Chapter Text
- Sleeping in and cuddling the entire morning
Rayla groaned as her alarm bleared in her ear. She could already hear the rain lashing against the window along with intermittent gusts of wind. It really did not seem like a pleasant morning to go running. She snoozed her phone, tucking herself back into the comforting warmth of the blankets.
Callum grumbled into her neck, an arm snaking around her waist to pull her snug against him.
This was warm and comforting and infinitely preferable to running into drizzle and gales. She really couldn’t afford to get too content though. Her alarm would be going off again in a minute or two.
Despite her mental cautions, she indeed found herself drifting back to sleep when the shrill ringing went off once again.
Swearing under her breath, she reached for her phone turning off the alarm and mentally preparing herself to leave the warm confines of the bed and face the elements. Taking a deep breath, she attempted to sit up only to find Callum holding her fast.
“I have to get up, dummy.” She snickered, caressing his hand around her waist.
“Skip running today.” Callum pulled her closer again, his other arm joining the first and squeezing her gently.
“Soren will whinge at me.” She looked over her shoulder to the mess of dark chestnut hair snuggled into her neck.
“I’ll whinge more.” Callum mumbled grumpily.
Despite herself, Rayla chuckled heartily at his display. Sleepy, grouchy Callum was pretty hard to resist. Spending time with him was generally better than, well, anything else.
Rain and wind? It wasn’t exactly a contest.
Clearly sensing her resolve crumbling, Callum sighed against her neck. “Let’s have a lazy morning in bed. I’ll make coffee and French toast. We’ll hide from the weather… I don’t have any commissions to do today and we’ve got nothing on in the afternoon. Let’s not even get out of our jammies.”
Rayla sighed, sorely tempted.
“I’ll even watch Star Trek with you.” He whispered conspiratorially into her ear.
- Changing the bedsheets
“Oi! Stop that!”
Callum looked up from his sketchbook, eyes moving in the direction of their bedroom.
“No!”
Snorting, he got to his feet and peered around the door. “Everything going okay in here?” He asked, finding Rayla glaring at a mess of bed linen.
“Someone is making it hard to change the sheets.” Arms crossed over her chest, Rayla glared at a quivering lump in the middle of the bed.
“Are you being bested by a cat?” Callum laughed at what was clearly a flickering tail moving rapidly under the covers.
“Oh, you think you can do better?” Rayla smirked at him, gesturing to the bed. “Please, be my guest.”
Callum hissed, realising he’d walked right into that one. “Okay…” He surveyed the scene, trying to find his best plan of attack. Pulling on the closest corner, he gingerly tried to tug the sheet towards him, only to shriek and abandon the plan entirely as Shadow made rapid swipes in his direction.
“Shush, dummy!” Rayla laughed heartily at him. “The neighbours hate us enough as is!”
Callum cringed. “Maybe we just wait for him to calm down and come back to it?”
“You’re really going to surrender to a cat?” Rayla sounded distinctly unimpressed.
“Well, what do you suggest?” Callum looked between her and the excited lump hidden from view.
“Team up on him?” She shrugged, advancing on the bed once again.
Callum grimaced, taking the other side and preparing for whatever was about to come next.
Rayla mouthed counting down from three and they both simultaneously grabbed the covers and attempted to lift them off the bed. Shadow yelped in fright, suddenly exposed. Before they could successfully get control of the sheets, he leapt into the air, somehow tangling himself in the sheets once again and pulling them back onto the bed.
Rayla and Callum both looked at the bed and then each other.
Exhaling slowly through his mouth, Callum shook his head. “I don’t know about you, but I’m calling this round for Shadow.”
Rayla sighed, collapsing against the wall and shaking her head. “Let’s regroup and come up with an alternative plan.”
Snickering, Callum slumped down beside her. “Don’t want to sleep on the couch again?”
“I am not losing my bed to a cat, Callum.” She glared at where Shadow was clearly still enjoying himself under the covers.
“Oh, I wasn’t suggesting such a thing.” He laughed, narrowing his eyes at the bed as well. “He may have won the battle, but he has not won the war.”
Rayla rolled her eyes at his dramatic words. “Truly, the night is darkest just before the dawn.” She flicked her hair theatrically.
“There is no-one I would rather ride into battle with than you, my lady.” He took her hand, struggling not to descend into giggles as he stared into her eyes.
She held her hand over her heart, swooning. “Oh brave sir, will you indeed assist me in conquering this pussy?”
Unable to contain himself, Callum burst out laughing, the scene broken.
“You’re terrible.” Rayla shoved him, laughing herself.
- Dancing in the kitchen whilst cooking dinner
“So… what’s for dinner tonight?” Rayla slipped her arms around his waist, peering over his shoulder and into the bubbling pot on the stove.
“Nachos.” Callum sighed happily, leaning into her and enjoying the casual embrace as he stirred the mixture.
“Yum.” Rayla took a deep breath, sniffing the air before she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek then made her way to the fridge.
“How was work?” Callum looked between her and the stove.
Rayla shrugged, pulling a jug of cold water from the fridge. “Fine.” She grabbed them both a glass. “Busy, but the day went quick.”
“Those are the best.” Callum took the offered glass from her, putting down the heat on the stove and turning to give her his full attention.
“Yep!” Rayla grinned happily, hopping up onto the counter. “And now a night in with nachos, you and She-Hulk: Attorney At Law.”
Callum snorted, rolling his eyes. “You’ll watch that but not The Mandalorian.”
Rayla took a sip of water before continuing. “She’s a lawyer who turns into a crazy hot beef cake and kicks people’s asses. That’s my dream, Callum.”
“Well, you’ve already got the crazy hot lawyer down.” He smiled goofily at her, laughing loudly when she mock gagged. “What? It’s true.” One last glance at the stove, he grabbed a spoon and took a quick taste of the chilli mixture. “And you came to my rescue and kicked Kermit’s ass. I’d say you out hero She-Hulk.” Pondering the flavours for a moment, he picked up the ground chilli and added a small amount.
“Oi!” Rayla pushed herself off the counter, making a grab for the chilli. “Don’t over do it again!”
“There’s no heat in it!” Callum responded, trying to keep the spice from her.
“You always say that and I’m always destroyed by your definition of “no heat”.” Rayla snatched the small glass jar, holding it behind her back. “Just put jalapeños on your serving!”
“I will, but it needs more!” Callum tried to move around her, making a play for the spice she held behind her back.
“No!”
Rayla ducked around him but the kitchen was small and he managed to catch her around the waist. In an uncharacteristic move of coordination, he swooped her around, pulling her back to standing, his hands on hers.
“Ta-da!” He was more than impressed with his own display.
Rayla laughed heartily, the chilli still firmly in hand. Without comment, she spun from his grip. Slipping his hand down her wrist, Callum pulled her back against his chest, smiling in a very self satisfied manner as she blinked at him, clearly a little surprised.
“Where’d you get those moves?” She laughed, biting her lip as he began to sway with her.
Callum grinned. “You like them?”
“I might.” Rayla still held the jar tightly, her eyes bright with merriment. “Show me some more and maybe I’ll surrender this.” She tapped his chest with the chilli.
“Oh, dancing is the key to your heart, is it?” Callum stepped back a little, taking her hand with the chilli tightly grasped in it, while the other he rested on her waist.
“Perhaps.” Rayla smirked, raising an eyebrow.
Taking a deep breath, he thought back to his childhood briefly, then led her on a short waltz around the small kitchen.
Rayla did indeed look impressed, letting him take the lead and not worrying about crashing into cupboards or counters. “Where’d you learn to dance?” She asked.
“Janai taught me for my school formal.” Callum shrugged. “Otherwise I’d have disgraced myself.”
Rayla laughed softly, a small smile on her lips.
Reluctantly, Callum looked back to the pot on the stove. Coming to a stop before it, he stepped back and took her hand still containing the chilli jar, kissing the back of it. “Good enough to permit a little more spice?”
Rayla rolled her eyes, turning her hand over and presenting the jar to him. “Only if you promise to show me what other moves she taught you.”
Laughing softly, Callum added much less spice than he normally would, then turned back to Rayla, holding out his hand for her. “As you wish.”