#All I want is for you to level up Callum I promise you're on your way you just need assistance

[welivefast-dieyoung]

I'm saying this in the most loving way possibly. I need Callum and Josh O'Connor, to sit in a room, and have a conversation. About clothes. Quickly.

EDIT: This has been in the drafts since the 9TH. Now Callum is at the Loewe show?!! MY MIND.

[a-very-sparkly-nerd]

it's so quiet in the world tonight

The fic by @chocolatecake47 and I is finally up!! Go check it out- it was such a privilege to be able to work with her; she has so many great ideas and is so sweet! 10000/10!!!

Childhood memories tended to be fogged over and full of inaccuracies. Missing bits and pieces and distortion.

And for the most part, it stayed true for Callum. But he remembered the day his baby brother was born clearer than the bathroom mirror.

He remembered his mother still panting as she asked, voice hoarse, “Do you want to see him?”

Callum nodded eagerly, his heart beating just a little faster in his chest when his mom moved the bundle over so he could see his face. 

He was so tiny. Callum always knew babies would be small, but he wasn’t expecting him to be this little, like he was glass that could so easily break between his fingers. 

He said this out loud. They both laughed softly. 

“Here, sit,” Sarai encouraged, patting the bedside next to her. “You want to hold him?”

Callum looked to Harrow, who smiled and nodded him on. Chewing his lip nervously, he let her pass the little swaddle into his arms, his lap, so light and warm and funny-smelling.

His mother’s cheeks were flushed, his stepfather's eyes were bright, and both of them wore beaming smiles. Callum was equal parts nervous and excited, hands shaking with uncertainty. He hadn't even known how to hold the itty-bitty thing, because watching his mother rock him to sleep and holding his baby brother's fragile life in his arms were two entirely different things.

He quietly studied him, taking in this new face. His little nose, his tiny lips, the bushel of hair, memorizing all his features in that swift way Callum’s brain always did. He was cute. Cuter than any baby Callum had ever seen. 

But the detail he remembers the clearest is when he opened his eyes.

The brightest and clearest shade of blue Callum had ever seen stared back at him, straight into his heart, washing away scars on his soul- guilt from taking too many jelly tarts at dinner or breaking a toy. In this infant's eyes, he could do no wrong. 

That's when something erupted in Callum’s chest. His breath hitched and two tears ran down his face and fell on the blanket.

This perfect little thing was his. His baby brother. 

Sarai leaned to meet him at eye-level, brushing invisible dirt and lingering shame off his shoulders and ruffling his hair. She gave the baby her smile, Callum realized with a sniffle as she guided one of his hands to rest over the baby’s heart. “He’s your baby brother. You’re going to take care of him, right? Protect him and teach him about the world, and love him?”

Callum nodded fiercely. “Yes. I promise. I promise I promise I promise!”

Sarai chuckled and held him and the newest addition to their family close, Harrow looking on, and Callum was finally able to differentiate this awkward man as a king from a father, because how could he ever be both ? That had been the first day the wall between them began to crack and crumble.

“I know. I know. You're going to be an incredible big brother, Callum. I just know it.”

He stayed like that for a few more minutes, his brother in his arms and him in his mother's and his mother in Harrow's, like one of those nesting dolls Callum had never quite understood the appeal of. Tears dried on his face as they stood, just observing.

It was like a wave of peace and protectiveness and protection in turn washed over him- them, their family, this tiny thing they'd all give their lives for linking them all together.

This was love. This was what he'd fight for.

Read more on AO3!

[saturniias]

My promise to you

We doin some late night writing, as of now the time I opened tumblr to write this, it is 1 am. Wanted something to write and spent like, 20 minutes staring at prompts until I figured out what I wanted to write LMAO.

Callum lightly brushed his hand against the feathers below him, their softness enticing him to pet them more. His body was bunched up, legs intertwined with those of the larger man next to him.

The Huanglong family was once again staying at the castle, the prince's looked for any excuse they could to bring their families together so they could spend time with one another. Callum was grateful that the next big event called for a few kingdoms to visit and stay in their castle, as it allowed Alois the perfect opportunity to sneak by.

Alois had once again used their neighboring balconies to sneak into Callum's room, unable to resist the call of their nightly cuddles. He was partially sat up in Callum's bed, if it weren't for the soft bedding below him he was sure his slouched position would be killing his back. Callum had his head rested on the side of his chest, one arm pressed to his own body and the other wrapped around Alois' waist.

Alois had one hand draped lazily over the arm around his waist, while his other hand was gently playing with the smaller elf's hair. Alois didn't know what he did to it, but his hair was unreasonably soft. The more he massaged the mess of auburn hair, the more Callum nuzzled into his side.

Alois craned his neck down to give his lover a soft kiss on the forehead. "You're adorable when I play with your hair" He hummed.

His playful words were met with an embarrassed whine, followed by Callum's head being pressed further into his chest as if to hide. Alois chuckled to himself.

"Aww, your ears are all red again" Alois brought his hand to touch the tip of one of Callum's ears. "Will you look at me my love?"

Callum slowly brought up his head, his face was flushed the same as his ears. His eyes to the side, resisting the urge to cover his face with his hands. Alois' hands gently held either side of Callum's face, pointing it towards himself.

"Your freckles are so much clearer when you blush" Alois' expression was soft as he smiled.

Callum's hands traveled up to hold onto the arms that lead to his face, he blushed harder as he nuzzled into one of the hands that held him. Successfully only hiding half of his very flushed face.

Alois' hands traveled downwards, resting on the other's lower back. He gently pulled up, moving Callum's position so he was more at level with his own head. He turned himself onto his side so they faced one another. Alois only stared into his lover's eyes for a moment before he couldn't resist the urge to kiss him anymore.

He closed the gap between them, using one of his arms to pull Callum's waist towards his. His other hand moved back up to his hair, his fingers intertwining with the strands just beneath the horns. He felt as Callum melted into the kiss, and the movement of his arms wrapping around his neck. When they pulled away, Alois rested their foreheads together leaving just a few centimeters between their lips.

".....Alois?" Callum's quiet but sweet voice spoke up for the first time in the last 20 minutes they had been together.

"Yes my love?" "What are we going to do....I mean, we can't just keep finding excuses to be together. Eventually someone is going to catch on and...and.." Callum couldn't bring the next sentence out of his mouth, his voice was starting to crack as he resisted the urge to cry.

"Oh love" Alois brought his hands up to once again hold Callum's face. "Don't worry. We'll figure it out."

Callum was silent for a few moments, eyes squeezed shut still attempting to fight back his tears. "...I don't want to lose you"

"And you won't. I promise I'll be there with you, all the way up to the very end" Alois leaned in for another kiss, relieved when he felt Callum relax in his arms.

Alois then remembered the presence of what he had brought with him tonight.

He pulled away from the kiss, catching his breath while he gently sat them both up. Reaching into his pocket, he faced Callum and held his left hand in his own.

"Callum Courtenay, I know this isn't the most proper way I could be doing this, and hell, this is even a bit of a strange place to do this. But you are the only one on my mind, you've got a string attached to my heart and I could never resist it's pull."

Alois pulled his other hand from his pocket, revealing a set of simple matching golden rings.

"I wanted to give you a promise of my love, my promise to you to always be your side. We may not know what we're going to do about our families, but whatever we decide we have each other. Nothing they say can sway me. I want to marry you, I want to spend everyday waking up next to you, I want to be able to see your adorable face every single morning, evening and night. I want you to be mine"

Before Alois could finish his speech, Callum already had tears running down his face. Words could never describe how much he loved this man, he couldn't bring words to form. He simply vigorously nodded, throwing himself into Alois' arms.

"You're my everything starlight" Alois whispered as he held Callum tightly.

Alois slowly pulled away from the embrace, he once again took hold of Callum's hand. He held up one of the golden bands, this one had a small engraving of a diamond shaped star on the outside. He slid it onto his finger, and for a moment he swore he saw something else red tied to it. He handed his lover the other ring, another golden band that had a different engraving of fire on it. Callum took it into his hand, inspecting for a quick moment before sliding it onto Alois' finger.

Callum had a wide smile on his face as he messily tried to wipe away his still falling tears, laughing lightly to himself. "I never imagined I'd be proposed to in my own room, but it's you so you get a pass"

"Well I'll just have to make it up to you by throwing the grandest wedding any kingdom has seen" Now that they were sitting up in the bed, kneeling in front of one another, Alois' wings were free to wrap themselves around Callum. At the same time, he wrapped his arms around his lower back once again and pulled him against his chest. He paused centimeters from Callum's face, earning a pout from the elf. Frustrated, and in Alois' eyes adorably, he put his hands behind Alois' head and pulled them into a kiss. Alois chuckled into the other's lips, pulling him even closer than he already had.

Alois used his superior weight and strength to fall backwards and flop both of them onto the bed, with Callum on top of him. The sudden action getting a surprised yelp from him.

Alois hummed in amusement. "I love you so much starlight"

"I love you too"

Callum no longer cared about sending his now fiancé back to his room before morning came, eventually dozing off in his arms. Alois held his sleeping lover in his arms, never wanting to let go of him again. He closed his eyes, now knowing when he woke up he'll get his wish to see his love when he wakes up granted.