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Sage hummed with a sort of shrug when Jora reased him about ripping him in half. "Well, once she's a bit older and can hold her own, you might," he noted with a grin. He was fairly confident neither of them would actually ever hurt him, but he knew he'd get caught in an argument sooner or later. That was fairly unavoidable, in his opinion. Though, he wrinkled his nose when she said he deserved it, crossing his arms with a huff. "I do not," he complained, sticking his lower lip out in a sort of playful pout. At her next comment his face broke into a grin again, just cocking his head at her. "Well, it's funny," he noted with a chuckle. "And fairly cute, might I add," he mused, tossing her another wink for good measure. It was teasing, of course, but he did like her temper, and he did find her playful whacks rather adorable and fun to mess around with. If he really wanted to dodge her, he could. Though, at her next few comments, he groaned with a nod and a sigh. "I know," he grumbled. "Sometimes I wish my body would let me just sit around all day," he added with a sort of scowl. He ran himself ragged sometimes, he knew that....but Jora could tell when he was having a bad day and was going to do that, and knew how to help him calm down. He was grateful for it. For her. More than he could ever express. He glanced back at her when he felt her hand on his arm, humming softly at her comment, moving his arm to take her hand gently with a sigh. "Maybe," he noted softly. "I don't remember much of it," he pointed out. But he did remember the lady there, and some of the things she'd done to him. It wasn't right. He knew that. But he still figured he'd instigated something fairly often. It would make sense. |
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Jora snorted, amused despite herself at his grin. “Oh, trust me, once she’s older and has the claws to back me up, you’ll be outnumbered,” she teased, the corner of her mouth quirking. He wasn’t wrong—he’d end up caught in an argument sooner or later, and she wasn’t about to spare him when that day came. His pout, though, pulled another laugh from her. “Stars above, look at you,” she said, shaking her head at the way his lip stuck out. “You’re lucky I don’t find that pathetic, because I should.” Her eyes softened, though, betraying her fondness. The wink caught her off guard, heat creeping across her cheeks before she scoffed to cover it. “Cute, huh? You’re insufferable,” she muttered, giving his shoulder a shove that had far less force than it pretended to. But when his tone shifted, when the sigh left him, she let her own expression ease, tilting her head at him. She always knew when he was running himself thin, when his energy was less habit and more desperation. Her hand lingered against his arm, steady. “You don’t have to,” she murmured quietly. “Not with me here. You don’t have to force yourself to keep moving just to prove something.” Her grip tightened gently when he admitted what little he remembered, her heart tugging at the weight in his voice. “Maybe you don’t remember all of it,” she said, her voice firmer now, protective, “but that doesn’t change what was done to you. It wasn’t right, Sage. Not then, not ever. And nothing you did could’ve made it deserved.” She caught his eyes, her own steady. “You were just a boy. You were never the problem.” |
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(ugh thought I responded but ig it didn't go through) Sage chuckled softly and sort of just nodded along, tossing an amused glance in Lyra's direction. "I'm rather outnumbered now," he mused, a faint grin tugging his lips upwards. He wouldn't have it any other way, really....but that didn't mean he couldn't complain about it now and again. Though, when she complained about the pout, he snickered softly, sort of grasping his shoulder dramatically when she punched him. "You're so cold," he whined, "you don't care for me at all." It couldn't be less true, but they both knew that. Her little whacks never did hurt, and besides, if he really wanted to get away from them he could. His little half hearted ducks never did anything and he was fine with that. Of course, when the mood shifted he hummed softly in response to her comments, nodding along slowly and sort of just patting her arm gently. "Maybe not," he noted. "But they happened, and I just have to deal with it." He lifted his shoulders in a shrug, meeting her gaze and offering her a smile. "I know. One of these days I'll believe you fully," he hummed sort of taking her hand and pressing a kiss to it lightly. |
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Jora couldn’t help the small roll of her eyes as Sage played up his dramatics. Outnumbered, was he? She smirked faintly, glancing over at Lyra before flicking her gaze back to him. “You’ll survive being surrounded by girls,” she teased softly, warmth laced beneath the words. “You like it more than you let on.” When he clutched his shoulder and whined at her punch, a laugh slipped from her lips despite herself. She shook her head at him, watching the exaggerated pout with both exasperation and fondness. “Cold? Please. If I didn’t care, I’d let you sulk in peace instead of knocking sense into you,” she murmured, brushing her fingers briefly over his arm where she had swatted him. But when his tone shifted, so did hers. She quieted, her teasing fading into something gentler as she watched him wrestle with memories she knew weighed heavier than he admitted. Her heart softened at the way he tried to brush it all off, and she gave a small, steady squeeze to his hand. “You don’t have to just deal with it alone,” she reminded him, voice low, almost firm but tender all the same. “You have me now. You have us.” Her eyes softened further as he kissed her hand, and though she smiled back at him, there was a lingering ache in her chest for all he’d endured. “You don’t have to believe me right away,” she whispered, thumb brushing over his knuckles. “But I’ll keep telling you until you do.” |
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Sage had chuckled softly in response to joras comment, humming along as if he were thinking about it. "It does have its perks, I suppose," he thought out loud. "It also has its downfalls," he added with a snicker. He loved his family more than anything, though, and Jora knew that. Though, when she said she'd just let him sulk in peace otherwise, and he sort of pouted at her. "In peace," he sort of whined. "Damn, peace isn't exactly on my bucket list for today. Only unthinkable chaos," he huffed, shaking his head. "There you go, trying to ruin my plans," he complained, flopping over dramatically. Really he was just making things up, he really didn't have any plans... honestly he didn't really ever plan. He sort of just...did things. But he could tease. Though, at her next comments, he offered her a small smile and a nod. "I know," he hummed softly. "One day, I'll be able to," he agreed. "Until then, I'll just have to trust your words, yeah," he chirped. |
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Jora couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his theatrics, though the fondness in her gaze betrayed her amusement. He really was ridiculous sometimes—flopping about like some wronged soul, whining about peace as if it were a curse. It made her lips twitch despite herself, a quiet chuckle slipping out. Only unthinkable chaos, huh? That sounded about right for Sage. He never did have much use for sitting still. Her chest softened as he smiled at her, though, the dramatics melting into something gentler. That nod, those words—they made her heart ache in the best way. She squeezed his hand back, watching him with warmth in her eyes. “Yeah,” she murmured, more to herself than to him, “until then.” And she meant it. If it took him a lifetime to believe her fully, she’d be here through every stubborn step of it. |
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Sage just grinned back at jora as she chuckled, eyes glittering with a fondness that was reserved just for their little family here. He really did get lucky - a lot of times really. There were plenty of times one of them could have died, or where they easily could have become enemies rather than lovers when they first met again. They were lucky they'd even recognized each other, or that their ships had come by like that. He was content to sit there with her for a few moments, though soon enough Lyra came running back out, hoping onto him. He let out a quiet grunt when she took a flying leap onto his torso, but chuckled softly and wrapped his arm around her anyway. "You all ready then," he asked, to which she nodded eagerly. |
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Jora’s smile softened as she watched Sage, that familiar warmth blooming in her chest. It always amazed her how far they’d come—how many twists of fate had pulled them back into each other’s orbit. She knew well enough how easily it could have gone differently, and that knowledge made moments like these all the more precious. When Lyra came bounding back, Jora couldn’t help but laugh, the sound light and fond as her daughter collided with Sage. “Careful, starlight,” she teased, though her eyes were bright with affection as she watched Sage’s arm curl protectively around their girl. The sight struck her deeply, settling her with a rare sense of peace. She reached over to brush a bit of hair from Lyra’s face, her gaze flicking from child to father. “Looks like someone’s ready for an adventure,” Jora murmured, voice full of quiet pride. |
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When Lyra jumped into him, he moved to sit up after a moment or two, though kept an arm around her so she could still stay in his lap. Well, as much as she could, since she never really did sit still. But he didn't mind her bouncing around on his thighs, or on the couch between where his legs were resting. It was adorable, especially since he knew both he and Jora had the same sort of restless energy. She had definitely picked up on some of his habits. He hummed in agreement when Jora mentioned that she must be ready for an adventure, and sort of peered over at Lyra. "Why don't you come help dad in the garden yeah," he suggested lightly. "You can hunt all the bad bugs like you're a brave knight hunting dragons," he added with a wink, and when she nodded excitedly and took off towards the door, he wasn't far behind her, chuckling softly to himself as he went, throwing Jora an amused glance just before they closed the door behind them. |
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Jora leaned back into the cushions, laughter spilling from her as she watched the whirlwind that was Lyra launch herself from Sage’s lap and bolt for the door. That spark in her daughter’s eyes—bright, eager, relentless—was one Jora recognized all too well. It was the same fire she saw in Sage whenever he threw himself headfirst into something, the same restless energy that lived under her own skin. No wonder Lyra could hardly sit still. Her gaze followed the pair as Sage rose to chase after their girl, his amused glance catching hers just before they disappeared through the door. Jora’s lips curved into a softer smile then, one that lingered long after the sound of their footsteps faded. She exhaled slowly, the warmth of the moment settling into her bones like sunlight. For all the chaos their lives had known, this—watching them together, watching the bond between father and daughter grow stronger with every heartbeat—was the kind of peace she never dared to dream of, but would fight tooth and nail to keep. |
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Morning Drizzle, but Clearing later
