Work Text:
For the last two days, all they could see was dunes of sand. It was beautiful. The sand beneath their feet was pink with tints of sparkly yellow, purple and blue with an occasional red. It wasn’t like anything Callum has ever seen. But at some point he got tired of seeing just that and of getting sand out of his shoes. He was waiting for so long to see a sign from their next destination. So he was beyond happy when he finally saw the bright line that he knew was The Sea of The Castout.
They were now on a Tidebound island, waiting for dawn so they could cross the sea. The air around them was humid but the light breeze was a relief. They found a nice Tibebound elf named Niara that agreed to guide them through the waters. She said that the night was the perfect time for predators to hunt in this area so they needed to wait for sunlight. They had a long way till they reached Aaravos prison. Rayla was not eager to find out how long.
"What do you mean through the water?" Rayla asked, her face pale and her eyes wide.
"We are going to proceed underwater. I'm going to create a bubble big enough for everyone and I’ll keep the surface open to keep air circulation running so you will be able to breathe fine." Niara said.
Ironically her saying that made it hard to breathe. "No. No, no. Is there any way to stay on the surface? Like flying or even a boat?" Where was the dragon queen when they needed her?
"It's too big of a risk, Rayla. We can't let Claudia see us." Callum said with a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder. Normally this would drive away all of her worries. This time wasn't like the others. She gulped and furrowed her brow.
"It will be okay Rayla. We'll be right next to you." Ezran tried to relieve her concerns.
"I… I don't know if I can do this, Ez." Only thinking about the sea made her sick, being in it was… blood curdling.
"Of course you can! You're Rayla! You're the bravest person I've even known!"
Rayla smiled softly at him. "Thanks Ez, I can try but I can't promise I won't throw up on you." She teased.
"That's that spirit! Right Callum?" Soren exclaimed as he elbowed a very distracted Callum.
"Huh? What? Sorry I wasn't paying attention." He was busy looking around for signs of Caudia. They were out in the open now and needed to keep an eye out.
"We were saying that Rayla was brave enough to go under water." Rayla blushed. Somehow she felt like a child with all this attention.
"Oh. Yeah." He continued to look around again.
A pang of disappointment washed over her. He used to be so encouraging and supportive. She wanted to know he believed in her.
"Callum, is everything okay?" Rayla took a step to stand in front of him.
"Yeah! Yeah. Totally. Just… looking around. You know… keeping an eye out."
He could barely look her in the eyes. She tried to take his hand to calm his nerves, but he suddenly jumped out of the way before she could grasp it.
"Well! We should probably get some sleep." Callum said.
"Yeah." Soren spoke. "We need to set patrol shifts first. I'll take the first one, Rayla your second, then Callum and Ezran you're the last. We'll change shifts every two hours. Is that okay with everyone?"
"Yep."
"Yes."
"All good."
______________________________
Rayla couldn't sleep, and this time it wasn't because of the salty smell of the sea. Okay maybe a little. But no, that wasn’t it. No matter how hard she tried, her thoughts just weren't leaving her. Why didn't Callum want to hold her hand? Was he still mad at her?
Or maybe it's been too long and he just didn't feel the same about her?
No, no, he said that he needs time and she would give him all the time he needed. But why was it taking him so long???
She sighed. She knows why and yet… she is starting to lose her patience. What if he had enough time to think about everything and decided that he doesn’t want to be with her after all, but he was scared to tell her? Callum would tell her, wouldn't he?
She sat up and looked at the spot Callum had occupied. He was sleeping soundly in his sleeping bag, making cute noises and drooling on his pillow. He was always so adorable when he slept.
Ugh she can’t take it anymore. She needs to get away. Having him right next to her wasn’t helping.
______________________________
She found a nice rocky spot not too far from everyone. She wasn’t stupid enough to get too far away. She was planning on thinking through her thoughts until there was nothing else to think about, or until she got too tired to think. It was starting to look like she would go with the second option.
“Hey!”
Soren emerged from behind her and she jumped to her feet, drawing her swords out.
“Hey, hey, hey! It’s just me!” He raised both of his hands up.
Rayla released a breath she hadn't noticed she was holding and took her swords away. “Sorry. Didn’t see you there.”
“What are you doing up?”
“Couldn’t sleep.” She said as she sat back down on her rock.
“Come on.” Soren said as he sat on a rock next to her. “Tell old Soren what’s on your mind.”
Rayla snorted. “Old Soren?”
“Yeah. it sounds fancier.”
When Rayla didn’t answer, Soren answered for her. “It’s Callum isn’t it?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“You guys are like clear glass. I can see right through you.”
Rayla hesitated, but then decided to speak anyway. “Why didn’t he want to hold my hand?”
“I don’t know.”
“Wow, thanks Soren. That was really helpful.” She said sarcastically.
“Look. you came back not to long ago, maybe it’s still weird for him.”
Rayla sighed. “When he hugged me after facing Rex Igneous I thought that things were going to change. But other than the talk we had, I didn’t see much of a difference.”
"Don’t worry, you’ll be fine! You're the ultimate couple."
"The what?" She said with a confused look on her face.
"You know... you're like the kind of couple that is going to end up together, get married, have two, maybe three halflings."
Rayla blushed heavily. Soren went too far. She didn't even think about those things before.
"You're like… meant to be."
"I don't know Soren… I don't believe in 'meant to be' and so does Callum."
"Yeah, yeah… density is a book you write yourself. So keep writing. Every interesting book has conflicts, right?"
"I guess… but why is it taking him so long???"
"It's just a long book. Callum has been really hurt the last two years, don't expect him to be fine that quickly."
"I don't, it's just… It doesn't feel like there is much progress.”
"Give him time. He still cares about you, but the last few days were quite overwhelming for him. Just be patient."
"This is so hard, Soren."
"Yeah. But don't worry. Your story will have a happy ending."
"You think so?"
"I'm sure so! Now, go to sleep. You still have one hour until it’s time to change shifts."
“Alright. Thank you, Soren.”
“Always here to heal the heart!”
___________________________
The next morning they got up early. Ezran woke everyone up by shouting that they shouldn’t waste any daylight.
“Everyone’s ready?” Callum asked as he picked up Bait from the shore.
“Not yet, I think I forgot Shelly when I went on patrol.”
“Soren, there are plenty of other seashells in the sea, why won’t you take a different one?” Callum replied.
“No way! Shelly is coming with me. Ezran, would you help look for her?”
“Sure Soren, but let’s make it fast.”
“It’s gonna be so fast you wouldn't even notice we were gone.”
“Alright, alright just go already.” Callum dismissed them.
___________________________
“How are you feeling?”
“Huh?” Rayla didn’t even notice he was there. She was more busy staring at the sea with wide eyes and trying to keep her breakfast in her stomach.
“Yeah, you’re right, I shouldn't have asked that.”
“I can’t do this.”
“What?! Of course you can!”
“No, no I can’t. Go without me.”
“Rayla, we are not leaving you here alone. And we need you.” I need you. Callum thought but didn’t say it out loud.
“I’ll be more of a burden than a helping hand.”
“No, you won’t. You can do this. And I’ll be right by your side for the whole time. We all will.”
“Do you really think I can do this?”
“I don’t just think, I know. It’s not the first time you faced your fear for a super important cause. Like when you saved Bait and when you went on a boat to bring Zym faster to his mother.”
“That was different. The river was much smaller and I wasn’t IN the sea when we went on that boat. We are going to be surrounded by nothing but water for miles.” she shuddered, her face getting pale.
Callum looked at her and she jumped a little when he took her hand. “Hey, this won’t be easy, But you can do this. And don’t worry, I’ll make sure to distract you with stupid questions and stories about magic accidents.” He smiled, shaking her hand a little to light up her spirits.
His smile was contagious, she tried to hide it but very quickly realised she couldn't. How even in the most dire circumstances he was able to make her smile?
“Did you really think I didn’t believe you could do this?” His smile turned into a more dim expression.
“I… I thought that maybe you would prefer it if I stayed here?” She took her hand back and held her other arm.
“WHAT?! Why would you think that?!”
“Well, you weren't so supportive last night.”
“Rayla… I’m so sorry. I was so distracted I didn’t even notice.”
“I was worried I was annoying you.”
“No! No, you weren't!”
“Then why didn't you want to hold my hand?” She said, a little embarrassed and a little afraid to hear his answer.
“What? What are you talking about?”
“I was asking you if you were okay and you just jumped away when I tried to take your hand.” Rayla bit her lower lip, he didn’t even remember?
And he was laughing now. Oh no. Did she say something wrong? Rayla furrowed her brow “I’m glad I was emusing you.”
“No! No! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it that way!” His laugh was replaced with the sweetest look on his face that always caused her to melt inside. He took her hand back as he spoke. “Rayla, I didn’t even see you tried to take my hand.”
“So… you weren't mad at me?”
“What?! Mad?! No! I was just distracted”
“I…” She wasn’t sure if it was good to bring it up, but she needed to tell him what was on her heart. “I started to think that maybe you were still mad at me for… for leaving.”
He signed. “I.. I’m not happy about it, but I wasn’t mad. You are here now and we are going to fix things together, okay?”
“Okay.” She said as relief washed over her.
“So you are coming with us to find Aaravos?”
Rayla looked at the sea ahead. This will be the scariest thing she will ever do in her life, but she’s going to do this. She had Callum. She could do this. “Yes.” She was just hoping she wasn’t going to regret it.
“Good.”
“HEY! WE FOUND SHELLY!” Soren yelled as he ran with Ezran in their direction.
“We are ready to go.” Ezran said when they came to a stop next to them.
“Ready?” Callum asked as he looked at her with the same loving eyes she fell for years ago.
“Ready.” She could do this. She WILL do this. With Callum. They were the ultimate couple.