still into you

Summary: Years after the end of the war, Rayla and Callum visit Katolis.

"Callum, c'mon—" A tug on his scarf that he brushes off, too comfortable to care. He keeps his eyes stubbornly shut, but he can still picture the eyeroll his partner must be giving him at this point. She tugs again, on the lapels of his coat this time. "Come on, sleepy prince," she says, just a smidgen more fond than exasperated. "The carriage can't be that comfortable."

As if to prove her right, it jolts upwards and his brow hits the window it was pressed against. They must've gone over a pot hole, which means that they've reached the beginnings of Ez's new infrastructure project and—yeah, he really should get up now. He rubs at the injured spot on his temple, feeling a bit like a baby maybe, but is it really fair that Rayla's smirking at him like that, all too pleased with herself?

He looks far more awake than he does, her hair braided back in a looser coil that reaches her shoulder blades, her eyes sparkling in a way that still makes him stop and stare, because how can any one person be that beautiful? She's pulled on her sleek green robes too, the seal of Katolis stitched along the sleeve hems as a show of diplomacy and goodwill—she's basically the kingdom's princess after all, even if no one would dare call her that.

And she's smirking at him, a hand on her hip and her wedding band glittering up at him. "Are you just going to ogle all day," she teases, "or are you going to freshen yourself up a bit, too?"

Callum pushes himself up, soothed slightly when she leans over and smooths his hair out for him. "I don't look too bad, do I?" he says hopefully, fighting off a yawn.

Rayla pats his cheek, fingers catching the stubble growing along his jaw. "You could use a shave," she jeers, and he swats her hand away with an eye roll and smile of his own.

"You like it."

"Hm."

Ezran is waiting for them in the castle's main courtyard when they arrive, and Callum has to tilt his head back to look his baby brother in the eye once they're done embracing. He still doesn't quite know how to tell Ez he reminds him more of Harrow every day, in his kindness and kingliness, but he's sure he'll find a way soon enough. Ezran hugs Rayla next, and she beams at him.

"How are the wee humans doing?" she asks, referring to his subjects.

"Managing without their Xadian protector," Ezran says, and they laugh. It's one of the sounds that make Callum feel the most whole. "How's everyone back in Ryling?"

"Good," Callum says.

"But nosy," Rayla adds. "Our neighbours asked me the other day when we're having children, and we're not even wed yet—"

"Until Runaan's asking I don't think it's that much of a problem," Callum says, looping his arm around her waist and she settles, letting out a sigh of exasperation.

"Sorry," she says to Ezran, working her mouth around the apology as though it was ill-fitting. "I didn't mean to come all this way to vent to you."

"Don't apologize," the king says. "I've missed it." He eyes both of them, and Callum can see the mischievous glint of youth amid the deep blue. "And I trust you two have missed our customary jelly tarts?"

"Very much," Callum agrees, and Ezran laughs and escorts and dines with them in the kitchens the way the two boys used to do in their childhood. It makes him happy that he gets to share he and Ezran's old tradition with Rayla, now. In spite of the crazy circumstances they met each other in, sometimes he has trouble remembering he and Ez haven't actually known her all their lives, even if the night they snuck out of the castle with a dragon egg feels like a whole lifetime, instead of just ten years, ago.

Even the king can't have afternoons, off though, so Ezran gets dragged away to some meetings and promises to meet them for dinner. On any other day Callum would have been disappointed his brother had to go, but not today, as they share a wink before he left and unbeknownst to Rayla. This surprise is for her, after all, and it's something her and him have to do on their own.

By now, everyone is used to Rayla's presence and any who opposed in the earlier years have been fired, so they spend a good hour or two sitting in the courtyard benches and enjoying the courtyard weather. It's colder in Ryling during this time of year, and Callum has missed spring in Katolis with its warm breezes.

It's close to three, judging by the sun dial and shadows, when Callum finishes his drawing and Rayla lets out a hum of approval at it. He closes his sketchbook, and then takes her hand.

"C'mon," he says. "There's something I wanna do before dinner."

She smirks. "Oh?"

He gives her a smirk of his own and tugs her up by the hand. "Not that," he says. "At least, not yet," he amends, pressing a quick kiss to her lips, and he can feel her smiling. "Now c'mon."

He doesn't let go of her hand, and she lets him lead her back into the castle and onto the upper floors near the turrets. The hallways begin to look familiar before they pass an old suit of armour, and a red embroidered tapestry on the wall, and he watches and waits for the recognition to come into her eyes. It does slowly, and her hand slips out of his as she takes a few steps forwards, the way he knew she would, to double check.

"Callum?" she says, wonderingly, as she turns back to face him with a soft awe on her face, and then shock overtakes her beautiful features because he's on one knee, and holding a box with a ring. Rayla gasps. "This—"

"—is the hallway where we first met? Yes it is," he says, beaming, and although she's covering her mouth with her hands he can see the smile growing underneath. "You snuck up on me that day, in more ways than one, and you didn't just sweep the leg—you also swept me off my feet."

"Sap," she says, but she's crying a little and smiling too wide for it to have any bite.

"It's the truth," he says, and she laughs. "Rayla," he continues and she quiets, although her smile doesn't dim. "You are my best friend and you've already been my family for a long time. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, making you happy, and only slightly annoyed. Rayla, will you marry me?"

Rayla steps forward and he stands, and then she's throwing her arms around him and hugging him tight. "Yes, I'll marry you."

Later, when they tell Ezran, he only has a smug look on his face. "Took you both long enough. 'Because you're with a girl,' remember?"