(First things first, the image above is for all fellow Demon Slayer fans. I just wanted to share it. The art is mine. Anyways, this is based 19 years after season 5. There are several ships with children, but, of course, this is centered around Rayllum. Rayla is off shopping or smth and Callum is stressed as hell by his kids' behavior. Modern day AU. AnGsTy AF. Word count: 1163)
"Alright. Bye! Love you!" Rayla shouted as she closed the door. "Love you too!" Callum called. Luke and Liam ran to give their mother a hug while Luna didn't see the appeal. Rayla chuckled. "Okay, alright. Fine." During their embrace, Rayla turned to face Callum. "This is from your side of the family." Callum smiled.
Luna plopped down next to her father. Rayla closed the door. The twin boys solemnly resigned to the couch. Luna silently flipped through a book, entirely different from her usual outgoing, fun personality. Callum noticed this. "What's wrong, LuLu?" Luna glared at him. "Don't call me that," she growled, her attention reverting to her book. "Okay, alright. I won't. Seriously, though, what's wrong?" Luna seethed. Stomping away, she shouted, "Why can't you just leave me alone?!" Callum stood. "Luna!" She slammed the door in his face.
Callum stood, dumbfounded by her behavior. He wished Rayla were here. She always knew how to punish the kids perfectly. He could never punish them enough. Rayla called him a big baby. He pounded the door. "Luna!" He got no response, but he could hear the unmistakable sound of sobbing. "Luna?" He rested his head against the door. "Can I come in?" he whispered in the calmest tone he could muster.
A choked 'yeah' was Luna's response. Callum opened the door that creaked on its hinges. He sat down on her bed, her blue sheets scattered across its soft surface. He gave her a side hug. "What is it?" Luna sighed. "You wouldn't get it. Mom would," she sighed. Callum pouted. "Whatever it is, I'm here for you. Your mother isn't here right now. You don't have to tell me. Just promise you won't lash out like that again?" Luna nodded. Callum smiled. "Okay."
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Rayla strolled through the aisles of the Katolis market. "Avocados, avocados," she mumbled, staring up at the signs.
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Luke and Liam happily played pattycake as if nothing had happened. The twins clapped their hands in perfect precision. Callum smiled. Their four-fingered hands made resounding clap noises in a perfect beat. Rayla's movements were always this precise. All his kids seemed to be so much like their mother. Luna was only eleven, but she had begun to look just like Rayla. And the twins? Well, they looked a bit more like their father. But they had Rayla's beautiful silver hair. Finally, they noticed Callum had returned. "Daddy!" Luke shouted, running to give his dad a hug.
Callum happily embraced him. Liam struggled of the tall couch to go and join Luke. Callum chuckled. He gave each of them a kiss on the forehead before standing and returning to his original height, 5'11".
The twins dawdled behind him returning to the couch. Callum checked his watch. Rayla had been gone for only 15 minutes. Please be back soon this time. Try as he might to stop worrying about endless possibilities, Callum couldn't shake the feeling that she could be leaving right now. Darting through the royal forest in search of a dead man. Little did he know, she was strolling the store in search of beef. Still, he tensed even more with every click of the clock.
After an hour, his worry had built up so much, he half wanted to search for her inside the store. His phone rang from his bedroom. He jogged to go pick it up. He dreaded the name he saw, but Rayla never let him take the man off his contacts. Slowly, he picked up the phone. "Heyyy, Runaan," he squeaked. The elf grimaced. "May I speak to Luna?" Callum wanted to inform Runaan that Luna had her own phone, but didn't fight and just went to knock on his daughter's door. "Luna? You wanna talk to Grandpa?"
"Which one?" Luna asked, to which Callum responded, "Runaan." Luna shrugged. "Sure." Callum still asked, "Can I come in, then?" Luna rolled her eyes. "No, I'll just talk through the door." Callum couldn't help but smile. Rayla had taught Luna the 'important lesson of sarcasm' when she was quite young. Now, she enjoyed using it just as often as her mother did. Callum turned the doorknob, preparing himself for the brightly colored room. Blinking away the shades of pink and white that nearly left after-images painted on the backs of his eyelids, he sat down next to Luna.
Callum handed over the phone. "Hey, Grandpa," Luna said. Callum could indistinctly hear Runaan speaking. "Really? That's great!" Callum arched an eyebrow. Luna covered the mic so she could whisper to Callum. "Other Grandpa's retiring." Callum whispered, "Which one?" Luna mouthed, "Ethari." Callum smiled. Luna returned to her conversation. Callum checked his watch. An hour and a half. He breathed deeply. She'll be back.
A few minutes of conversation later, Luna said, "Okay. Love you. Bye." Callum was snapped out of his dreary eyed daydreaming by Luna handing his phone back. "Hm? Oh." He took his phone back and put it in his pocket. "Whatcha thinking about?" Luna asked. "Nothing." Luna smirked. "Is it Mooom?" she teased, leaning closer to him. Callum smiled and waved her off.
He returned to the living room, where he had left the twins. They were fast asleep. Right next to eachother. It was adorable. He snapped a picture. Immediately, he sent it to Rayla. He received a text back almost immediately. He sighed with relief. It read, "Almost home." Soon enough, the door swung inward and Rayla stepped in, quiet as to not wake the twins. Of course, Luna had to come barreling out of her room. "Mother," she whispered. Callum chuckled. The twins' eyes opened the tiniest bit. Upon seeing their mother, their eyes shot open and they ran to her.
After Rayla had given the twins their hugs, she turned to Luna. Luna still didn't hug her. Callum informed Rayla that Luna had gotten upset earlier and that she might wanna talk about it. Rayla nodded and gave Callum a kiss. The three children pretended to gag in unison. Rayla chuckled. "Oh, shut up." She laid the grocery bags down on the counter. Luna and Callum went to help put them away. While they were doing so, Luna walked up to Rayla and gave her an actual hug. Rayla was frozen in place for a moment. "What's that for?" she chuckled.
Luna turned to look up at Rayla. "I just wanted a hug," she said simply. Rayla smiled and hugged her back. It was a few moments before anybody spoke. Luna looked at Rayla again. "You smell weird." Rayla laughed and shoved Luna lightly. Callum smiled. He walked over and gave Rayla a hug from behind, resting his head on her shoulder. "I'm trying to put stuff away, you doof!" Callum did not let go. Rayla sighed. "Whatever, I'll make this work," she said, struggling to put a can in the cupboard. Callum wanted nothing more than to hold Rayla right now. "Why does everybody want a hug?"
