Archive of Our Own ^beta

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     “You know, I was thinking about maybe in a few years we could try for another kid,” Callum mentioned, the words taking Rayla by surprise. By that point, Sarai was only about six months old, and the last thing Rayla would ever think of at that moment would be having another child. Aaravos and Luna Devorans had joined forces, both wanting destruction. Callum had only just recently gotten his brother to talk to him again, mostly with Rayla’s help. This was one of the lucky days when they’d get to be together, all in one room. And he was thinking about children at this time? 

     “What?” Rayla yelped, realizing her volume as she remembered Sarai was right in front of them, Stella playing with her. 

     “Not anytime soon, of course!” Callum sputtered, “I just thought it’d be nice if Sarai had a potential playmate and a little sibling she could hang around with. Kinda like how Ezran and I were,” he said, looking down as Sarai was crawling towards him as if she suddenly remembered her father existed and thus got excited about her favorite person. Callum took her into his lap, Sarai instantly reaching for the little pendant he had pinned on his vest, the moon opal shining brightly in the evening sunlight. 

     “That’s a bold request, dear husband. You’re lucky that you saved yourself there,” she smirked, leaning down to sneak a quick kiss on Sarai’s cheek, the baby reaching her hands out to her mother in response. 

      “I’m serious! Obviously, we’d have to sit down when this is all over, talk about it,” Callum began, taking a moment to pause. “But I would want to… in a few years hopefully,” he said, making his way closer to her to pull her into his arms, careful not to squish Sarai. Rayla rolled her eyes before looking down at her daughter, who by that point was staring up at them, coos echoing from her like she was wondering why they weren’t focusing their attention on her. 

     “What do you think, moonbeam? Would you want a little brother or sister down the line?” She asked, a coo coming from Sarai like she either understood what her mother was saying, or she was just responding to feel included. 

     “I’ll take that as a yes from her!” Callum exclaimed, getting out of his and Rayla’s hug to hoist their daughter in the air, Sarai excitedly giggling as her father did so. 

     “You’re just saying what you want to hear, dummy,” she snorted, rolling her eyes as Callum lowered Sarai down again. 

     “Ok then, Mrs. Know It All? What’s your vote then? Another kid in the next few years, or are we going to focus our energy on spoiling this one here?” He cooed, lifting his daughter in the air again to kiss her little plump belly, Sarai giggling at his ticklish mouth. 

     “Well…” Rayla hesitated, thinking carefully about what she’d want in the future. She’d grown up as an only child, and the fact that she hadn’t made any friends really growing up didn’t help. It was somewhat lonely then, a stark contrast to her husband, who for the majority of his childhood had Ezran to hang around, to play with. Her daughter should get to experience that, and if she made any friends when she was older, it would be a bonus, too. Of course, there was the possibility that the future sibling and Sarai would absolutely hate each other’s guts, and thus not get along at all. But that was something for future Rayla to worry about. “I would be ok with it, down the road. I mean, it’d be nice to be pampered even more than I already am all over again,” she smirked, Callum rolling his eyes. 

     “You’re practically spoiled already, and that’s just because you exist, love,” he said, rolling his eyes. 

     “Yeah, and that’s because you’re unfortunately stuck with me, my little pet,” she purred, leaning in to stroke underneath his chin like she would before. 

     “If I’m stuck with you, then you clearly didn’t know what you were getting into when you decided to have a kid with me,” he smirked, glancing down at Sarai. “I mean, you just said that in the future you’d want another one as well.” 

     “For now, let’s focus on our time with this one here,” she said, taking Sarai from her father’s grasp into her own. They’d get to live a safe life together. One that she and Callum would make sure that Sarai would get to live in, and any other future children would too. 

Chapter Text

     “What do you think it’s gonna be?” Callum asked as he pressed another kiss onto Rayla’s stomach. They’d waited a few years after they first thought about it, and now they’d have another little one to adore within the next month, to which Callum was very excited. “Boy or girl?”

     “I don’t care, as long as it’s healthy,” Rayla giggled as she stretched a little more on the couch. With the new arrival coming soon, she’d been ordered to take it easy, both from her husband and her doctor. At least it would be more time spent with Sarai until the new baby came. 

     “I’m hoping for another girl. I can feel it, it’s gonna be another girl,” Callum responded, sitting up to kiss against her cheek. 

     “You really want another girl? What if the babe’s a boy?” she asked, sitting up and feeling the child within her roll around in response. 

     “I’ll still be happy. It’ll be half of you and me, what more could I want?” He replied, Rayla shaking her head before they heard the sounds of their daughter walking into the room, Ezran’s footsteps not far behind. 

      “You’re too obsessed with us sometimes,” Rayla chuckled, before extending her arms out wide for her daughter to run into, before letting her daughter climb up onto the couch with her. 

     “Mummy!” Sarai chirped, settling herself next to her mother. 

     “What do you think, Sarai? You think you’re gonna get a little brother or sister?” Callum beamed, Sarai turning to him, her face scrunching up, thinking carefully. 

     “Uhm,” she began thinking hard about her choice. “A baby sister!” 

      “Oh, really? Is that just because Daddy said that he wants you to have a baby sister?” Rayla questioned, an eyebrow raised while trying not to utter a chuckle at her daughter. 

     “No…,” Sarai muttered, realizing that her mummy had caught her. 

     “What do you want to have?” Rayla asked. 

     “A baby sister so that we can play and do each other’s hair like Mummy does,” Sarai replied, her answer sounding more confident than beforehand. 

     “Well, when the baby gets here, it’ll be a while before you guys can even braid each other’s hair, moonbeam,” Callum added, Sarai’s little face scrunching up in confusion. 

     “But for how long?” Sarai exclaimed, drawing the attention of everyone around them. 

     “For a few years at least. The baby’s gonna be small when it comes out, and it’ll sleep a lot of the time,” Rayla answered. 

     “But you can still help Daddy and me with the new baby, though,” Rayla said, before looking up to see Ezran peeking into the room, Sarai immediately jumping to abandon her parents in favor of her uncle. 

     “How are you feeling, Rayla?” Ezran asked once he was done wrangling up his niece. 

     “Fine, just waiting for all of this to be over within the next month,” Rayla replied, before a thought came to her mind. “Actually, Ez, we kinda have a question for you,” she said, an eyebrow raised from Ezran’s eye. “What do you think the new baby’s gonna be? Boy or girl?”

     “Girl,” Ezran replied curtly, so sure of his answer. 

      “Seriously? No thought into whether it could be a boy? You’re so sure it’s a girl?” Rayla yelped, surprised at how quickly he responded. 

     “Yeah,” Ezran replied. Rayla sat aghast at how the brothers could be so sure. 

     “Well, if you’re so shocked, what do you think it’s gonna be? Considering the fact that you’ve been carrying it for eight months,” Callum asked, Rayla going quiet afterwards. “Oh, look who’s gone quiet when the question comes to her?” Callum teased, a smirk coming from Rayla. 

     “Well, we won’t actually know until the babe’s born,” Rayla grumbled, a smile creeping on her face. 

     “Come on, say what you think it’s gonna be,” Callum said, before finally, Rayla sighed. 

     “I guess if I had a feeling… it’d be a girl,” she said, before her husband erupted in a fit of laughter and happiness, satisfied that his wife did, in fact, agree with him. “Shut up!” She squealed. 

     “Even you are saying that the baby’s gonna be a girl,” Callum replied, rolling his eyes. 

     “Well whatever it’s going to be, I’ll be happy,” Rayla replied as Callum moved to kiss her.

Chapter Text

The day that their second child was born, multiple things were going through Rayla and Callum’s minds. Of course, there was the fact that they had another baby to love and cherish, just as they did with Sarai. But one thing going through their minds was how Sarai would react. Throughout Rayla’s pregnancy, she had seemed genuinely excited to get a little sibling, even being very insistent with her mother for the last few weeks that she better rest. When they’d gotten a chance to breathe and with the new baby fed, they let Sarai in finally to see her parents and the new baby. 

     “Mummy!” Sarai yelled, running towards the bed as Callum brought his finger towards his lips in a shushing motion. 

     “Hi sweetie, you gotta be quiet, 'cause the new baby is sleeping,” Rayla whispered as she held the new addition to the family. 

     “Sorry, Mummy,” Sarai whispered, her head looking down towards the ground. 

     “Hey, you want to join me and Daddy on the bed to meet your new sibling?” Rayla asked, Sarai looking up and instantly nodding. Callum helped Sarai onto the bed, the little girl instantly scooting towards the baby nestled in her mother’s arms. 

    “Whatcha think of your new baby sister?” Callum asked. Another daughter for them. He’d hoped for it for a while, and now they were waiting to see what their daughter’s reaction would be, even if she had said that she wanted a sister too. Sarai was silent, curiously studying the baby that was curled up and fast asleep. The baby stirred slightly, as if she could sense her older sister watching her intently. 

     “Sarai, is everything alright?” Rayla asked, hoping that maybe her daughter was just lost in thought. There was a pause for a moment, like Sarai was going to say something, but was debating on whether it’d be a nice thing to say. 

      “Mummy, she’s missing fingers and toes!” Sarai replied. At first, it took both of them a moment to realize what their daughter was actually saying, but when they did, the two of them had to do everything in their power to hold back their laughter. 

     “Sweetie, she’s not missing fingers and toes, she’s just got four fingers and four toes on each hand and foot like Mummy does,” Callum said, the little four-year-old still looking confused. “When you were born, you had five fingers and toes; it’s just how you were born.” 

     “So we can’t give each other high fives then?” Sarai questioned, both parents trying their hardest not to let out a laugh. 

     “You can do what Daddy and I do and give each other a high four,” Rayla said, Sarai seemingly pleased with that answer. 

     “Do you wanna hold your baby sister?” Callum asked, and Sarai nodded almost immediately. Rayla carefully handed their youngest daughter to him, the infant stirring from being moved from her mother, but she quickly quieted. “You have to be really careful, alright? Make sure to support her head.” He said, Sarai extending her arms out to hold the baby, Callum gently helping her adjust her little sister in her arms so that she was comfortable. Once she was properly situated, he leaned back, but was still somewhat nervous about whether Sarai would make any sudden movements. 

      “Her name’s Esmarie, but you can call her Essie if it’s easier for you,” Rayla mentioned, Sarai’s eyes glittering with wonder, never fading.

      “Hi, Essie, I’m your big sister,” Sarai chirped. Both Rayla and Callum looked at each other with an Aww expression, trying not to cry in that moment. The baby in Sarai’s arms stirred, before her little face scrunched up, letting out a sneeze. “She sneezed on me!” Sarai yelled, the volume of her voice loud enough for her little sister, already annoyed at her older sister.

     “She did!” Callum cooed before he noticed Esmarie’s face scrunching up and turning a shade of red, before she let out a wail. Sarai’s eyes and mouth widened before trying to calm her little sister herself.

      “I’m sorry, Essie, don’t cry!” Sarai shrieked, her sharp voice doing nothing to help the situation. Callum quickly scooped up Esmarie into his arms, laying her on top of his chest, shushing her.

     “It’s ok, sweetie, your big sister was just so excited to meet you. She just got a little too excited,” Callum cooed, Esmarie calming down.

     “Hey, you can’t yell when you’re around Essie, ok? She’s still a new baby, and all these sounds she’s hearing are for the first time.” Rayla said, comforting Sarai.

      “She’s very loud,” Sarai said, this time lowering her volume a little bit. 

      “Yeah, she is loud when she cries. But that’s because Daddy and I need to be able to hear her when she does cry, so that we can take care of her. Like we did with you,” Rayla replied, opening her arms out to Sarai to hug, which the girl accepted. 

     “It gets better, moonbeam,” Callum said. Esmarie was finally at this point asleep, so at least there was that. 

     “It does?” Sarai wondered, a smile crossing both of her parents’ mouths. 

     “I mean, you’re not loud,” Rayla said, the little cogs in Sarai’s head turning as she processed her response. Soon, Rayla felt herself yawning, the exhaustion of labor finally getting to her.

     “Get some sleep, Rayla. I’ll handle these two.” Callum pleaded, knowing that she needed the chance to get her energy back. Rayla knew better than to argue with her husband, getting herself cozy in bed. 

     “I’ll watch baby sis for you, Mummy!” Sarai cheered, happy to help her mom in any way she could. 

     “Oh, you will?” Rayla remarked, raising an eyebrow. “You’ll be good and help Daddy to, right?” Sarai nodded, very sure in her decision. She wanted to help out her parents in any way she could, even letting her mummy rest so that she could aid her father in caring for her little sister. Once her worries were relieved, Rayla finally let herself sleep.

Chapter Text

The day that their second child was born, multiple things were going through Rayla and Callum’s minds. Of course, there was the fact that they had another baby to love and cherish, just as they did with Sarai. But one thing going through their minds was how Sarai would react. Throughout Rayla’s pregnancy, she had seemed genuinely excited to get a little sibling, even being very insistent with her mother for the last few weeks that she better rest. When they’d gotten a chance to breathe and with the new baby fed, they let Sarai in finally to see her parents and the new baby. 

     “Mummy!” Sarai yelled, running towards the bed as Callum brought his finger towards his lips in a shushing motion. 

     “Hi sweetie, you gotta be quiet, 'cause the new baby is sleeping,” Rayla whispered as she held the new addition to the family. 

     “Sorry, Mummy,” Sarai whispered, her head looking down towards the ground. 

     “Hey, you want to join me and Daddy on the bed to meet your new sibling?” Rayla asked, Sarai looking up and instantly nodding. Callum helped Sarai onto the bed, the little girl instantly scooting towards the baby nestled in her mother’s arms. Sarai sat silently, her mind studying the infant like she were trying to figure out what it was. They weren’t sure how to bring up one key factor, though. Sarai had been begging for a little sister for a few weeks, and well… she got a little brother.

     “Mummy, why does baby sis look like that?” Sarai asked, Rayla debating on whether she should just tell her daughter the truth.

     “Well, it’s because that’s your little brother,” Rayla replied, both her and Callum’s breath holding as they waited for a response. 

     “Little brother?” Sarai asked, trying to wrap her head around it. 

     “His name is Ronan,” Callum said, waiting for Sarai’s response. 

      “But Daddy, you said that I was going to get a baby sister!” Sarai yelled, utterly bewildered that her father had been wrong.

     “I had no real idea, Moonbeam, we weren’t gonna have any idea until the baby was born!” Callum replied, before an idea struck his mind. “Put out your finger,” he directed at Sarai, both girls looking at him in confusion as Callum carefully took Ronan from Rayla’s arms, laying him on the bed and taking one of his arms out of the swaddle he was in. Ronan stirred before Callum held out the baby’s hand towards Sarai's finger. “Harrow and my mom did this when Ezran was born,” he said, glancing at Rayla, who relaxed upon hearing that. “This is a little test to see if he really loves you or not, ok?” Callum said, and Sarai nodded. “Ok, if he really loves you, he’s gonna squeeze your finger really tightly, ok?” He said, Sarai nodded in understanding as she put out her finger towards her little brother’s hand. Almost as soon as the infant felt the finger in question, he grabbed at it tightly with all four fingers, Sarai marveling at how strong her new brother was. 

      “He’s squeezing my finger!” Sarai screeched with excitement. 

      “Yeah, he is, so what does that mean?” Rayla asked, even if she already knew the answer.

     “He loves me!” Sarai responded before trying to let her finger go from her brother, Callum, gently opening his son’s hand to let his daughter’s finger out. 

     “So Sarai, what do you think of your new little brother?” Callum asked, Sarai becoming silent as she was thinking of what to say. 

      “So Ronan and I are like Daddy and Uncle Ez then?” Sarai asked.

     “Yeah, a bit,” Rayla replied, “I mean, Daddy and Uncle Ez love each other a lot,” before she felt herself yawning. 

     “Ok, time for Mummy to get some rest,” Callum said, Rayla not even arguing as she let herself fall asleep.