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Ezran scratched Stella under the chin, the cuddle monkey melted into his petting and let herself fall beside his stretched arm.
Bait, Stella, and Ezran were lying on his bed doing absolutely nothing but rest after a hard day of celebrating Callum’s birthday while preventing Rayla from finding out Callum was planning to propose that same night.
“Sneezles is with Soren,” he answered at Stella.
Do you think he has already asked? She questioned
Ezran hummed and looked out to his window, a shy quarter of the moon was peeking around.
“I don’t think so, knowing them they’re still making their way to the spot Callum selected and talking and just enjoying themselves.”
Maybe even kissing against a tree , thought Stella forgetting for a moment Ezran could understand her.
The king laughed “I wouldn’t discard that,” he agreed.
Stella chittered and Bait grumbled as a sign he wanted to join the conversation.
“Anything you would like to add, buddy?” Ezran asked petting Bait.
He knew what Bait thought about the topic, after all, it was very similar to what he felt himself. Callum and Rayla were cute and sweet, sometimes a bit too, too sweet for their liking. But that was when he could tease them better.
I didn’t like Callum at first , confessed Stella. Yet I always liked you.
Ez chuckled, “Thank you, I guess.”
Though it still surprises me how you understand me, even Rayla can’t do it for her life’s sake .
He shrugged, “It’s something I just do. Since I was a child, I didn’t tell many people, or well, I didn’t tell anyone but my brother, and when he didn’t believe me, I kept it to myself.”
A smile crossed his lips at the memory of Rayla’s angry face defending him from Callum’s skepticism.
“Funny enough, Rayla was the first one to, if not believe me completely, at least she didn’t label me as a liar immediately.”
That’s my girl , the monkey proudly replied. If it makes you feel better, I bet she did believe you from the start .
“Honestly I think she did too but was doubtful only because believing me meant we ran out of options.”
Stella did something that could be interpreted as a nod.
Either way, I think it’s amazing a human can communicate with us .
Bait growled in agreement.
“I think the same. Growing up it was less lonely having animals to keep me company when Callum was too busy with Claudia.”
One of the things he most appreciated about the change from Claudia to Rayla was that Rayla also prioritized spending time with all three of them and even encouraged Callum to be with him when he wasn’t sure if he should leave Rayla to go and do other things. Even if they were stuck together almost always, it was enough time for him to do things with his brother.
And I have someone to actually talk with, Rayla always pretends she understands, but, no offense, she doesn’t. Stella moved her tail from one side to the other.
“I can imagine,” he giggled.
For example, on our journey to the Starscraper, we found this frozen ship…
“Oh, yes!” Interrupted Ezran “Callum told me about it.”
Well, he told you his version, but Rayla’s version is quite more interesting.
Ezran shrugged “I’m sure, Callum just spent hours drawing and thinking about Rayla.”
Stella exhaled and palmed her head with one of her little paws.
Poor thing, but Rayla more or less did the same. She found the diary of a dead captain and asked me if we should read it , she assumed I said yes, but I was actually begging her to go back to Callum .
When she sat down and started reading I knew it would be a long night, yet the words in that diary actually helped her realize how much she loved Callum still, so I guess it wasn’t that bad.
Ezran thought she was finished when the cuddled monkey continued.
That night they tried to kiss after Sneezles and I managed to get them to share the blanket. And they would’ve kissed if your brother hadn’t decided it was the best time to admit he did dark magic again , she complained.
His mouth hung open for a moment. Callum told him about the ship, and he had seen the drawing of Rayla in his sketchbook. Nevertheless, he had no idea they’d almost kissed and Callum ruined it. Though it was for the best, he supposed.
I hope when you find a girlfriend you won’t make things as hard as they do , sighed Stella lowering her head.
Blood rushed to his cheeks and a certain face appeared on his mind and if that wasn’t embarrassing enough Bait also turned red.
Stella leaned her head to one side, trying to decipher his face, and when she did a loud chitter invaded his ears.
You have a crush on someone! She sentenced. Aanya! It must be her!
Bait growled and Ezran laughed nervously scratching the back of his neck as he sat cross-legged in the bed.
“No, of course, not, she’s just my friend. My… Ruler friend, or something like that.”
Ezran cursed for his insides, he knew exactly how he sounded like.
Rayla’s just a friend, an assassin friend.
And look where they ended.
Stella gasped. I can’t wait to tell Rayla once she and Callum are back from their date!
The little monkey climbed down the bed and ran to the door.
Ezran didn’t try to stop her as she knocked up several times until a guard opened and she went away. He had no idea what she was going to do. Callum and Rayla wouldn’t return until the night and even then they would be focused on their engagement.
Perhaps Stella was going for Sneezles since they’d become something like siblings though the monkey almost always got upset with the baitling the same way Callum would get upset with him when they were younger.
Ezran sighed, even if Stella managed to tell Callum or Rayla about his little crush and they try to tease him, Ezran would also have new things to tease them like their almost-kiss or thinking about each other for hours without talking but still being a few feet away, or not wanting to share a blanket knowing damn well they’d share a room.
He loved them, but he knew they would tease him, and Ezran also loved embarrassing them and looking at how nervous they got so easily.