It was a quiet morning at the Silvergrove.
The sun had just risen, birds were singing and elves were starting to emerge from their homes to start their day.
It was a perfectly peaceful moring...
"You guys seriously both have to work?!"
Or maybe not so peaceful...
"We're really sorry, Rayla. It's just that I've got several orders that need to be finished today and the elf who was supposed to take over training the younger elves for Runaan will be coming a day later so he still needs to do it for today, but after that we'll both have a whole week off work and we can do whatever you want together!" Ethari apologized to the frustrated girl who stood in front of him, a big pout on her face at the news he and Runaan had delivered her.
"I mean... If it can't be helped..." Callum awkwardly trailed off from where he sat on the couch, watching the scene in front of him.
It had taken a couple of weeks and a lot of talking and reflecting on both their parts but he and Rayla had luckily managed to work through their issues and resume their relationship, which was why he joined her (and of course Stella) on a little vacation to visit Ethari and Runaan who they miraculously managed to free from his coin-prison along with Rayla's parents.
Freeing them and Runaan actually clearing up what actually had happened had luckily resulted in both Rayla and her parents being unghosted.
"Surely you're capable of finding a way to entertain yourselves without us." Runaan stated as he walked out of the kitchen with tea for everyone, giving Callum his cup with a stiff nod that he returned.
They were both still a bit awkward around each other with Callum having to work through Runaan killing his step-father and Runaan having years or prejuice and bad experiences to put behind himself.
Still, they both did their best to at least be civil to each other, if not for themselves then for Rayla's sake.
"But what are we supposed to do?!" Rayla still whined, Stella sensing her distress and also pouting from her shoulder.
"Why don't you go and spend your day at the Adoraburr Meadow?" Ethari suggested and Callum perked up.
"Yeah, that's a great idea! Can we please go to the meadow and play with the squishy cutie-balls?!" be practically begged Rayla, making his best puppy-eyes that were quick to make her give in.
"Alright already! We'll just go to the meadow!" she agreed, grinning and shaking her head fondly when he jumped up and threw his arms up with a loud cheer.
"Well then! Glad that's settled! Now, I could really go for some tea and let me grab some sweets too." Ethari cheerfully announced and pushed past his husband to the kitchen.
They all spend the next hour just chatting together before the older elves had to go to work.
Rayla gave them both a quick hug before grabbing Callum's hand to drag him to the adoraburrs, through Callum was quick to end up dragging her to said place.
They ended up spending hours with the adoraburrs, playing with the creatures who were more than happy to be stacked, tossed and sticking to the human and elf.
Stella even put on an impressive show of juggling several adoraburrs with four of her six her tiny paws.
She did however nearly give them a heart-attack when she made one adoraburr disappear through one of her portals, though luckily she brought it back right away and didn't do it again after a good scolding from Rayla.
At some point, however, Rayla looked up with a frown.
"Callum, it's starting to get dark. We should head back." she called to her boyfriend who was currently trying to make a beard out of adoraburrs.
"Already?!" he whined, 'beard' sliding off to reveal his pout.
"Time really flies when you're having fun." he sighed as he sadly looked down at the chirping adoraburrs, many jumping and wanting to keep playing.
Then he got an idea and asked Rayla, "Can't we take a couple with us? I bet Ethari and maybe even Runaan would like to see them too after a long day of work!"
Instead of right away agreeing like he expected Rayla instead shook her head with a apologetic smile.
"Sorry Callum, but that's not happening. Adoraburrs aren't allowed in the house." she said.
"Really?" Callum asked, struggling to believe that someone could not want something as, well, adorable as an adoraburr in their home.
Also, they tolerated Stella who, while also cute was still mischievous as ever and he was pretty sure an adoraburr would be a lot easier to take care of.
"Yep, Runaan told it to me not too long after I moved in with him and Ethari." Rayla nodded before standing as straight as she could manage with a grumpy look on her face.
"None of those tiny fluff monsters in the house." she spoke in a deep voice in an obvious attempt to copy Runaan, making Callum laugh because while he could imagine Runaan looking and talking like that, it looked and sounded ridiculous when Rayla did it.
Rayla didn't take any offence and just grinned at him.
"We should really get going, though." she said before turning and running off, "Race you home!"
"Hey!" Callum cried and he was about to chase after when a squeak caught his attention.
There as one single adoraburr clinging to his foot, looking up at him with big questioning eyes and he about melted.
Carefully he plucked it up and stared at it.
It seemed to somehow be even fluffier than than the other adoraburrs and it was purple, but a different shade of purple than any other adoraburr he had seen too.
It's color reminded him of Rayla's eyes.
Still, what mostly caught his attention were the creature's own eyes staring up at him, big, bright and dare he say hopeful.
"Do you... wanna come with me?" he asked and it gave a happy chirp as if confirming it.
Callum bit his lip at that.
On one hand Rayla had told him adoraburrs weren't allowed in the house they were staying at, which seemed to be a rule Runaan came up with and he really didn't want to give the assassin a reason to go back to hating him.
On the other hand, how could he say no to the tiny ball of cuteness in his palm?
"I'm sure just you won't be a problem." he finally decided, figuring he could keep the adoraburr a secret and even if Runaan found out, Rayla and maybe even Ethari would probably have Callum's back before carefully placing it in his pocket and running after Rayla, calling at her to wait for him.