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It was quiet in the hall of the spire. Not silent, but quiet, and almost eerily so with the slow, rhythmic breaths of the queen sleeping in her chamber. Quiet. Still.
The battle was won. And yet the two trembling teens sat on the steps of the hall, arms wrapped desperately around each other like they would never, ever let each other go again, the baby dragon they had cared for safely tucked between them, fast asleep.
It was all still a bit too much to take in. The battle and the chaos, the fall and the catch, the ‘I love you’s… they had made it despite everything, they had survived, and all that was left now was to wait for their allies to return to the top of the spire to meet them.
Callum wondered silently how many had fallen. Had his friends survived? It had been carnage down there, death and devastation on both sides…
Her voice snapped him back out of it, barely above a whisper as she shifted. “Callum…?”
“Hm?”
“You’re awful quiet. Are you okay?”
He sighed giving her a reassuring squeeze. “…Y-Yeah. Yeah, I’m just thinking about everything that’s happened. That’s all.” She didn’t reply, settling instead to rub his back slowly. “Are… are you okay, Rayla?” She gave a rather non-committal shrug, but he could still feel her other hand shaking where it balled the fabric of his shirt into a tight fist by his side. “It’s okay if you’re not,” He whispered. “You know that, right?”
She nodded and this time he could tell she was trying to hold back the tears of stress she had been holding in for so long. He squeezed her tight, resting his head against hers as he felt her finally give in, dampening his shoulder.
“I’ve got you, Rayla… it’s okay. We’re okay. Everything’s gonna be alright now.”
She simply nodded again and Callum let her cry against him, letting out a soft breath. It was a relief somehow, that this time she wasn’t pushing him away, wasn’t running and hiding. That she felt safe enough to be vulnerable in his arms and let him share the weight of her feelings. He held her close until her sniffling finally came to a stop and she pulled back to rub at her eyes.
“Uh… s-sorry about that.” She tried for an awkward laugh, her voice cracking. “It’s just been kind of a day. Or a week. Or… an entire month. You know.”
“I know.” He repeated back tenderly. “And you have nothing you need to be sorry for.” He cupped her cheek with his hand, brushing away the lingering tears with his thumb and planted a slow gentle kiss between her eyes. “You can cry as much as you want with me and… and whatever you need, whenever you need it, I’ll be there for you. Always.”
Rayla’s eyes sparkled, her ears perking up more cheerfully now, before she rested her head back against his shoulder. A far less tense silence fell between them now, Callum absentmindedly tracing his fingers in little patterns against her back.
“Callum, I never really… properly thanked you.”
“Hm…?”
“For being here. For always being here with me. Even when I don’t… always make it easy.”
“Oh. Well you don’t have to thank me for that.” He smiled pressing a little kiss against the top of her head, just shy of her horn. “That’s just what we do right…? We look after each other.”
She pulled back just a little, enough to look him in the eye, then smiled so softly, her hand reaching up to caress his cheek. “Callum… You really are the best boyfriend ever.”
Callum’s brain stalled. Strange. He wasn’t sure why that word had such a reaction with him. After all… they were dating, that much was true. He had kissed her several times, told her he loved her and yet… that was the first time she had said it out loud. It was as if it had some sort of strange power to it.
He must have been pulling a face, because Rayla’s face went from soft to curious.
“What? What is it?”
“You said… the word.”
She stared blankly at him for a moment, before she caught what he meant, and he watched as her expression changed. Finally, she smiled, a much happier smile, one that he recognised as the kind where she was trying to hold back a laugh.
“Yeah... I did. Of course I did! Because that’s what you are, Callum!”
Callum’s smile broke free and he beamed back at her. He leaned forward, pressing the tip of his nose to hers playfully, his heart still picking a fight with the wall of his chest. He tried to calm his giddiness, instead taking her hand, rubbing little circles with his thumb against her palm. “I just… I want to be the best I can be for you. Because it’s what you deserve.”
He watched the twinkle in her eye return, and she closed them to plant a brief little peck on his lips. “Well then… I’ll try and be the best I can be for you too.” Her eyes lit up with affection, and warmth, and- oh he felt giddy again. She was as much his, as he was hers. She smoothed her hand up his back until it reached his head, running her fingers through his hair. “I love you, Callum.”
Callum’s breath hitched in his throat. Would he ever get used to hearing her say those words? He wasn’t sure. But she said it so naturally now, like she had said it a thousand times before and yet still meant it with every ounce of her soul. “I love you too.” His voice cracked so full, overflowing with adoration, as he bumped his forehead to hers.
He heard them coming before he saw them. The clattering of armour, footsteps approaching the entrance to the hall of the spire. He wasn’t quite sure who it would be until he heard the muttering of a Sunfire accent scolding someone lightly.
He held his breath, hopeful, as he turned his attention to the great archway, waiting. Then they rounded the corner together. His aunt, and the Sunfire knight, Janai supporting her as they walked. Amaya looked roughed up but was grinning in that way she did, a cockiness to her in spite of it all. She was signing at Janai, who huffed annoyed.
“You know I have no idea what you are saying, right? I sincerely hope for your sake it’s not another comment about my sword.”
Callum stood, his eyes watering, and Rayla found her feet slowly too as she followed his gaze. When Amaya’s eyes met Callum’s they lit up, and it was as though his presence emboldened her. Her strength renewed, she stood straighter, tore herself away from the startled Janai, and half limped, half ran towards them. Callum broke into a joyful sprint of his own, his lips splitting into a huge tearful grin.
She was okay. In all the chaos below, a part of him had been terrified that she had… But no, she was here, he hadn’t lost yet another family member in this mess. There was safety in her arms as she scooped him up off the ground, and he embraced her back as tightly as he could.
But something happened that Callum didn’t quite expect. She kept charging forward, much to the boys surprise, and he only realised why when he felt Amaya’s other arm wrap around Rayla and scoop her up too. He heard Rayla’s little panicked gasp of surprise, and she grimaced, confused and winded, across at Callum over Amaya’s shoulders as the pair were squeezed her tight. Callum laughed back.
“She’s kind of a bear hugger. You might have to get used to that.” He could hear the strain in his own voice as Amaya squished his ribs.
Finally his aunt lowered them to their feet and the pair staggered back, Rayla more so, having to steady herself with a hand on his shoulder.
‘I’m glad to see you and your elf friend safe and sound.’
“Oh uh… a-actually…” Callum chuckled nervously as he began to sign. His message caused Amaya’s eyes to widen, and she stared over the boys shoulder at Rayla who glanced back at him sheepishly, clearly still slightly intimidated by his aunt.
“What are you saying?” She asked gently, her hand brushing down to hold his arm. Callum only smiled proudly, a bold confidence finding him.
“That you’re my girlfriend.”
He heard the little tiny gasp escape Rayla’s lips, and her ears twitch in surprise. Then the corners of her mouth turned up, her eyes glittering and she nodded proudly back at Amaya in a little; ‘Yes. Yes I am’ type gesture.
Amaya’s eyes softened on the elf as she turned her attention back to her nephew.
‘That’s sweet. Perhaps since you’re such a romantic, you can help me get a cute elf girlfriend of my own?’ She jerked her head in Janai’s direction, the Sunfire elf hanging back to watch, completely oblivious to his aunt’s words. She perked up a little though curiously at Amaya’s sudden movement.
Callum chuckled bashfully, scratching the back of his neck.
“Honestly Aunt Amaya… I’m still not sure how I managed it myself.”