the comparisons being made about it.

It’s like smoking, it’s like cancer, and for me it’s like killing household pests. When I started out, I was very hesitant about how hard to swat when killing flies that got in the house. Now, I use full force from so much time doing so. It got easier and easier and now it’s almost second nature.

That’s how I would describe the use of Dark Magic. Why it’s so easy for Viren to kill with it, why it gets easier for Claudia to as well...just my thoughts.

#14. Who’s best elf? Why?

I’m not sure yet. Rayla’s the only one that hasn’t insulted humanity in some way so far...but because I’m biased and thirsty: Aaravos (XD)

#15. Hot brown morning potion or leaf flavored water?

Hot brown morning potion WITH chocolate mixed in. Otherwise, I’ll take your flavored water.

#16. Best use for magic?

It depends what type. I’ll go with illusions for...personal reasons. Related to a certain starry elf in a mirror...

#17. Who wins the best hair award?

Does Thunder count? I mean look at that beard! *shot* I dunno...I like them all. But Harrow, Viren, and Aaravos (ofc) stand out most when I think about hairstyles.

#18. Viren; misguided, evil, or actually the good guy?

It’s hard to say right now...everyone raises some good points...but it’s too early to say. Is he just power-hungry? Seeking control? Wants to take control of the East side, the magical side of Xadia, for a selfish reason? Or was he being honest when he claimed to love the kingdom? That war is coming and they need to take action?

What we know from the creators is Viren’s main goal or dream is to “get his name in the history books” though I could have worded that wrong. Basically I’ll just say...he’s clearly the villain. Maybe he didn’t start out that way, but by now he’s definitely willing to do whatever it takes to get his way. Is it a good cause? I don’t know yet...but I can’t say he’s a good guy or the Good Guy at this point.

#19. Would you rather fly with Phoe-Phoe, hike with Corvus, sail with Villads, or stay home with Opeli?

I would love to fly, but Villads is just the best...and I like Corvus but I hate hiking...Phoe-Phoe or Villads.

#20. Who’s your crush?

Isn’t it obvious? Viren, of course. *shot* I mean like I said...I like him...but it’s obviously Aaravos.

#21. You’re being chased by a cotton candy hippo; reaction?

Confusion. And I run.

#22. Choose a champion.

I don’t get this one...

#23. Favorite scene? Why?

It’s hard to choose just one... All Viren and Aaravos’ scenes are great...but I’ll go with the scene where Callum is reading King Harrow’s letter. That is my favorite moment.

A more humorous answer: Anything with Villads, but I love his introduction.

#24. Should Soren be a poet?

I mean who am I to judge? I think people that complain about “bad poetry” need to lighten up about it.

#25. Soggy Socks. (No more context)

...I think that’s the metaphor. Villads is the only reason this is ok to me.

Tags: I only have one friend I know in the TDP fandom who won’t mind being tagged...so: @allykatsart and anyone else that wants to fill it out.

[queenjanai]

as always, a big thank you to @generalsamayas​ for tagging me ♥

Rules: Answer all 25 questions to the best of your ability, then tag 5 other blogs.

Which Primal Source Do you identify most with? Why?: i’m constantly torn between the moon and the ocean because i love them both so much, but i’m a pisces and addicted to water so i guess the ocean

Elves or Humans?: elves. i wanna have magical powers

If you had to choose, would you rather free Runaan from the coin or Aaravos from the mirror?: runaan, stanned and loved him first. aaravos is kinda shady anyway

Best animal companion?: omg. i’m afraid of big dogs and ava is a wolf so it’s worst so i guess bait? he’s cute

Best humanoid companion?: oh gosh amaya. i won’t get a single word out, but amaya

You can revive one character, who is it and why them?: SARAI. MY QUEEN. also i want ezran and callum to have at least one parent and for amaya to have her sister back

Otp?: janaya and runaan/tinker

Unpopular opinion?: runaan is better than aaravos lmao

Favorite headcanon?: when they were younger amaya used to ran around sarai all the time. she admired her and took interest in fighting because of her

Best siblings pair?: amaya and sarai, duh

Who’s your Queen?: queen sarai, first of her name, queen of the kingdom of katolis, protector of the realm, mother to callum and ezran-

Lujanne offers you ice cream, how do you respond?: you know what? if it’s my favorite flavor, i’ll take it. ice cream is good even if it’s made of worms

Be honest, do you have the guts to use dark magic?: i wanna say yes to sound cool, but probably not. yeah no, i’m scared. i don’t wanna have black eyes

Who’s best elf? Why?: runaan, my husband

Hot brown morning potion or leaf flavored water?: hot brown morning potion, thank you

Best use for magic?: like, general use. not necessary fun, but an everyday thing. i’d use it every second if i had ocean magic. would use against someone only if it’s for self defense, and because i’d basically be waterbending

Who wins the best hair award?: it’s a close contest between runaan and amaya, but runaan

Viren; misguided, evil, or actually the good guy?: i don’t think he’s either of these things, especially not misguided. he knows what he’s doing, he knows it’s wrong or frowned upon, but i think his cause (wanting to save harrow, wanting to save the humans from the elves even tho there were not attacks since the moonshadow crew) is somewhat understandable. he just believes in one way, his way

Would you rather fly with Phoe-Phoe, hike with Corvus, sail with Villads, or stay home with Opeli?: SAIL WITH VILLADS. as i said, i love water, and to be honest my cloest friend laughed like crazy when villads showed up, so i’d wanna make him happy

Who’s your crush?: my god, amaya. yep i’m pan and i have a raging crush on amaya. reminds me of another short haired warrior woman i’m totally in love with 

You’re being chased by a cotton candy hippo; reaction?: if it’s made of pink cotton candy, it’s probably not dangerous. i’d stop and see what the hippo wants

Choose a champion: amaya (blushed)

Favorite scene? Why?: i always blackout when i get asked these kind of things. i really love the episodes with sarai... but i don’t know. maybe after i rewatch i’ll have an answer. wait i think the blacony scene with runaan right before he’s captured. he looks really hot in that one

Should Soren be a poet?: yes, write even if it’s bad. even if it’s nonsense. even if he’s using his last brain cell during the process

Soggy Socks. (No more context): i think i’ll pass

i’m tagging: @elarions,@wishingformemoria, @runaanisbae, @soft-tinker

[beautifulterriblequeen]

Tagged

I was tagged by the lovely @moonshadow-memes! (tyvm!!!) 

Rules: Answer all 25 questions to the best of your ability, then tag 5 other blogs.

#1. Which Primal Source Do you identify most with? Why?

You know the meme about how you’re Slytherin if you hack Pottermore to make it say you’re not Slytherin? I took the TDP primal source quiz until I figured out all six of the primal answers. But somehow, I kept getting Stars in between them. My True Neutral side is showing!

#2. Elves or Humans?

Yes. And dragons. *is inclusive like that*

#3. If you had to choose, would you rather free Runaan from the coin or Aaravos from the mirror?

That’s not a choice for me. Runaan was forced into the coin, whereas I’m pretty convinced that Aaravos sauntered into the mirror on his own. You can’t free someone from a place they’re choosing to be. Set Runaan free, 100%.

#4. Best animal companion?

Oh geez. Uhhhhhh honestly, Bait. He seems to be the smartest. He’s a light source. He’s got offensive capabilities. Despite his tubby lump o’ grump shape, he can run as fast as the kids can. He doesn’t make annoying high-pitched noises. And he’s pillow shaped, and possibly very warm and squishy.

#5. Best humanoid companion?

Rayla! She’s fully grown (probably), and she’s super strong and flexible, and she’s trained enough that I’d feel really safe if she were the only person guarding me. She gets the importance of making hard calls because of her Moonshadow training, but she’s still got that soft heart that lets her smile and laugh. 10/10, best companion.

#6. You can revive one character, who is it and why them?

You know what? Thunder. Harrow and Pip, and Runaan’s other assassins, would all still be alive and in their bodies, and Runaan wouldn’t be trapped in a coin, if someone hadn’t killed Thunder. No one could have stolen Zym’s egg if Thunder were still alive, either. Suck it, Aaravos, find some other way to fulfill all your divinations.

#7. Otp?

Tinkaan! Dark stabby boy needs a light in his life. #8. Unpopular opinion?

Elarion isn’t a city, a human child, or a human woman. It’s Aaravos’s polar opposite, a vast powerful force that devours magic. A black hole to Aaravos’s blazing star. Aaravos could neither save it nor kill it because it’s as powerful as he is.

#9. Favorite headcanon?

Aaravos sassed his starry ass into the realm beyond life and death on purpose, and he’ll come out when he’s good and ready. He knows what he’s waiting for, and until then, he’ll be supremely patient.

#10. Best siblings pair?

Callum and Ezran AND Amaya and Sarai

#11. Who’s your Queen?

Sarai! Great mom, great wife, great sister, great queen, great warrior, great woman.

#12. Lujanne offers you ice cream, how do you respond?

Oh, I’mma eat that up, yeah. I’m good with it.

#13. Be honest, do you have the guts to use dark magic?

It’s not a matter of guts so much as brains. I can absolutely logic my way into using dark magic under the right wrong circumstances. I mean, I’ll feel terrible. But I’ll still do it.

#14. Who’s best elf? Why?

Runaan is best elf. He’s such a delight to dive into. So. Many. Layers.

#15. Hot brown morning potion or leaf flavored water?

Leaf flavored water.

#16. Best use for magic?

Healing sounds pretty good to me.

#17. Who wins the best hair award?

Runaan. So much long white elf hair. It’s longer than Aaravos’s hair, and it’s more kempt. Yeah, I said kempt.

#18. Viren; misguided, evil, or actually the good guy?

Misguided. He thinks he’s doing good things, based on his own childhood feelings of inadequacy. But he pushes too hard. Manipulates his kids with love and promises into taking on horrible quests, thinks he’s being considerate by offering Runaan food but still keeping him kneeling, injured, and chained to the wall in a cold cell, and probably stuck his best friend’s soul into his pet bird’s body “for his own good.” So close, Viren, yet so far.

#19. Would you rather fly with Phoe-Phoe, hike with Corvus, sail with Villads, or stay home with Opeli?

Everything but sail. I get seasick. If I had to pick just one... fly. I like the big picture.

#20. Who’s your crush?

The great stupid Blueberry, same as everyone else. But I’m here for his vast mind, because brainy is the new sexy. (It’s also the old sexy.)

#21. You’re being chased by a cotton candy hippo; reaction?

Throw a bucket of water on it. Not very dramatic, I know. But I can’t sprint worth beans.

#22. Choose a champion.

Runaan. I feel like he wouldn’t take up a cause unless it was just. Or at least justifiable. Plus, I could watch him fight all day long. Stalk, stalk, slashin’ baby!

#23. Favorite scene? Why?

UGH. SO MANY. The parallels between Harrow, Callum, and Ezran telling someone about what it means to grow up. How Viren uses the images of the Moonshadow assassins he cremated to scare the Pentarchy (because foreshadowing). When the Moon Druids Lujanne summons have three illusions identical to three of Runaan’s assassins. How Runaan lets Rayla hit him when they’re fighting, but he won’t hit her back, and he’s the one who breaks off the attack when he sees she’s getting winded. How we get a glorious glimpse of Aaravos’s power and speed (and pretty pretty magic!) as he and Viren fight off the guards. 

Superbestfavorite though? Aaravos reaching toward the fire in his hearth without looking, summoning it into his hand, and quenching it in his fist. hngh

#24. Should Soren be a poet?

If he really wants to be, then yes. Let there be a warrior poet, and let him be Soren.

#25. Soggy Socks. (No more context)

I think it’s some kind of metaphor for the show. Not sure if it’s just a reference to disaster, like Callum says, or if it’s more of a rite of passage, literally “getting your feet wet,” that everyone has to go through if they want to, uhh, level up. But Villads got himself waterproof socks to prevent it, and Callum literally had a mental disaster involving drowning. So it kinda seems like a bad thing. I’m still not sure why Soren and Claudia let Runaan keep his boots on in the dungeon, but I’m actually kinda comforted because that means Runaan can’t get wet socks and should hopefully turn out okay somehow. *crosses my fingers*

I tag: @tdp-sun-dragon, @skyfireflight, @seabloods, @kuno-chan, @kingbrickisinariver