#ft. caitriona fraser dunbroch

[calofdunbroch]

Merry Christmas Darling

I've just one wish on this Christmas eve I wish I were with you

Tiana’s was hardly ever empty. One of the most popular dining spots in all of Auradon City, there was almost always a wait. But today was different. The restaurant had been virtually empty, with just a few stragglers and lonely diners floating in and out. Currently the number of patrons could be counted on both hands. Two old men sat across from each other, laughing over a tall plate of beignets and reminiscing of holidays come and gone. A family of four were snuggled into a tiny booth; the two children’s eyes widening as the lone waitress dropped their cups of hot cocoa before them, a mountain of whipped cream adorned with green and red sprinkles slowly melting into the warm beverage. At the other side of the bar sat a man with his scarf wrapped up to his ears, quietly humming along as Karen Carpenter crooned a sad, slow holiday jingle from the radio, pausing only to enjoy a spoonful of gumbo every few seconds. 

Callum sat alone, watching the other patrons with a quiet reverence. His gaze followed them curiously, dropping down to then allow his hands to replicate the scene on a page in his sketchbook. Despite the invitation, he had opted to decline Beatrice and Fairy Godmother’s request to host him for the winter. As much as he would have loved to have been there, spending time with the horses and other creatures on their quaint farm, Callum felt uncomfortable with the idea of invading on the holidays. It felt like too intimate a time to be in another person’s home. But most of all... He hated the idea of anyone being audience to his homesickness and melancholy. This time of year brought that sadness that lurked within the deepest reaches of the boy directly to the surface, bubbling and desperate to break free. His stoic nature and powerful reserve were no match for the warm tears that seemed to lull him to sleep almost daily. He missed home, more than he’d like to admit. It had already been over a year since he left Scotland, and would be even longer before he could rightfully return. Time was weighing heavily on him, and the last thing he wanted was to appear vulnerable in front of anyone else. So he did his best to lock up the feelings, straying out into the cold only to be at this empty diner where the other patrons were too occupied in their own little worlds to pay him any attention. 

“That’s really good. I’m impressed... Really. Are you studying illustration?” 

The worlds pulled him from his thoughts, his hand pausing mid pen stroke as he looked up in time to meet the warm, chestnut colored eyes of the waitress. She’d been making frequent rounds to check in on her customers, perhaps the only people she had been able to interact with most of the day. It was Christmas Eve after all, very few places were open and even fewer people were going out. 

Cal followed the trail of her gaze to his sketchbook where he had been doing his best to replicate the wide smile the little girl across the way made when she first got her hot cocoa. Subconsciously he glanced towards the child. The whipped cream was long gone, remnants of sprinkles now peppering her chin as she giggled along to something her father said. “Uh... Aye, yes,” he finally blurted out. “I study art over at AU. It... Kinda keeps me calm.” A grateful - albeit rather small - grin graced his lips momentarily as he moved his pen away from the book. “Thank ye, for the compliment.” 

The waitress shrugged, “I’m just giving credit where it’s due, kid. You’ve certainly got a gift there.” She flashed him a warm grin, which Callum hadn’t noticed he reciprocated, before nodding at his empty mug. “Would you like some more coffee?” 

Blinking, Callum spared a glance at his cup. He had almost wanted to say yes, until he’d noticed the time. Quarter after five. He needed to go. Shaking his head, he closed his sketchbook and began gathering his things. The waitress laid his check down on the counter but Cal barely registered it before fishing out all the cash in his wallet and dropping in onto the counter. The waitress gathered the bills, her eyes widening at the amount he’d laid down. “Um, sir,” she began to protest but her words were drowned out by Callum’s exclamation of, “Happy Holidays, ma’am, have a great rest of yer Christmas Eve, aye?” 

And before more could be said, the young man got up and walked out of the diner, ducking his head as the icy winter air kissed his the exposed skin of his face. Callum readjusted his scarf to cover his vulnerable ears as he began the walk back towards campus. He couldn’t be even a second late. It was rare that he got opportunities to talk to his mothers, and given how desperately he missed them... He didn’t want to chance missing any second. Listening to the rhythmic crunch of the snow beneath his shoes, Callum practically ran back to the dorms. His roommate wasn’t in. Thankfully. Callum was gifted with an empty dorm throughout most of the holiday break. He had no idea where the Hart kid had run off to, and honestly he didn’t care. He wanted privacy for what he’d been anticipating all month long. Within the warmth and seclusion of his dorm, the young man tossed aside his heavy winter coat and tartan scarf, shaking out his wet hair to wipe out the snow flakes that gathered upon his head on the walk, and settled down onto his desk. 

His hands smoothed over the cool lid of his laptop, closed and waiting to be used. As his fingers began to push the monitor up, he paused and looked at the alarm clock he’d had by his bed. Just five minutes until six. Showtime. With a deep breath, Cal pushed the monitor open and quickly typed in his password, waiting impatiently as the computer came to life. Skype instantly popped up, already prepared for the call, and Callum sat straighter in his seat as he waited for the chime. The second he heard it, he’d wasted no time in answering, and his eyes widened as the screen came alight. At first the image was pixelated, but it wasn’t too long until the lag cut off and everything came into focus. The first thing he saw were bright cerulean eyes, equal in shade and shape as his, framed by thick dark hair and followed by a smile that made his heart both soar and ache. 

“Cally,” The nickname came out in a breathless whisper that the microphone had barely picked up, and yet Callum heard it loud and plain. A smile larger than any smile he’d managed in the past year spread over his face, dimpled and full of the kind of happiness only two people could bring out of him. Before he could speak, Caitriona was turning away from the screen to call out to another. “Mer! Mer, come quick, He’s on! Come over ‘ere, a leannan.” 

“Alright, alright! I’m comin’,” Cal could hear coming from the background. It was not long before a flash of red appeared on the computer screen, a petite redheaded women coming into focus, as Merida joined Cait before the monitor. The second she sat and came into focus... Callum thought he was going to lose it. “Oh, my boy,” Merida practically melted, her gaze, full of love and joy, clearly fixated on the monitor. “Oh my sweet, sweet boy!” 

“Ack, dinnae tell me yer already crying,” Cal chuckled, hiding his face as if he were embarrassed. In truth, he was checking to be sure his eyes hadn’t betrayed him just yet. There was a slight quiver to his voice as he spoke which he hoped his mothers hadn’t picked up on just yet. 

“Shut yer mouth, I’m nae crying,” Merida responded, Cait laughing softly along in the background. She shook her head but her grin had not faltered one bit. “I’m just so glad to see ye - it’s been a wee bit.” Both of their eyes were scanning the screen and Callum suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable under their scruitenizing gazes. Video call or not, they knew him better than anyone and could read every subtle twitch in his expression. He held his smile, though, a grin which for once reached his eyes and conveyed his happiness at just hearing their voices. Merida’s brows furrowed in response, which had him momentarily worried until she said, “'S it just me or does he look wee skinnier than he did last time we skyped?” 

Cait lightly smacked her wife’s arm in response, shaking her head at her, and turned her attention back to the screen. “He looks fine - You look fine. How are ye doin’, Callum? How have yer classes been? Tell us everythin’! We want ta ken all about it.”

“How’s archery been goin’? Ye been practicing, right?” Merida added with a bit of a stern voice which contradicted the beaming grin on her face. 

Callum resisted the urge to roll his eyes, instead chuckling under his breath and shaking his head lightly. “Yes, mum, I’ve been keeping up with archery. Two hundred and fifty shots a day, six days a week... Just like ye taught me.” 

Merida nodded curtly, about to respond when Cait interrupted her. “Oh never mind that! The two of ye can talk about archery another time - I want to hear about everything else. Tell me about school - How have ye been doing? Have ye been making friends?” 

Before Cal could respond, Merida added, “Wooing any young ladies?” The young man groaned in response, burying his face in his hands. He could hear Cait hissing something at Merida, likely chastising her for the outburst. Merida responded with a louder, “What? He’s a grown man now. And I would like some grandchildren before I’m old and gray like mammy is. Ye hear that? I want grand babies, Callum, that’s my Christmas wish this year.” 

Callum’s head rose from the comfort of his hands. “Ah, yes, speaking of which - Happy Christmas. If I’m nae mistaken, it’s after midnight over there... How in the bloody hell are ye two hags up this late?” He spoke affectionately despite the insulting words. Both of the women erupted into laughter on the other end, speaking over each other. He caught some of the gaelic words being flung at him, but just smiled in response. “To answer yer many questions - I’m doing alright, mammy. Classes have been good, I’ve gotten a few clients over the past few weeks which has meant extra cash in my pocket. Ye know... Aside form the money the two o’ ye sneak into my bank account. Aye, I ken what yer up to.” He chuckled, not about to pick a fight with them about it but appreciative nonetheless. Obviously Merida and Cait weren’t fans of their only child living the “starving artist” lifestyle, he couldn’t blame them for worrying. “I even gave a piece to the King of Auradon, odd as that sounds. Still not really sure how that one happened, but it did. I’m making friends, yes, though nae always willingly. And... No. There are no ‘young ladies’ in my life for ‘wooing’. Sorry, yer gonna have to keep that Christmas wish for another year, mum.” 

Merida let out a sigh and turned to Cait, her voice low but not low enough for the mic to not pick up. “He’s still stuck up on that Charming girl.” 

“Wha - I... I’m nae stuck up on anyone!” His cheeks burned as he protested, though the women were not listening.

“Aye, well, she is a pretty little thing last I remember,” Cait conceded. 

“And charming, probably,” Merida snorted. “Oi - why can ye nae date that Anderson girl? She’s cute. And she talks to ye, right? Probably the only girl that does.. He’s so hopeless at socializing. Honestly where did we go wrong?” 

“I’m just fine at socializing, thank ye very much. I have some friends,” Cal tried to interject, but the women were quickly speaking animatedly over him. 

“Ooo, Elsa’s girl! We do like Queen Elsa,” Cait responded to Merida instead. 

Merida snickered. “Well you most certainly like Elsa. More like fancy her, ye do.” 

“I do nae. Stop that.” 

“I’ve seen the way that ye look at her. I understand, she’s a bonny lass. Nae as pretty as ye mo nighean donn, but.. Well that is a sandwich I wouldnae mind being caught in...” 

“Can we please stop talking about my friend’s mum like this?” Cal groaned, hiding his face in his hands again. He was beginning to remember the one downside to family skype calls.

Cait narrowed her eyes at Merida before turning back to her son. “Anyway. I’m glad to hear yer doing well, Cally. Ye ken... We worry about ye often.” There was a sudden shift in the tone and Callum became aware of that lump that was sitting in his throat. He felt a new warmth in his face, followed by that sweeping melancholy that settled in whenever he thought too much about home and how much he missed it. How much he missed them. His eyes burned. 

“Aye, I ken,” he said hoarsely. 

She continued, “It hurts that we have to communicate like this... That ye cannae just come home and be here with us to celebrate the holidays. They’re just nae the same without ye. Everyone - absolutely everyone - misses ye terribly son. There’s a gaping hole here and we just... Nothing can fill that. We miss ye so much.” Cait’s voice broke and she turned away to subtly dab at her eyes. Callum didn’t see this though. His eyes had dropped to his hands which sat folded in his lap. He could see his gaze growing hazy but bit back on his tongue hard and willed the tears to stay inside. 

“Things could be different, ye ken.” It was Merida who spoke now. “If ye just... Came back, and faced the lairds’ sons... Then things could be different, Callum. Ye could come home, whenever ye wanted to. Ye could be here with us.” 

He blinked, jaw tightening to the point where he thought his teeth might shatter from the pressure. He could hear Cait whispering a warning to Merida, but he didn’t pay it much attention. Looking away, his gaze landed on the tartan scarf he’d been wearing earlier. DunBroch Tartan. The Tartan of the Royal Family. He felt another emotion rising up in him, the embers of his anger smoldering in the pit of his stomach. He felt sick.  

“All ye have ta do is -”

“I ken what I have ta do,” he barked back, annoyance coating his words. He closed his eyes momentarily, willing his fury to calm down. It had grown quiet and Callum sat still for a while, attempting to get his breaths to even out. 

“Ye dinnae have to do anything,” Cait finally said in a stern voice. He glanced up to see that his mothers were staring at one another, a silent battle brewing between them. They quickly dropped it and both looked back at him. “Dinnae worry about it. We are working on that. Every day we all work tirelessly to stop this conflict with the lairds. Yer mum and I, yer gran, even yer uncles have started joining the conversations... We’re certain we can pacify them and get them to back off from the call for a Highland Games. And once that is settled then ye will come back, Callum. Ye’ll come home and we will all be waiting here with open arms, ready to welcome our prince home.”

“Because that is what ye are... Yer the prince of DunBroch,” Merida added firmly. 

Callum looked away again, just letting the words hang there. Prince of DunBroch. That’s what they were fighting over ‘tirelessly’. A title - his supposed birth right. Yet Callum felt far from it. He didn’t feel like a prince. He barely felt like a member of the clan most days. Still, he bit back the feelings threatening to spill over and just nodded and smiled half-heartedly at them. “Aye,” he breathed. Blinking, he hadn’t realized how misty eyed he’d gotten, his gaze shifting to the clock. How had they only been talking for half an hour? He sniffled and smiled again at them. This time his smile had not reached his eyes, which remained stormy and distant. “It’s getting a wee bit late over there... Ye must be tired. Perhaps I should let ye go.” 

Both women appeared crestfallen, and Merida opened her mouth to protest. But there was a look of understanding on Cait’s face. She knew him better than most - after all, he was her son by blood. Her smile was small and warm, but there was a sadness teetering on the edge of her expression. “It has been a long day... The family of course sends their love, Cally. Gran Elinor, yer uncles... The dogs even.” All three let out breathless chuckles. Callum wanted to ask where they were, but the last time he had skyped and the dogs were in the room they went wild at the sound of his voice. It was better this way. More quiet. More intimate. 

“We love ye, Cal. And we will see ye soon... Sadly nae in time for Hogmanay but, hey - maybe ye could try introducing it to those Auradonians. Make some actual friends that way, aye?” Merida spoke in a teasing tone, trying to lighten up the atmosphere of the call, and Cal couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him, as well as the eye roll.  

“Who’s hosting Hogmanay anyway this year?” The women looked at each other before responding in unison, and in a monotonous tone, with, “The Dingwalls.” The boy grimaced and shook his head at them. “Aye, well... Hopefully it’ll be a good time.” 

“I’ll be very drunk, so I’m sure it will,” Merida laughed, and Cait shot her a look that seemed to contest her plans. They fell into another silence then, though this was more comfortable than the last. Callum swallowed against the hollowness in his throat, sniffling as he fought, and failed, to conceal some of those hot tears which wanted to fall. “Soon, M’annsachd,” Merida added. “We will be together soon.” 

As he swiped at his cheek, the only thing he could think to say in response was, “I love ye both. Happy Christmas.” His jaw clenched and his gaze dropped from the screen, unwilling to let them see the pain in his eyes. He didn’t want the call to go this way - he didn’t want it to end on such a sour note. What was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he just maintain his composure and have a good talk? He didn’t even get to find out what was going on at home - how the family and the staff was. He felt even more distant from them and his homeland than he’d ever felt before and it was all his own fault.  

“We love ye too. Happy Christmas, Cally,” Cait spoke up for both her and Merida. They fell once again into a silence, which hung in the air a moment longer. Callum sucked in a breath, ready to look up and see them one more time. But before he could, he heard the chime signaling the end of the call. When he looked up, the screen was blank, and the warmth that had entered into the dormitory, and seeped into his bones, all but vanished in a matter of seconds. He felt cold; cold and hollow. Broken. He just sat there, staring at the screen for a few minutes longer until finally he snapped the monitor shut. Gathering his things, he slumped onto his bed, curling into a ball facing the wall. 

After a few moments alone, engulfed in the silence, Callum moved to turn on the radio which sat on his desk, the speakers coming alive with the tunes from the local radio station. He paused as he found himself listening to that same Carpenters’ song which played back at Tiana’s when he’d been dining there earlier. Laying on his back, he closed his eyes and listened to the words, feeling his bruised and broken heart cracking more and more with each lyric, as warm tears welled and slid down the curve of his cheeks. 

I wish you Merry Christmas Happy New Year too I've just one wish on this Christmas eve I wish I were with you I wish I were with you

[calofdunbroch]

👀 + do you have a favorite mom?

“I dinnae think that’s a fair question. I love my mums equally. Obviously. But, as it naturally is with all parents, I do have a different relationship with the each of them. Lady Cait, that’s my mammy, she’s the one I turn to for comfort. She’s my rock and when I’m feelin’ broken or torn down she’s the only one I wanta turn to. She was the nurturer and the one who kissed my wounds and cuts whenever I fell. I would say that our bond is a bit more of a ‘classic mother-son’ bond. And of course it’s a wee bit different between us - she’s the one who birthed me and we share a genetic make up. But beyond that, I think a lot of my qualities come from her. I’m quiet like her, softer even.. Though I hate admitting that. She taught me how to paint and draw, it’s her that I inherited my shyness from. With ma Merida… That’s a very different dynamic. It’s nae much of a secret that we dinnae always see eye to eye, but I think she’s arguably my best friend. She’s the one who taught me to shoot a bow, she’s the one who introduced me to the glen and the beauty of the Highlands, gifted me with a sense of adventure. She’s taught me to be strong, to be chivalrous and above all she has taught me bravery and courage. I dinnae think there’s a single soul in all of Auradon, Scotland or the rest of the world that can stand as a testament of those qualities the way Merida of DunBroch does. I can be a bit bullheaded, which is something I learnt from her, but she also taught me that family is also the most important thing ye can have. Everything I am is the influence of them, I am equal parts Caitriona Fraser’s son as I am Merida DunBroch’s. So do I have a favorite mum? No. I cannae pick one over the other. They each take up one equal half of my heart and soul, frankly.”