#RAYLLUM IS JUST WILD MAN

[imminent-danger-came]

Here, friend! I refilled it and wanted to pass it back in case maybe you needed it today, too.

Thanks I appreciate it

[earthblooded]

Just a drink - Rayllum Modern AU

Rayllum - Modern AU

Rating: M

Warning: Suggestions to adult-themed content, but nothing explicit.

Synopsis: Rayla's roommate, Nyx, convinces her to take a break from work for a night out, leading to a fun night, but eventual regret.

This is a fic that's been in my head for way longer than any other fic I've written for TDP but I never really had the time or energy to write it. I still technically don't have the time to write it, but I sure did find the energy tonight.

It'll probably turn into a multi-chap fic at some point, but I'll hold off uploading to ao3 until I intend to do so

“C’mon Rayla, you work yourself to death.”

Rayla sighed, leaning away from her laptop. She wasn’t a workaholic as many people pegged her to be, she just liked to keep herself busy. Getting any work done was becoming more and more challenging with her roommate breathing down her neck. This was the fourth time she had asked her to go out drinking.

“I can’t Nyx, it’s a Sunday and I need to be up early for work tomorrow.” Rayla chewed on her lip, glancing at the time – 8 pm – she still had time to get some reports finished before an early night.

“Well, everyone says Sunday is the new Friday, so maybe you should just come out.”

She stopped typing to raise her eyebrow, casting a skeptical look at her friend. “Who says that?”

“People.” Nyx answered, before waving her hand dismissively, “and anyway, you need the time to chill out. You’ve clearly been stressed because you keep snapping at me about dumb stuff.”

Rayla considered this, wincing when she recalled several occasions on that same day she had been short with Nyx about housekeeping, turning off music, her poor habits... “Fine, I’ll come out, but you can’t pester me about this again for another month.”

“Deal.”

Rayla gave her a week to break that deal.

____________________________________________________

“I thought we we’re just going for drinks.” Rayla said, as they queued to get into a club.

“I think they do drinks here.” Nyx nodded, pointing to a poster for drink deals on the wall. “Look, 2 for 1 on shots.”

“You know what I mean – like beer in the local, not clubbing.” Rayla watched a group of young women staggered out, giggling. “Nyx, you know I hate this, please can we go somewhere else?”

“No was Jose. You’re going to let loose tonight and tomorrow you will thank me.”

“Don’t be so sure.”

_____________________________________________________

Heaviness was the only word she could use to describe how she felt waking up the next day, her ringtone blaring in her ear. She wasn’t hungover, she barely drank anything, but she was tired – having arrived home at ridiculous-o-clock.

Home... no not quite, she realised, as she opened her eyes. Her bedroom didn’t have stacks of canvases and paint pots on every available surface. She sat up suddenly as her eyes scanned the room, trying to identify anything familiar to give her a clue as to where she was. Her clothing was scattered about the floor, her purse and contents among them. Light cast in through floor-to-ceiling windows, adorned with vine plants wrapping around the curtain poles. Sheer white curtains hung from them.

She pulled the duvet around her shoulders, feeling exposed despite still wearing underwear. She had a fairly good inkling as to what happened but there was one thing missing...

“Oh, you’re awake!”

Ahh. This is what happened.

She was greeted by a man in the doorway of the room, his brown hair ruffled, pupils blown wide as he regarded her and his t-shirt neckline was askew revealing the pink mark she had left him on his collarbone. This along with the state of the room, painted a fairly clear image of what had happened, even to those not involved.

In his hands, he held a tray with a small French-press, a couple of mugs and a plate of some sort of pastry. He crossed the room, setting down the tray on the bedside table as he sat opposite her.

“Coffee?” He offered, pouring a mug.

“Hmm,” she smiled, accepting it. As their fingers brushed, her mind flashed to the night before – his breath in her ear, lips on her skin, hands and body tending to her needs – she shifted uncomfortably as she felt that same heat rise up in her again. “Is this how you treat all the girls you bring home?” She asked, her eyebrow raised.

“I’ve never really had a one-night stand, so no... but maybe I’ll start.”

“Oh, just the one night we’re having, is it?” Rayla said, feigning offence. She’d never felt so bold before, but with this guy, she felt comfortable.

“Not if I can help it.” he replied, his eyes landing on her lips as he leaned forward.

Rayla’s ringtone blared again and the man’s head dropped into the crook of her neck as he groaned. She laughed, consoling him by smoothing down his shaggy hair as she picked up her phone.

Nyx was calling... holy shit 6 missed calls.

Her eyes flicked to the clock in the corner of the screen – 8am.

“Shit!” Rayla sprang free from his embrace and his lips on her neck. She bundled her clothing in her arms and hurried to the door. “I’m sorry, I have to go - I need to go home and change before work.”

“Wait, what about your coffee?”

“Sorry... you drink mine. You’ll need it after the night we had.” Really not the time to flirt right now, Rayla she chastised herself, lingering by the door as she watched him rise to protest further.

“What about breakfast? My aunt always said that breakfast was the most important meal of the day.” He raised an eyebrow, in an attempt to tempt her... and it almost worked.

“I don’t have time. I’m sorry – we'll do this another time and we’ll have breakfast, okay?” He sighed, but nodded in agreement. “Great, where’s your bathroom?”

Rayla came out a few moments later, having dressed and made herself semi-presentable for the commute back to the apartment. She found the man in the hallway, a brown bag in his hand held out to her.

“What’s this?”

“You should never miss breakfast.” He smiled, placing the bag into her waiting hand. “Here’s yours, to go.”

___________________________________________________

It was almost 10am and Rayla was sat in her office, staring at the reports she had yet to finish. The ones she should have finished last night if Nyx hadn’t have dragged her away.

Nyx. Rayla had just enough time to change and freshen up when she got back before heading to the office, but hadn’t caught up with Nyx yet.

The dial tone rang twice before she picked up.

“Oh, my gods, Rayla?”

“Yeah, sorry. I didn’t have time to call you back and you weren’t home when I got in.”

“I went to work early. Are you okay?” She asked, but gave little time for Rayla to answer before she continued. “When you didn’t answer for the fourth time last night, I assumed you’d been kidnapped. Police said I had to wait 24 hours before reporting you missing.” She grumbled the last part and Rayla shook her head in amusement. Rayla felt lucky to have someone who cared so much for her, even if she was a bit ridiculous sometimes.

“Sorry for worrying you. I was with a...” she grimaced, knowing full well how Nyx would react “guy.”

Nyx squealed on the other end, but Rayla knew to hold the phone away from her ear and had prepared in time. “Tell me everything! Who is he?”

“Some guy from the club.”

“What’s his name?”

“I don’t know”

“Okay... great.” She said sarcastically. “Well, I know you never ever put out on the first night, so what happened? Were you drunk?”

“No, Nyx, I had that one tequila shot you forced me to drink and that it.” Rayla heard a knock at the door, and glanced up to see Soren wave at her through the window. She raised a finger, indicating she just needed a minute. “Look, I promise I’ll tell you everything later. I need to get back to work.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Nyx said before hanging up.

Rayla sighed – telling Nyx was definitely a mistake she’d live to regret.

“Hey Soren, come in.”

“Happy Monday, boss.” Soren said, striding in, as chipper as he always was. He was her second-in-command in their team. His up-beat attitude meant that she delegated a lot of the more hands-on work to him, while she worked on the nitty-gritty in the background. “New guy is here; you want me to send him in?”

Recruitment wasn’t something that she usually delegated to Soren – she had little faith in his judgement based on his previous hires – however, she was called away to other meetings on the day of interviews and so the responsibility fell to Soren, begrudgingly.

Rayla picked up the neat stack of documents on her desk, ready for the new recruit to sign his life away. “Yes, please – Callum, is it?” She read from the contract at the top of the pile.

Soren nodded, beckoning the new starter in. From her peripheral, she saw Callum walk into the room and she raised her head to greet him.

“Callum, sorry I missed the...” she trailed off as familiar forest-green eyes met hers. He was a lot more put together than he was a mere two hours ago – his hair smoothed tidily, the shirt and jacket concealed any marks of passion. His expression stayed neutral but Rayla saw the recognition flash in his eyes as they swept over her.

She fought back a shudder as the heat rose in her again but before her mind ran wild with memories, she realised how wrong it all was. She was in trouble.

[beautifulterriblequeen]

Uncoupling

I love comparing and contrasting the Three Dads in TDP: Viren, Harrow, and Runaan. On top of these being the parents of the main characters in the show, influencing their earliest habits and beliefs, anything that has more than two sides is super interesting to me, thematically and creatively. So here’s a fun thing I realized last week. And by fun, I mean angsty and sad.

Viren, Harrow, and Runaan--presumably in that order--make complicated choices that separate them from their spouses on essentially a permanent basis. That separation is always physical, but not always emotional. But each decision can be simplified down to one basic theme:

They let someone into their lives, trusted them for all that they could bring to their marriage, and then, one day, they stopped listening to them.

In each case, the men thought they were choosing something hard but correct. But in each case, they were wrong. 

Viren and his wife divorced, and she left the kingdom and her children behind in order to find happiness again. We don’t know the whole story there yet, but we do know Viren pretty well. He’s a genius who puts his feelings toward saving as much of his world as he can, and he doesn’t always make the right call on how to do that. In fact, he’s been making a series of really bad calls for a while now, and he’s been losing the things he’s trying to protect along the way. 

That started with his wife. His strongest supporter and his partner. Without her, he threw himself into dark magic even further, for the sake of Harrow and the kingdom, because that’s what he had left to protect. But without her guidance, he came up with plans that involved wild notions like invading Xadia and killing a snoozing Magma Titan who was just trying to live his life, and risking notice by Avizandum.

Harrow followed that plan because he didn’t listen to Sarai. She literally fought with him over it, and she couldn’t convince him to let it go (that’s gonna sound familiar in a second). Harrow only saw the Narrative of Strength and took the easy route of believing Viren when he said this was the only way. Sarai, unlike Viren’s wife, stuck with her man, because these specific circumstances lent themselves to her skills: she’s a warrior queen. So she went out to support her husband, lend her hand to the task, and help her people. And she died for it, and Harrow lost her anyway. Permanently.

Runaan insisted on allowing Rayla on his assassin mission despite her youth, even though Ethari tried his best to convince him that she wasn’t the right sort of person for that job. Just like Sarai, Ethari fought with Runaan--though probably not literally--but he couldn’t convince him to let it go, either. Just like Harrow, Runaan couldn’t see past what he thought needed to happen to give balance back to his world: I take my loved one and kill someone with her on the other side, and then everything will be fine. And though Ethari didn’t accompany him like Sarai did Harrow, he did make Rayla her own swords and let her go on the mission.

And then Rayla did fail Runaan, and he was captured and presumed dead, and Ethari’s heart broke. They’re currently separated, and we have no idea if they’ll make it back together again, and what it’ll be like if they do. Runaan’s hard heart might have irreparably damaged their relationship, especially if he’s not sorry.

I’m saying there’s an established pattern that ends in spousal loss every time. Even if Runaan is freed, he may retreat even further into the Narrative of Strength, like Viren and Harrow, and Ethari won’t be able to reach him there.

But listen. Listen. This story isn’t over. Sarai has died. But Viren’s wife is actually still alive, and so is Ethari. That’s two out of three. So maybe, maybe, that’s an avenue for redemption for two of these dads. For the two who are still alive. 

Ethari definitely still loves Runaan, and he’s been trying to save him since the moment they met. That may just take a different form than either of them expected. Physical saving, yes, yay, but Runaan needs his soul saved here. He needs to choose the other narrative. And so does Viren. And the people they let closest to them are the ones who have the best chance at helping them do that. To understand that it’s actually necessary.

I’m saying I want Viren’s wife to come back and kick his ass into a redemption arc. Y’all know I already want that for Runaan, and Ethari can absolutely kick Runaan’s ass there. Boot these guys, shake them up, help them remember that they can change their narrative. That their destinies are books they write themselves.

Harrow died because he didn’t listen to Sarai, his trusted partner and beloved ally in life. He turned his back on her advice, and he kept his back turned for nine years. And it got him killed, too.

But Viren’s still kicking, and so is Runaan. Aaravos isn’t going to have Viren’s best interests at heart, but Viren’s ex still might, for the sake of what they had, or for their kids. Ethari definitely still wants what’s best for Runaan. Viren’s ex might not be willing to pay enough. Ethari will probably want to pay whatever it takes. There are some issues there. But like Ezran said, there is hope.

All three dads were wrong because they were each following the Narrative of Strength instead of the Narrative of Love. You can have the purest motives in the world--and they all did--but the actions you take choose your narrative. 

The two spouses we’ve seen definitely live in the Narrative of Love, so Viren’s ex probably does, too. All of these pairings are Strength/Love. And Strength is winning, at the cost of its Love. Strength is winning because it thinks that’s how it should go. Someone needs to win. But Love doesn’t want a winner. Love wants a partnership, a balance, peace and understanding.

In this story, in these three marriages, the Narrative of Strength is tearing couples apart. And from those breaks come so much of the tragedy we’ve seen. It hurts the Love partner, it hurts the Strength wielder, it hurts their families, and it hurts their world.

So I’m looking at Rayla and Callum and begging them to both stay in the Narrative of Love. Especially Rayla. Please don’t harden up, or Callum will get hurt, because he’s the Soft One. Don’t follow Runaan down that road, follow Ethari. Don’t make the mistakes of your parents’ generation, don’t turn your back on the one person you let closest into your heart. Listen to him. You chose Callum for a reason. Trust him to be right about the things he’s good with. 

Love’s power comes from trust and connection. On the journey. Strength only cares about results. We gotta put in the time to get things right. Snap decisions are bad, and doubling down on them because it’s easy is worse.

All these dads broke the loving trust they had because they were too hard. That’s just one more thing Rayllum needs to work hard to do differently than their parents did. Or they’ll just end up repeating the cycle of pain, loss, and bad decisions.

[raayllum]

thoughts on 1x06

rayla going out on her own to check the noise and the deer is so cute!

ezran immediately having the braincell, we love to see it.

i love that not only do the broyals have conflict but it’s made clear how they’ve both grown past any previous prejudices and that callum’s mistrust is stemming from a different place now, too, that’s from rayla as a person, not an elven enemy.

callum being sad about not being able to fully trust rayla even though he wants to, while still also liking her technically against his better judgment, will never fail to get me right in the feels.

i love how dynamic this fight scene is, both with its unique weapons from corvus, but how it moves from the ground to the trees and the gorgeous lighting. it’s just so good

i love corvus so much and i’m so glad s2 and s3 continued to show more sides to his personality besides being a very perceptive tracker and a skilled fighter. i also like that while he’s the aggressor (ie. attacker) at first it’s still shown (particularly because he’s a dark skinned black man) that he’s not aggressive, with “give me the boys peacefully and i’ll them go.” he’s not here for revenge or unnecessary violence.

also just really had the pieces click that callum is gathering firewood, which means the boys knew the sort of camp chores and actively helped out without being asked. i always figured it wasn’t all on rayla’s shoulders (as the only one confirmed to have done this sort of travelling before) but i’m glad that it checks out here, too.

oh to be a younger sibling with god tier blackmail material to use against your older sibling. (poor callum, too, that is... very embarrassing, especially considering the *ahem* baguette placement.)

1x06 is a god tier rayllum ep and i’m gonna cry

like we already know callum is (rightfully) suspicious. rayla comes charging into camp. doesn’t let them eat. doesn’t tell them why. and yeah, callum wants to know. but he lets it go and ultimately trusts that if rayla thinks they should get moving, then they should, and he follows. he’s not happy about it, because she’s being snappy and secretive - but he also easily could’ve dug in his heels and insisted, and he doesn’t. i just. he really does trust her, so much, deep down.

also callum being so distracted by rayla that he forgets the food they need to survive? honey

even though i still think viren asking soren to kill the boys is the worst thing he’s done (yes up to and including s3) it’s not just for power and there is a reason. it’s not a good enough reason, and it’s cruel and violent and shitty, but there’s a reason. 

like a see-saw! makes me piss myself laughing every time tbh

i do like that viren doesn’t correct him though. it’s a metaphor and it works for soren to get the point across so he leaves it be

viren believing that vulnerability is weakness instead of strength tells you everything you need to know about his character and the choices he makes throughout every season, tbh. he’s aware of his own and humanity’s vulnerability, tried to open up to harrow and was shut down for it, and now he finally sees opportunities to increase his own power and strength and that of humanity’s... without realizing the harm he’ll cause on his way there.

god the parallels of viren telling soren he has to keep the secret while rayla struggles with keeping her own, both tied to how they’re supposed to hurt the princes.

like soren would ever care about being a prince or a king, jc

ezran is having a very long, very bad day

i will say it’s so wild going back to 1x06 because it’s the only episode the trio really argues in and callum is just so perpetually done with rayla’s shit and rayla just absolutely not caring for 90% of it

real nervous about claudia being the next person we see with the mirror now that we’re going into s4 hnng

also the scene with claudia is just making me real sad, and the fact that she’s the one who brings up the egg vs soren thing - as a joke, but it’s not something that viren presents on his own, either, and just. gaaah

i also just realized how often claudia reassures her family that everything will be fine. here in 1x06, later on in s2 with soren, with her dad in s3. she keeps saying it and god s4 is gonna hit hard, because things are decidedly not fine.

jack de sena’s read of “then what’s stopping you” when callum finally reaches his Breaking Point of frustration is so good i’m gonna cry

love how when rayla admits “we’re not going to make it” that helps spur callum into action that’s also assertive (and magical): “get behind me.”

the confession / explanation scene on the ice? equal parts emotional and stressful (like so much of rayla’s existence lmao)

the scene where they really try and make you think ez is dead is long and depressing it’s the worst (and i love it)

the fact that they don’t even look at the egg until they know ezran is okay.

we stan the first group hug forever

[davey-in-a-minivan]

just, remember me, okay?

asdfkjal this is late and long, but my gift for @keiththeweirdo for the @tdpholidayexchange!

word count: 2213 mood: angst with a happy ending?? rayllum, side serving of claudia premise: what if callum’s rescue off the storm spire had gotten... complicated? (also on ao3)

She should have died. That was Rayla’s one clear thought as consciousness returned, sticky and slow as blood seeping from a reopened wound. She had thrown herself from the Storm Spire. She should have died.

But then, Callum above her. But then, Callum with feathers pushing through his skin and a wild, desperate determination in his eyes. Callum, with human fear and human clumsiness and heavy human bones, who could barely support his own weight with his new wings. Callum, who had realized that he could not carry her to safety and so had swooped beneath her instead.

Callum, in whose motionless limbs she was still tangled.

She should have died.

It wasn’t grief that plagued her so much as fear-- icy, paralyzing fear, to open her eyes and roll off his crushed body and see him staring blankly at the sky he dearly loved. Even the pain that burned in her every bone and joint after the jolt of impact could not persuade her to untangle herself.

The sound of approaching footsteps, however, could. Her eyes opened to slits to see a dark figure in a billowing cloak stumble past, stopping beside Viren’s battered body. The caterpillar that had coiled around his shoulders wriggled and the figure kicked it aside with a guttural cry, slinging it through the air to crawl into the shadows. Then she dropped to her knees, hands fluttering from Viren's bleeding head to his chest to his pulseless throat. “It’s going to be alright, Dad. I found you. I’m going to save you, I’m going to--” Her voice cracked.

Rayla inhaled. “Claudia.”

The human shot upright, wiping her face furiously. “What are you doing here?” Then Rayla struggled to her feet and Claudia’s eyes shifted past her, to Callum. The last flush of color left her ashen face. “No.”

Rayla pointed a finger. “You said you can save him.”

“No, no, no-- what happened?” Claudia demanded, her gaze darting from face to vacant face like a caged animal looking for an escape. Rayla wanted to shout at her to stop stalling. It didn’t matter what had happened! “This is your fault!”

The words hurt like a dagger twisted in the back-- because they were true. But-- “You were the one that attacked us! You, and your evil father--”

“Don’t talk about him like that,” Claudia snarled, raising her staff. A sunfire staff, stolen from the elves, though the core had somehow been corrupted. “You need to leave, now.”

“I’m not leaving Callum,” Rayla said.

“I’ll kill you.”

“Try it.”

For a moment they just stood, panting, eyes locked. Rayla’s face burned, and the effort of holding back tears made her head pound. She would fight. She would die. But she could imagine a moment of savage triumph, of sinking her blade between the dark mage’s ribs, before they both collapsed onto the blood-stained ground. She reached for her swords.

But then Callum’s voice stopped her. Claudia is my friend. They had been at the lunar nexus. She had only seen Claudia and Soren as threats, but Callum wanted to trust them. They betrayed us at the nexus, she thought angrily. Yes, but then Soren came to help us. Led by the good heart Callum had sworn he had, Soren joined the fight for peace. Maybe… Claudia could do the same.

Hesitantly, Rayla shifted from her fighting stance, her hands drifting away from the hilts of her blades. “Claudia, you and I’ve never been friends. I know that. But Callum-- you and Callum were. And he needs help.”

“Why do you care so much?” Claudia asked suspiciously. “A month ago you would have been glad to see him dead.”

“I would have,” she said. “But I didn’t know-- Callum is good.” The word choked in her throat, and she squeezed her eyes shut for a second, holding back tears. “Since I’ve known him, everything he does is for love. It’s for peace. He makes you see how the world could be, instead of how it is. And I don’t know anyone else like that. The world is so hurt and so ugly, but if anyone can heal it-- it’s him. Don’t you see that? He needs to live.” Hot tears slipped down her cheeks, but she didn’t break eye contact. Surely Claudia knew. Surely she understood that nothing could be right if Callum were dead. Surely--

“You love him,” Claudia said softly. The last ragged thread of Rayla’s self-control snapped, and she sank to the ground, sobbing, nodding, shoulders shaking. The sunfire staff clattered as it was cast aside, and then Claudia’s arms were around her, holding her as she cried. “It’s so easy to, isn’t it?” she whispered. Rayla clung to her as she fought to steady her breath, finally pulling back to wipe her eyes.

“Is there anything you can do to save him?”

Claudia gave a watery laugh, gesturing at Callum and Viren. “What, like a double resurrection?”

Rayla’s heart skipped a beat. “Is that possible?”

"Theoretically," Claudia said, kneading her eyes. Her voice quivered-- from sorrow or exhaustion, Rayla couldn't guess. "In practice, though-- I’ve never touched necromancy before. The ingredients alone are almost impossible. You need-- you need--” She trailed off, furrowing her brow, and Rayla’s veins iced with fear. Of course the ingredients would be something horrific. Or something impossible. Nothing came for free, not with dark magic, especially not something as precious as Callum’s life. Still looking fuzzily to the distance, Claudia muttered “--and of course, the hard part isn’t even healing the body, it’s calling back the spirit--”

Rayla shook her head, refusing to acknowledge the impossibility of her task that weighed like the world on her chest. “What are the ingredients?”

Claudia grimaced. “You need some part of a magical creature that owes its life to the one who died. But there’s no way we’ll get up to the dragon prince in time for it to be of use, even if we could evade the queen and all the guards--”

The crushing pressure on Rayla’s chest lifted. “Use me, then.”

“What?”

Heat flooded Rayla’s heart, painful and brilliant. “I would have died if it weren’t for Callum. Use me.”

“But I need to use a part of you, flesh or bone.”

“Then you’ll have to cut off my horn,” Rayla said, reaching for the fallen sunfire staff. Claudia watched wordlessly as she drew a blade and slid it through the fiery core of the staff. “With a steady hand and a hot blade, it shouldn’t be hard.” The blade now shone white-hot as she offered the hilt to Claudia.

Claudia gaped at her. “You… want me to do it?”

“Well, I cannae do it myself,” she said. Gingerly, Claudia took the sword. Rayla smoothed her hair away from her horns and then turned her back to the human. She was entirely vulnerable. One slash from the superheated sword and she’d be gone. She clung to her second-hand belief in Claudia, her desperate trust. And after a moment, she felt heat waft over her scalp, and an unfamiliar pressure against her skull. The smell of singed hair reached her. Then the pressure eased and the heat faded. Rayla turned to see Claudia holding her blade in one hand and a coal-gray horn in the other, looking entirely lost.

“But what about my father?”

She sounded… helpless. She must have combed through a lifetime of memories, searching for one moment her father saved a magical creature, only to come up empty. The fear in her eyes echoed Rayla’s own. For the first time, Rayla didn’t feel a wave of disgust at the mention of Viren. Instead, grief tugged at her, for the man the girl had lost. Rayla hesitated. Then, slowly, she said, “if Soren hadn’t come ta warn us yesterday, I would probably be dead.” Viren was greedy. Manipulative. Ruthless. But she had been wrong to believe that humans were fully evil. “And if you hadn’t taught Callum his first spell… he would never have connected to the sky arcanum.” Every one of them was a mix of good and bad, drawn from two streams. “And I know I’d be dead.” Viren had made wrong choices, evil choices, that she could not forget. But he had also done good. “I owe the man who raised you two with good hearts,” she said.

Claudia’s hands were shaking. “I don’t understand.”

“Take my other horn. For him.” Rayla turned her back to the human once more. “And do it quick.”

“Thank you,” Claudia said hoarsely, pressing the blade to the base of Rayla’s remaining horn. “I don’t-- I know he--”

“You won’t let things go back to the way they were,” Rayla said, cutting her off. “This is a new chance-- for both of ye.” The choice felt inexplicably right. The kind of thing Callum would do. A weight lifted from her skull and her fingers went to her head, finding two uneven stubs tangled in her wind-swept hair like spiderwebs. “Well, that’s that.” Claudia carefully set down the sword, which had cooled to a cherry-red. “What now?”

“The blood of one who loves them,” Claudia said, passing one horn to Rayla. It felt funny in her hand. Smaller than she imagined. She copied Claudia, bloodying the tip of the horn from one of her many bleeding scrapes. Then Claudia knelt between the bodies, pressing the tip of one horn to each chest, piercing the skin. Rayla counted the passing seconds like a clock was ticking in her ears.

“It’s going to work. You can do this,” she urged Claudia.

Claudia bent her head with grim determination. “Or I’ll die trying,” she said, and began to chant. Rayla held her breath, bracing herself for the poisonous hum of dark magic in the air. Instead, all she felt was an electric buzz, making her hair stand on end. Claudia’s eyes filled with golden light, and more light blossomed from Callum and Viren’s chests. Claudia’s forehead beaded with sweat from the effort, but she seemed to draw strength from the light. Because it’s not dark magic, Rayla realized with a jolt. Dark magic was stolen magic, ripped from the creature to whom it belonged. But Rayla had given her horns freely, and the power that Claudia now summoned was something new. Callum would be fascinated. Then the thought slipped away because suddenly Claudia was gasping for breath, blinking away the light and fixing Rayla with wide eyes. “It’s up to you now. Call his spirit back.”

***

The boy supposed he must be dead. He had the vague idea that death was something that had scared him before; he had the faintest memory of fear shooting through his heart as he hurtled toward the ground, fear that was only overcome by the overpowering urge to save-- hmm. He couldn’t remember who.

It was peaceful here, in death; no ticking clock, no frantically beating heart. Just a soft expanse of hills, blanketed in fog, and in the distance a white gate. He walked towards it. Again, he felt like he was forgetting something. He wasn’t supposed to be travelling alone. But there was no one else here to travel beside him. The white gate loomed above him as he approached. He pushed the knob and it swung open without a noise, feather-light. His breath caught as he saw the vast sunlit valley beyond. It was beautiful. He stepped forward-- then stumbled back, as if pulled by unseen hands. This wasn’t right. What was missing?

A voice whispered in his ear, soft and insistent. Callum. He spun, looking over his shoulder, back over the fog-bound hills. No one. Callum, come back. The boy blinked. Callum. That was his name. Callum, please.

“Who are you?” Callum called. His voice echoed strangely in the still air.

Callum. Every repetition of the name was like the tug of a fish-hook lodged firmly in his chest. I need you to come back. I need you to wake up.

“I don’t know how,” he said, distress tightening his throat for the first time since he had died. “I don’t know where to go, except through the gate.”

Follow my voice. Come back to me. Do you hear me?

“Who are you?” he shouted desperately, his head jerking from side to side. The voice sounded like it was coming from the left-- and as he looked, a path seemed to open in the fog, revealing tiny white flowers. He took a few tentative steps, and a flash of memory shot through his mind: a meadow of flowers, and laughter in the air. He stumbled. “Hello?”

Can you hear me?

“I hear you! I’m coming!” He broke into a run.

Callum, please. Scattered memories crackled through his head, fast and disorienting. His legs pounded the earth. He knew that voice. I know you’re there. I know you can find your way. I’m not going to give up on you. The fog dissolved like ocean spray on a breaking wave. I love you, Callum.

The name he had been searching for came at last to his lips. "Rayla," he said. Then every memory came crashing back, and a searing flash of lightning split the world. 

***

"I love you, Callum," Rayla whispered. And his heart began to beat again. 

[porscheczar110]

Of Sand and Rain

Rayllum Month 2019 prompt: Beach Day

Written by my sister in law tagged in comments (because tumblr)

Read here

Rayla, despite having complicated feelings regarding bodies of water, absolutely loved the beach. The sand, the smell, the sounds. Everything about it made her feel warm and excited. It was almost like stepping into another world. Your worries and your life , really, stayed behind somewhere along the car ride.

What Raya didn’t love was being dragged to the beach in the middle of winter. Sure, it was a pretty tropical area. Most of the time, they could get away with going year round. But some days just weren’t meant to be beach days. Those days included dreariness, rain, cold temperatures, lack of sun, and flood warnings among other things.

Yet here she and Callum were, on the beach in the midst of a severe thunderstorm warning. In the heart of January.

“You’re an idiot,” she snarled as the wind whipped her hair around. “But I’m an even bigger idiot for agreeing to come with you!” It had been wholly his idea, and he was annoyingly persistent when he wanted to be. Her grievances and reasonings fell upon death ears. That was when he whipped out the puppy eyes.

And, damnit all, he knew that was her ultimate weakness.

She moved a bit past him when she noticed the double red flags flying. Uh oh. That wasn’t good. That meant the water was closed for public use. And it was sort of obvious given the weather conditions, but still. She looked around, unsurprised to find the long stretch of sand on either side of them were completely empty. Not a soul in sight.

Good, she thought with a sniff. At least some people have a brain. She tightened her sweater around herself, but it did little to stop the biting edge to the endless sea breeze.

At least it still smelled great.

“Rayla,” Callum said lowly from somewhere behind her.

He sounded serious. Suddenly, she was overtaken with nerves. She hated when he talked in that tone of voice. That was his ‘royal tone.`` Things were never good when the royal tone came out. Was it too late to run away into the waves? Let them take her away from all her troubles that now, strangely, included Callum?

She began planning a mode of escape that didn’t involve her eventual demise at the hands of a violent ocean.

I’m not feeling well.

Uh-oh, looks like Shark Week just arrived.

I’m a war criminal, and they’ve just found my location!

My aunt’s grandmother’s second cousin thrice removed just had a baby, so I need to go visit.

Sorry, was in a minor fender bender on my way over here.

I’ve just been bitten by a poisonous crab! We need to go to the hospital as soon as possible before I die.

I—

“Rayla,” he said again. She mentally banged her head against the wall and then buried it in the sand. Like an ostrich. She liked ostriches. Well, as long as they weren’t charging her. Surprisingly enough, she had actually had an ostrich charge at her. Completely not her fault, too. If it had been her fault, she’d own up to it. But it wasn’t. That one was all Runaan. She’d only been—

“Earth to Rayla?”

She gave a high-pitched laugh, rubbing the back of her head as she turned around. At the sight before her, the ground disappeared. She went completely numb.

This couldn’t be real.

“I would like you to weigh in on another idiotic idea I had,” he began loudly over the howling of the wind around them. “You see, you stole my heart on this beach a few years ago. Same day, same time, same spot. And, in the time between then and now, I decided I didn’t really want it back. I honestly think it’s safer with you than me,” he laughed, and she couldn’t help but do the same around the tears budding. “You are everything that I am not. You’re my other half, and I cannot and will not live the rest of my life without you. I didn’t even bother trying to imagine what it would be like to live without you because it’s like trying to imagine living without an integral part of me. I have spent my whole life trying to fit in, and everywhere I searched, I just found more emptiness, more loneliness. And then you came along… That all changed. I had somewhere I belonged, somewhere I was safe. You’re my home, Ray. In ever sense of the word. Just seeing you, just hearing your voice, I know that everything is going to be alright. So I’m going to ask you to go along with another wild idea. Arguable wilder than coming to the beach in the heart of winter and in the midst of an oncoming storm.

“Rayla, will you marry me?”

She couldn’t help but smile, her joyous tears mixing with the gentle drizzle that had begun. “You know,” she began, “kneeling for that long must be painful for someone who isn’t used to it, Prince.” He glanced away, and even the cold could do nothing to hide his raging blush.

“Given my position, there are few people I’d kneel down to. And the only one I’d do it for willingly and gladly. You .”

“Callum,” she sobbed, throwing herself into his arms. They fell back into the sand. In the back of her mind, she was grumbling about how dirty they were going to be. How dirty the car was going to get. Sand in their hair and in all places where sand should never be. But she didn’t care. All that mattered was the man before her.

Their lips met.

Once. Twice. Thrice.

“Is—is that a yes?” he asked between kisses.

She laughed against his lips, nodding feverishly. “Yes, yes, yes, you silly fucking goose. A thousand times and more, yes. ”

In the midst of their own sort of personal monsoon, a ring found its way onto her finger (and unfortunately indicative sneezes snuck in there somewhere, too).

Maybe it wasn’t the most perfect beach day. But it was to her.

And that’s what really mattered.

[jamestherocketscientist]

This band kinda became my hyperfixation, they are really cool and the songs are super relatable, anyway Does this dong sounds Rayllum to you? I kinda see it from Rayla’s perspective trough S2.

I never wanted to get too close to you But now it looks like I'm getting too close to you My mom tries to catch me, but I know all the backstreets There's a look that you give me, a switch And my filter melts, and the words just slip Don't know what I'm sayin', but I know I'm not playin'

You're gonna fall, but I'll catch you You're gonna fall, but I'll catch you You're gonna fall, but I'll catch you (Ooh) Come on and jump, well, I dare you Come on and jump, well, I dare you Come on and jump, well, I dare you (Come on and jump, well, I dare you) There's stains on your sweater You think you'd know better But you're a child, and it's kinda wild How you're the one that brings the sun I can't seem to sleep, and I feel my pulse beating I wanna keep all of my control But you're the one that brings the sun                  The dimple on your cheek and the wrinkle on your hand They're sayin' you're gonna be my man And there's somethin' about you I just love how they doubt you I never wanted to hold a lie for you I never wanted to make you cry But you run me in circles And I can't keep my eyes closed Stains on your sweater You think you'd know better But you're a child, and it's kinda wild How you're the one that brings the sun Can't seem to sleep, and I feel my pulse beating I wanna keep all of my control But you're the one that brings the sun You're gonna fall, but I'll catch you You're gonna fall, but I'll catch you Come on and jump, well, I dare you (Come on and jump, well, I dare you!)                  There's stains on your sweater You think you'd know better But you're a child, and it's kinda wild How you're the one that brings the sun I can't seem to sleep, and I feel my pulse beating And I wanna keep all of my control But you're the one that brings the sun