A/N: So this took a lot longer than expected. This was hard to write because I already did a firefly type prompt and I don't want to keep doing repeats and additions to the old stuff. That said, I've done another addition to the College AU. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

yeah, yeah, but they're fun to write! Also, for continuity's sake, this takes place after Callum's already sketched her, which has yet to be written nor posted.

Chapter Summary: College AU - Rayla and Callum exchange a few of their favourite things in a fun little game, to learn more about each other. But who would've thought the artist of the duo hadn't heard of Owl City? Rayla's up to the task of correcting this mistake.

Word Count: 2,493

Favourites

"Alright, how 'bout favourite colour?"

Callum paused his sketching as he took a moment to glance over at Rayla. She was laying down on her back, head up in the clouds. The two were sharing a blanket and sitting outside on the quad, during a pretty vacant time of the day. Rayla has her arms rested underneath her head and her legs bent and crossed over each other. Callum was sat just a few inches away, cross legged with a sketchbook and pencil in hand. He took a moment to stare something Rayla, observing her outfit of the day. A simple pair of black ripped jeans with a bold black pair of timberlands to bottom it out. Her shirt, a gray v-neck with a graphic that said, Play Hard Eat Harder, was slightly obscured by the large burgundy coloured varsity jacket she had donned on.

Callum smirked, and taking a shot in the dark, answered, "Burgundy?"

Rayla snorted as she turned her head to face him. "Why? Because it's our school's colours?" she mused.

"I mean something has to sell it for you if you keep wearing that around," the artist pointed out, lightly tapping her arm with his pencil.

The Scottish girl laughed as she shook her head, clearly amused with his reasoning. "Nice try, but no. I actually thought it was kinda obvious?" She gestured to her white hair, presumably focusing on the purple streaks highlighted within them.

Callum smirked. "Purple?"

"Violet, but yeah," she corrected.

He snorted. "That's not violet. That's like, basic purple." Rayla shot him an unimpressed look. "What? I'm an art student! I know violet and that's like, close to violet, but not."

Rayla rolled her eyes. "Way to shoot down all my money spent on this then," she muttered as she flicked a strand of her purple streaks. "If ya know so much about colours and shading, how do ya not know it only looks brighter because of the sun?" she gestured to said sun with a dramatic wave of her hand.

Callum squinted at her for a moment, then nonchalantly resumed his sketching. "Your hair blends well with it. It's a good contrast, looks good on you, but it stays bright in any shade and matches the white so no, it's not the sun."

"Wow," Rayla smirked. She turned over and rested her head in the palms of her hands, propping her elbows up on the blanket. "Did ya just compliment me?" she gleamed with a wide grin.

Callum's brows rose as his cheeks faintly flushed. "S-Seriously? That's the takeaway from all of this?"

Rayla laughed as Callum attempted to return to his sketching. "Sorry, it's not often an artist compliments your style." Said artist merely rolled his eyes at her remark "Anyways… your favourite colour's…" she squinted at him, and Callum couldn't decide if it was to mock him or if it was actually for observation. "Hah, I bet yours is red."

His brows rose in surprise as he looked at her. "Wow, that's, right? How'd you know?"

"It's twenty-five degrees out and ya're wearing a red scarf?" she casually pointed out, gesturing to his body.

Callum glanced down and laughed. He supposed it was kinda obvious. No sane person would just don a red scarf in scalding hot weather unless they had some attachment to it. And, the red scarf, while it did mean something, also complimented his blue cardigan and beige khakis. Then again, he was essentially wearing a Fall outfit in the prospering beginning of spring. "Fair point," he acknowledged. He glanced down at his sketch and frowned. He was trying to sketch her, secretively, but she kept tossing and turning so much his reference was getting jagged.

"Oi, when are ya gonna tell me what ya're sketching?" Rayla whined as she turned on her back, looking up at the clouds.

Internally, Callum groaned. "It's nothing, just a dumb idea," he dismissed. In actuality, the conversation seemed easier to avoid with him not bringing up the topic at all. It definitely wasn't because he was embarrassed to ask her once again.

She scoffed. "Ya said that about your painting with the old oak tree! Soren said ya brushed it off non-stop. But it's one of the top showcases displayed in the Gallery in the art department to this day."

A small smile grew on Callum's lips. "You… you check the gallery there too?" He was surprised. He knew she was a fan of his work, but he didn't think she admired him that much.

She sat up from her spot and punched his shoulder. "Knock it off!" she barked. "I already told ya… I like lookin' at your art sometimes." Rayla turned her head and glanced down at the ground. "It's… nice to look at. It's why I wanna see your studio more often, to see what else ya've got in the works."

Callum smiled at her as he nodded. "Of course, you will." He closed his book and shrugged. "But, not until I've got more to show you," he added.

Rayla seemed satisfied with his answer and nodded back, smiling at him. Just as he was about to return to his sketching, she nudged him with her elbow. "Hey, it's your turn."

He stopped and paused. Right, they were trying to learn more about each other. Thinking to make some fun out of it, the two turned it into a guessing game, trying to guess the other's favourites. So far he's learned her favourite season is Fall, like him, and that pizza is her favourite guilty pleasure food—his was tacos from Taco Bell. She loved Star Wars, but loved Lord of the Rings more in terms of trilogies, but Princess Bride always had a special place in her heart for a go-to film. In truth, a lot of their questions were silly and basic, like favourite day of the week or time of day; all asked mainly to spark more conversation. Apparently they both agreed Thursday was a good day and that anything past midnight was fun. Of course Callum was a night owl for obvious reasons, but Rayla had her fair share of staying up just for the fun of it. It was a lot more fun that they both expected.

Callum pondered the idea and settled on something related to arts.

"Favourite artist?" he asked. He smugly smirked to himself. Call him a cheat, but there was no real win for her here. It wasn't like his was impossible to guess, but more so just something no one would think of the first time around.

"Hmmm," she contemplatively stared at him as she placed a hand on her chin. A good half-minute seemed to pass, leaving Callum to chuckle at her deep concentration. "The Beatles?" she answered.

His eyes shot wide open. There was no way. "How… did you peek at my playlist when I let you in my studio?"

Rayla feigned a gasp. "How dare ya!" she dramatically replied, "I can make an educated guess, ya know?" When he shot her an unimpressed stare she frowned. "Ya did a piece a few months ago about peace within a home, the one inside an apartment building? In the background, ya had a record album hung up on the wall."

"So what, you just guessed from that?"

"Callum, ya also had one up in your studio," she deadpanned. "Tell me there's no connection for somthin' so obscure?"

He facepalmed as he sighed. "Right… nice guess…" he muttered. Boy, was he a smart one. "Well, it's my turn, anyways. I think…" he looked at her with contemplation. Her whole personality screamed an indie pop vibe, mixed in with pop rock music, but her artist side also hinted out some outgoing explorations. It was a shot in the dark but—"Taylor Swift?" Yeah, he had no idea, so he guessed.

Rayla stared at him incredulously. "What? I mean, I love her, but not that much! Do I give off a Swiftie vibe?" she asked with genuine concern. Holding a hand over her chest, she muttered, "Goodness, I had no idea…"

Callum chuckled. "To be honest, I was just guessing. I got nothing." He shrugged.

"Laaaame," she teased. "My favourite artist is Owl City."

He blinked at her. "Who?"

Her eyes widened. "Ya've never heard of Owl City?" she said in a low whisper as she crouched down.

He dropped his shoulders as he mimicked her actions, mocking her with a quiet voice. "No?"

"Seriously!" she gasped.

He flinched at her reaction, now fearing the follow-up of what would come if he said yes. "M-Maybe I have? I… don't really know artists that well, just songs." That was true. He'd heard dozens of catchy songs on the radio but never paid attention to the artist behind them. "Just last week I found out Ed Sheeran wrote Photograph."

Rayla's eyes widened more. Callum couldn't help but feel that he broke her. "Ray?" You uh… you okay?"

"Fireflies," she blurted out.

"Ex-Excuse me?"

"Fireflies, at least tell me ya've heard that?" she pleaded, clearly in shock.

Callum stopped and focused, desperately trying to recall a time he heard a song with fireflies in its chorus. Nothing, nothing at all came to mind. "Nope?" he hesitantly replied.

Rayla's widened eyes grew wider, it seemed impossible but now they were as big as saucers. She looked like she just received terrible news or someone just kicked her puppy. "Ya've got to be jokin'," she muttered.

Callum shook his head. "I'm serious."

"Where the hell were ya during 2009?"

"Alive? Just… not listening to… what was it, Owl City?" the name flew of his tongue so strangely. That did not sound familiar at all.

"Well that needs to change." She immediately dig into her pocket and pulled out her phone. He saw her increase the volume to full blast as she swiped through her apps, tapping on her Spotify. It seemed instantaneous with how quickly she had it ready, but Callum assumed it must've been her last song listened to. They must've been a good artist then. She hit play and held her phone out to him. With open ears, Callum listened as the first verse began,

You would not believe your eyes

If ten million fireflies

Lit up the world as I fell asleep—

"What? Is he talking about stars?" Callum asked.

"Shush," Rayla hissed.

—And leave teardrops everywhere

You'd think me rude but I would just stand and stare

The chorus kicked in,

I'd like to make myself believe

That planet Earth turns slowly—

"But it does—"

"Callum."

—It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep

'Cause everything is never as it seems

"Is he talking about insomnia?"

"Oi, just listen."

'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs

From ten thousand lightning bugs

As they tried to teach me how to dance

Callum opened his mouth, ready to criticize once more, but paused as he noticed Rayla's face. She was mouthing the words with a small smile, eyes focused on the album pictured accompanied with the lyrics. The electronic pop song seemed to entrance her, causing a light gentle sway with her body as she mouthed the second half of the second verse.

A foxtrot above my head

A sock hop beneath my bed

The disco ball is just hanging by a thread

These items, these words, sounded so bizarre and strange to Callum, but the beat and tempo remained consistently catchy. But most notably, they seemed to strike a cord with Rayla, as she smiled a seemingly familiar smile. There looked as if there was history within the upturned corners of her lips, like they had been the product of someone who had listened to an electropop song on repeat for several hours. It was a picture perfect smile of nostalgia.

The chorus returned, and Rayla begun singing along in a hushed tone,

"I'd like to make myself believe

That planet Earth turns slowly

It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep

'Cause everything is never as it seems."

She froze up as she met Callum's eyes. Closing her mouth from embarrassment, she shyly cowered her gaze away from his, emitting a small laugh as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Callum couldn't believe the star player of the football team was nervous to sing around one guy. It was adorable.

He smirked as he shifted his weight onto his arm. "This song means a lot to you?" he asked.

She simply shrugged. "I mean, it's a catchy, if that's what ya mean," she supplied.

"You know it's not," he shot back.

Rayla looked at him and shrugged once more. "It's… I just listened to it a lot growing up. And… it sounds nice. When ya think about the meaning behind it," she explained, shaking her phone at him.

—million fireflies

I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes

I got misty eyes as they said farewell (Said farewell)—

She smiled at him as she continued, "Y'know, about growing up and all that?"

"What?" the artist exclaimed. "How'd you get that from that?"

Rayla snorted. "Well on the surface, duh, it's about insomnia and whatever," she easily explained. "But, "she added, "if ya really give it a listen ya get the whole nostalgia of time. And like how fast it really moves ya know?" She smiled at his contemplation. "I mean, it sounds like a kid who just wishes time slowed down," she said as she gestured to her phone with her free hand.

—like to make myself believe

That planet Earth turns slowly

It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep

Because my dreams are bursting at the seams…

The song stopped as Rayla pulled her phone away from Callum. It started to loop once again, picking up from its rising electronic piano in the background. The first verse began as Rayla said, "Growing up, it just sounds… nice to listen to." She smiled at him head on, obviously proud with herself. She leaned back on her arms, knees bent, as she flipped her hair behind her back. She swayed once again to the beat humming along with the tune.

Callum looked at her in thought, comparing the lyrics he'd just heard with her own reasoning. As an artist, it was easy to misinterpret and create new meanings for any and all pieces. Some things just had more meaning than expected, others had less. But the look of pride and pure enjoyment on Rayla's face took the cake for him. She really was an artist in her own way. He needed to stop being surprised by that by now, because it was an amazing thing to see each and every time—the way she expressed her passion.

Needless to say, Callum found himself a new pose he wanted to sketch for her.

And a new favourite song too.

A/N: Well, fun eh? I've never done song fics before, and to be honest I'm not even sure I did one? I just wanted to use this song because A, Owl City is great, B, Fireflies is great, C, a few other people used the song during the Rayllum week and I felt like I missed out, D, the lyrics are so very obscure and weird I wanted to bring that up. Because, well, why not?

Rayla totally strikes me as an Owl City fan, but only for a selective few. Anyways, that's that for today. Hopefully tomorrow will be up a lot earlier this time! Good news, Mac is back and ready to attack! So writing should be faster... I hope.

Tomorrow's Rain!

Until next time,

- Bleh