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“I need to do it, Ray,” whispered Callum, reaching for her arm, but Rayla stepped away almost colliding with their room’s wall “It’s the only way to keep you…”
“Safe?” She asked, her voice sharp.
Callum grimaced.
“Yes.”
“No,” Rayla declared taking a step closer “You’re not getting corrupted just because you think the only way to defeat Aaravos is by putting him on a damn coin.”
“We don’t have a choice, Rayla.” Callum reached for her arm again and this time she let him try to soothe her. “Every minute we stay here without making anything is another minute Aaravos has to plan against us.” He closed his eyes with strength. “It’s my fault he’s free in the first place, it should be me who ends him.”
Rayla turned around, trying to prevent the tears clouding her vision from falling, her palms were sticky with cold sweat.
“No,” she muttered.
Callum touched her shoulder and she turned to face him, not caring anymore about her tear-stained cheeks.
“Rayla…”
“No,” Rayla repeated sounding more desperate “Someone is gonna kill you, Callum,” She looked him in the eye, grasping his wrist “And it isn’t gonna be me,” she sobbed “It. Isn’t. Gonna. Be. Me.”
His gaze fell, and she could practically feel her heart sink.
“You promised,” he whispered.
“I’m sorry,” she answered “But I can’t.”
The room was engulfed by a thick, burning silence. Rayla wanted to leave—it was like an instinct—but she’d already broken one of her promises, so she might as well keep another. She wouldn’t leave him again, no matter what.
Deep down she knew if he ended up doing dark magic again she would stand with him.
Fuck principles, this was more about his life and wellbeing. Rayla wouldn’t allow him to hurt himself. She wouldn’t allow him to go to dark places or for his precious, loving, and caring heart to be emptied with darkness.
Callum had struggled enough to get rid of dark magic just for him to do it all over again.
Rayla would find another solution, she had to.
For him. For Ezran. For Katolis. For her.
For the future that lay ahead of them.
He’d done something for her not so long ago, retrieving the corona of the heavens, maybe it was time to return the favor.
“Callum?” She whispered, her voice wavering, fearing his reaction. Would he be mad? Disappointed?
Her boyfriend sighed and shook his head, turning so he wasn’t facing her.
“No, I’m sorry. I was selfish,” he muttered, walking to his side of the bed and lying down.
Rayla grabbed her wrist for comfort as she lay at his side.
Unlike all the nights prior, this time Callum’s arms didn’t wrap around her to pull her in and pepper her face with soft kisses.
This time she didn’t giggle at his actions.
This time Rayla couldn’t look at his eyes and trace circles in his cheeks as they fell asleep.
This time all she could see was his back turned to her like a wall. A cold space between them.
Rayla pursed her lips together to avoid a sob coming out of them.
She took a moment for her throat to clear “I love you, Callum,” her voice cracked.
With a loud sigh, Callum turned to her, eyes watering, yet he did all he used to. Pull her in, wrap his arms around her, and give her soft kisses on her cheeks, nose, forehead, below her lips, and finally on the lips.
In that last location, the kiss lingered a bit more, transmitting all his words couldn’t.
Once they were done, Callum cradled her head to his chest, careful not to prick himself with her horns, soothing her until the world shut off.
A sense of safety and warmth enveloped her, and her mind recalled Callum’s face. His emerald eyes lightened up, his dorky smile, and flushed cheeks, all symbols of perfection and happiness, all reminders of what corruption could take away from them.