How do you know you loved her?

Callum was never into romantic things, ok, maybe a little with all the Claudia and not being able to keep his eyes off her issue. But hey, he was a little boy and she was presumable gorgeous in his eyes at that time, give him some credit.

Anyway.

When people start to talk about him a Rayla, he didn't pay them too much attention; everybody knew they were an item. The new connection between Xadia and Katolis was proved that things were starting to change, and that everything was possible, he couldn't be prouder, his little brother was actually getting fond of flying in the back of dragons everywhere and shutting mouths that tried to get to the flour all the things they fought to accomplish.

And he was out of the point again.

The point of all that was that; the first pairing of a human and an elf was kinda a big deal. People started to gossip about them, to expect them to be some kind of model of how things should be, and that, man, that was a lot of pressure in their shoulders. Rayla and he almost never got time alone, let out any kind of date or simple break from their duties as apprentice magician and new leader of the dragon guard.

Time wasn't on neither of their sides.

And as incredible it was to learned from a proper sky magician, Callum needed with desperation to spend time with her, not being able to talk to her in days had been killing him. So he snuck out for the night, it couldn't be so bad, and even if it was, he'll take the punishment later.

Right now he just wants to see Rayla.

He found her in the middle of her patrol in the stairs out of the queen chambers. She has changed a little nothing from her usual attire, except for the new blades she received from her home. The only new addition to her clothes was a cape, a deep blue and green cape which Callum couldn't quite put his finger in its usefulness (maybe the cold? But Rayla was never cold, his spell made sure of that).

"Rayla!" he called, making sure to keep his voice just in the right volume, it was night after all and he shouldn't be there "Over here!"

"Callum?" she questioned, walking to the little shadow where he stood. "What are ya doin' here?"

"I wanted to see you" he responded, smiling, "I missed you."

"Dork" she giggles a little, "shouldn't you be in the middle of a class?" she asked, now crossing her arms. "What did you do?"

"It's just a break," he said this time, reaching for her hand and holding it with his own, "I couldn't take it with another four days without talking to you."

"Tough ya could" she responded, getting her free hand to her hair, "seemed like ya need it."

He stared at her, sighing after a few seconds. Days before a new human group had come to Xadia for a visit; those were the fun type of visitors. Not people trying to learn weak points to reinforce nor which creatures they could fight if necessary, but the type who were fond of interacting with elves and the magic land they couldn't touch for years. Callum liked those kinds of people.

But one just had to ask…

Some random soldier has come to him in a spare moment, looking at Rayla, Callum didn't like it but also didn´t say anything, the guy couldn´t be more out of his league with her, after all, Rayla was too cool and caring, and brave, and beautiful…

Again; not the point.

The guy came and asked him How did he realized he loved Rayla? The question was naïve, and even a little funny in the first moment, but after a second, Callum realized that he didn't have an answer.

Sure, he was sure he loves her now, fuck he said it to her in the middle of a free-falling situation and then repeated it when he got his wings. But if he tough back, he couldn't say the moment he knew he loved Rayla. It wasn't in the midnight desert, no; he was just starting to grasp those feelings in that moment, kissing her was heaven, and she was so beautiful under the moonlight… he liked her then and wanted her then…

But again it was not loved.

And that was eating him alive. He just got distant from her while thinking, but the thinking took far too long, and thing started to get weird every time they met; all because he couldn't drop it!

"Sorry…" he said, looking down, "it was just that… I got this stupid thing in my head for days and I couldn't think straight when I was with you…"

"Was I a distraction?"

"Kinda" he responded, letting her hand free and sending his own to his hair, "It was just… some guy asked me how I realized I love you…"

"What?" Callum looked at her, a little taken aback with the surprise in her face.

"Some soldier came by the other day with the expedition group and asked that; out of blue" he continued, moving his hands to emphasize, "and it's been bugging me all this time… sorry."

"Ya were all weird cause that?" she said, raising an eyebrow and changing her weight from one foot to another, "Why?"

"… I didn't have an answer" he responds.

"Ya didn't?" she asked again.

"No…" Callum looked at the wall this time, "Don't get me wrong Rayla, I know I love you, I really, really do, you are probably the most important person in my life right now… but I can't remember when I start to love you… I can't say when I realize you are the only person I want to be with…"

The silence that came put him on the edge, he couldn't bring himself to look at her. She could be mad, or happy, or maybe even amused by this, but he didn't see it, cause he couldn't gather the courage to just turn his head.

And he felt her hand in his cheek.

"Dork," she said, and her voice was so serene and sweet that Callum felt shivers all over his body, "Ya should have said something before."

"I… couldn't" Callum then looked at her, their eyes locking, "You are so amazing… I feel like I need to know when I realized that…"

"Callum, I love you, and I've been doing it for a long, long time" she assured him, leaning closer, "And I know that these feelings had been within me, since we meet, I just didn't realize them… so I also don't know when I started to love you" she smiled, "I just do."

Callum stared at her, and she giggled before kissing him. He took a second to respond, letting all his problems melt in her lips.

Rayla loves him, and she also didn't know since when. Callum suddenly didn't feel like he needs to know. There, in her arms, kissing her, feeling her, being with her… He knows he loves her, just because, and the time when it started doesn't matter…

He just cares he loves her now.

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Season three was AMAZING.

I need bigger capital letters but that's for other times.

Just a little thing I got in my head, who else is expecting so bad the fourth season? People I need more.

Anyway, I expect my writing isn't so bad as I think it is, and that you could enjoy it even just a little (need urgent help in how to write Raylas accent, somebody, PLEASE)

Yuichiro out, Peace~~ :3