𝙎𝙀𝙉𝙀𝘾𝘼 | 𝙍𝘼𝙔𝙇𝘼 𝙓 𝘾𝘼𝙇𝙇𝙐𝙈
Prompt: [Written while listening to Seneca by Novo Amor!] Rayla's been on a mission and she misses Katolis, specifically the high mage. So she decides to pay them all a visit, namely Callum.
Warning[s]: None! It's all fluff :D
Pairing: Rayla x Callum
Word count: 1.7k
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i just had to write some rayllum, i was losing it, and they were going to get my sanity back /j. but really, i love them sm, theyre so precious, so of course! i know rayla may seem a bit soft, so i'm sorry- i'm not extremely good at writing her character, yet. anyways, my beloveds <3 have fun reading!!
Rayla’s footsteps were soft but agile as she sped across the acres of dirt, inching closer to the land where she’d first met Callum. She stopped to catch her breath, her gaze caught on the looming castle of Katolis. With a slight bounce to her step, she tread forward. Upon entering the streets that led up to the castle gates, she was quite happy to find that no one paid any attention to the fact that she was an elf. Life buzzed around her, the heady smell of baked goods lingering in the air, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips at the soft sounds of children giggling flitting in from a side street.
Just a bit farther were the castle gates, and the village was further back, now much quieter. The breeze whispered in her ears and before her hand could touch the rough wood of the door, it slid open, just a crack. And a certain blond appeared between the cracks, his eyes piercing her soul, but then they softened.
“Rayla!” Soren reached out for her and she braced herself for a bone crushing hug, and bone crushing hug she got. His arms wrapped around her torso and lifted her into the air, all air knocked out of her lungs.
“Soren, put me down…” She mumbled, barely wheezing the words out. And slowly, her airways weren’t so restricted anymore. When her feet touched the ground she almost considered kissing it for a moment. She inhaled as much air as possible.
“What brought you here?” Soren asked, walking back into the castle grounds, Rayla beside him. She let her eyes gaze over the rough stone walls, the passing workers, the baker she only briefly remembered, or did she even—Now was not the time. Opeli was walking next to him while he carried a tray of jelly tarts, a smile playing on his lips.
“Oh, I just wanted to visit Ezran,” She said, as if that was the full reason, but then again she wasn’t entirely lying.
“Oh, I know it’s about Callum.” Since when had Soren gotten so good at reading minds? “It’s written all over your face.”
Rayla huffed, but warmth crawled up her neck at the mention of the high mage. She refused to agree or disagree, hoping it would fly past him. Well, it didn’t. The next time she looked up at him, he was wiggling his eyebrows and his armour clanged loudly when he shoulder-bumped Rayla. But the murderous expression on her face was apparently something he wasn’t scared of, because he laughed out loud, his laughter a burst of joy swept away with the breeze when he finally quieted down. She sighed, she didn’t hate it, not truly; at least. Some part of her kind of wanted to have that every day, little moments of joy with her friends, and him.
“Woah, you look like you’ve missed him,” Soren said, the lightest tint of laughter still threatening to spill over the threshold of his mouth, Rayla grunted. “Dare I say heart eyes?”
She was ready to swing a joking punch but from within one of the doors leading into the main castle a head of brown curls appeared, his stark red attire and silver crown always noticeable in the gleaming sunlight. Ezran turned around, his blue eyes fixating on Rayla and the biggest smile she’d seen in so long sliding onto his face. He didn’t waste a second longer when he made a beeline straight for her and sped over the rough stone, Bait trying his hardest to keep up with Ezran’s gait.
“Rayla!” He jumped into her arms, and she caught him, hugging him as his hair tickled her chin. Bait grunted and she grinned down at him.
She let Ezran down, ruffling his hair, his crown now tilted. She reached down, fixing it. “How’ve ya been, Ez? Thought I’d visit you.” The grin on her face said it all.
He smiled, letting the words linger in the air. “You don’t have to lie.” Apparently everyone here could read her like a book, and she was not having it. The sun was already beating down at her, and the heat collecting under her leather assassin attire was uncomfortable.
“Who’s lying?” She asked, rather unconvincingly too, much to her own chagrin. But behind those words was a heart beating quickly within her chest, and her eyes wanting to stray towards a specific direction, up to the door that led into his quarters. And she just knew he was in there.
“I won’t hold you back much longer, you can go, but thank you for visiting!” He said, cheery as ever. She didn’t acknowledge the first part of the sentence verbally but smiled anyway, catching his gaze once before she received a sharp jab between her shoulder blades, most probably from Soren. She grunted, stumbling forward and catching her pace.
Her feet carried her across the remaining few steps, mind buzzing in a whole new dimension. She reached out, hand hesitating on the wood. Should she knock? Should she wait—When had she gotten so tentative?
She wasn’t allowed the chance to ponder on that. The door slid open, creaking on its hinges. A familiar, far too familiar face appeared in the doorway. She smiled, well, she thought she did.
Because Callum didn’t change too much, again, of course he wouldn’t. It had only been a few weeks, and it should’ve been a few more; but her heart longed to be back at Katolis. The catalyst to everything. She missed Ezran and his jelly tarts, Soren and his jokes, and most importantly; Callum. Her high mage.
“You’re a few weeks early,” He said, raising an eyebrow at her. But his tone didn’t sound like he minded one bit.
She laughed. “Yeah, most of what they need is collected, thought I’d pay you a visit.” She shrugged.
“Sure you didn’t just miss me?” He asked, teasing; of course.
She shoved him in the shoulder, playfully. He stumbled back, placing a hand over his heart, feigning disbelief and whatever heartbreak he could muster. She burst into chuckles, stepping inside when he beckoned her closer.
Her eyes roamed the room. Trinkets scattered the tables, the shelves, even the walls. And fuzzy crimson curtains hung over the window, open so only just a sliver of sunlight was let into the room. She couldn’t blame him for that; it was hot. Or maybe it was her Moonshadow elf preference for cooler temperatures. Anyways, she didn’t linger on it. She walked over to a shelf with books, and ran her fingers over the leathery spines.
“What a nerd.” She huffed in amusement. Then turned around when she heard creaking. Callum had sat down on a couch, smiling and shrugging.
She tilted her head, making her way over and plopping next to him. He turned to her, eyes lingering on the books that she was touching a few seconds ago, but then those beautiful brown eyes were on her. And her breath hitched in her throat. Suddenly, the room felt warmer too.
“Well, I need all the resources I can get to learn about magic, of course,” He started, his eyes never leaving her face, and she kind of wanted to curse him, “I’m literally the high mage!”
“I’m sure that even a wee elfling could tell that much.” She laughed. “I missed seeing that excited face of yours.” And your love for knowledge, about magic namely.
“I missed you too, but where did sappy Rayla come from?” He asked, surprised for just a moment before his face fell back into that teasing amusement. “Are you the real one?” He raised a brow, placing a hand on his chin in mock scrutiny.
“Am I?” She feigned confusion, but then he reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. And she finally managed to meet his eyes for longer than a few seconds.
They stared at each other, and he leaned closer, and she did too. But then they burst into fits of laughter, her head falling on his shoulder as he slapped her shoulder playfully.
She truly did miss him, and being with him, and everything that reminded her of this place.
“Thanks for getting back early, Ez was getting a bit lonely without Zym and Corvus around as often,” He mentioned, his voice muffled by her hair, the hum of his words lulling her into a comfort and peace that she related to being with Runaan and Ethari.
“What about Soren?” She scooted closer, his arm going around her shoulder and pulling her head onto his shoulder. Then his head rested on hers.
“He’s been training, says he wants to be the best crown guard there is.” She could feel his eyes on her, but she didn’t look up, she stared at the sliver of sunlight on the wooden floor. It reminded her of him. He was kind of like sunlight, but in fleeting moments, in the early morning when it was a bit weaker, but it wasn’t so strong it made you feel like you were burning into a crisp. He was like sunlight that filtered through curtains, warmth that you could bask in, that made you feel like you were at home. He was the type of sunlight you got in autumn, the type you wanted to linger around, and the type you place your hand under and watch the shadows that form. She wasn’t ever really poetic, but for Callum? She could be, if she tried.
“He’s really dedicated—” He was saying, and she barely caught on, but placed a hesitant hand on his other one. He stopped, the words catching somewhere in his throat, and she could feel the quickening beat of his heart near her ear. Almost like it jumped to his throat. She didn’t stop the smile that graced her lips at the thought.
“Ez deserves that, he deserves that love,” She mumbled. Faintly, she could feel the nod of Callum’s head against hers.
“He really does.”
“And so do you.” She didn’t know where that came from, but it made Callum’s heart beat even faster. The warmth creeped up her face and she cleared her throat, prompting him to laugh, the sound rumbling through his chest, up his spine, to her.
She relaxed into his touch, fearing that if she spoke, she’d say something that she would cringe about later. So she let herself sit in silence, with him. Although it wasn’t really silent, he kept on talking. But she was content listening too. Especially when it was him.
She liked listening to him. Or being with him, she guessed.
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