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Sage grunted when she said she'd try to make something up tomorrow, grumbling something snarky that he wasn't sure made much sense....but he supposed he was just tired and grumbly. He wasn't upset with her or anything, just snarky. He nodded when she mentioned what she'd told the kids, humming a "good, they don't need the whole story," in agreement before nodding as she mentioned Edith. "She's welcome to come too," he noted. Then he yawned. "Maybe after a nap though," he admitted somewhat sheepishly. His brows furrowed at her question though, and he let out a heavy breath, moving his gaze away from hers to stare at the ceiling. How would he even begin to tell her this? He knew she wouldn't be mad at him, but he still felt pretty guilty about it. "I woke up in someone bed," he noted softly after a moment. "I don't know how many times..." He sort of trailed off with a shrug. He hoped she understand. How many times when he was out did something happen? He didn't know ....he wasn't sure he wanted to.
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Mari rolled her eyes slightly at his snarky comment. She was trying for him... she knew this wasn't fun, and she knew he hated being stuck here, and that he was probabaly getting sore and was tired, but she was trying. She certainly didn't deserve his snarkiness. "Don't be snarky with me," she breathed quietly, her brows pinching together softly. She hated all of this nearly as much as he did. She couldn't help but think she could have helped more, but for now, this was all she could offer. She moved to brush his hair back out of his face, then shifted to pull the blankets up for him. "I'll grab them in a bit," she promised The kids were probably pretty excited to see their father... plus, she did want to see her mother, and the woman was obviously worried about her son in law. She nodded at his comment about a nap, and offered a smile. "Yeah, that's a good plan." She couldn't imagine how tired he had to be. He'd had a chaotic few days... chaotic wasn't even the right word. It had been torture. Literally. She looked at him with soft eyes when he started to explain what happened to him, and all of a sudden her heart just dropped. She shook her head quickly, her brows pinching tightly together. "Oh god," she whispered. When he continued, she sort of reached out to him and gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "No, no it's okay. We can..." she trailed off slightly, finding herself just staring at him. It wasn't even a little bit okay, but they could talk about it later. She just wanted him to feel okay for the time being.
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Sage sort of offered a sheepish grin to Mari in a sort of apology when she told him not to get snarky. He knew he was being a bit of a brat that morning ....he just didn't feel super great still, he supposed. But the thought of seeing the kids again brightened his face a bit, and he nodded happily. "I've missed them," he murmured softly. It had been a few weeks...he wanted things to just get back to normal. Hopefully, that would happen. Sage felt his stomach drop when Mari first reacted to what had happened, suddenly terrified she'd be upset with him. Walk away or ... something. He found his breath speeding up, hitching, as she moved to tell him it was alright. It wasn't alright....there should have been more he'd could have done. "God, mari, I'm so sorry," he sort of breathed out, closing his eyes and shaking his head. It was all too much to think about ...he'd been unconscious for most of it, but he knew what had happened. At least, he knew the general gist of it all.
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Mari just nodded at his apology. She knew he was stuggling. She just wanted to help him, in any way she could really. She wanted to make sure he was okay. This had all been... a lot. But, at least he was a bit brighter at the idea of the kids. She was sure he'd missed them. They were good kids, and they were more than a little bit excited to see their father. She hoped seeing them would make him feel... better. At least a little bit. "They'll be happy to see you," she breathed softly after a moment or two. "Try... be up beat for them. They don't need to know how bad it is," she breathed gently. She didn't want them worrying... and she knew they would. They were so sensitive to this sort of thing now, and the last think anyone needed was two upset children. She watched him for a moment, the way his face screwed up, and within a moment she was right back at his side. "Oh, babe, no," she whispered quickly, placing a soft hand on his shoulder. "Sage, don't be sorry, you've done nothing wrong," she told him softly, trying to find... something that'd make him feel better. Nothing would, she knew that, but she could sure as hell try her hardest. She put a hand on his cheek when he shook his head, her brows furrowing slightly. "They're... bad people, Sage. You couldn't have helped it. It's not your fualt," she continued, closing her eyes for a moment. What could she say? She didn't want him to feel bad about any of this.
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Sage had nodded when Mari mentioned being upbeat for the kids. He would ...hed learned how to act like everything was ok years ago. That was a skill he still held onto, even if he didn't normally need to use it. Of course, when Mari came rushing back, he just looked at her dully, not really having the energy to mask his emotions completely. "But I should have ..." He sort of trailed off. Should have what? Fought harder? He'd done his best and it just wasn't enough. That was probably what scared him most. He wasn't good enough. What if he wasn't good enough to look after his family? Maris words did little to soothe him, but at least he knew she wasn't upset with him. That, at least, helped calm him a bit. He hummed softly, letting out a breath after a moment. He'd come to terms with it....he always did. For now, he just needed to distract himself. So, after a moment he aort of sighed and shifted to sit up a bit more. "Go ahead and bring the kids and your mom in," he noted softly. "I want to see them."
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Mari shook her head, her thumb running softly along his cheek. "No, no, there's nothing you could have done," she breathed softly after a moment or two. She knew that wouldn't help. Saying there was nothing he could have done. That was the issue - he'd been trapped, and he had not choice. No control over what happened to him, and it really just made her so sick to think about. She sighed and pecked his nose when he asked for the kids and her mother, giving him a small nod. "Yeah... yeah okay," she breathed softly. She stood up and went to find them, returning a few minutes later with the kids rushing on in after she gave them a talk about being careful with their father. She settled down as the kids started berating Sage with questions, and she started talking quietly with her mother about... well, good things. As many good things as she possibly could.
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Sage just sighed when Mari mentioned there wasn't anything he could have done. That's what scared him. He had been utterly powerless ...and he couldn't afford to be powerless when it came to his family. Of course, he brightened up when the kids crawled up next to him, and he did his best to answer their questions in a lighthearted manner. Luckily, they couldn't imagine most of what had happened, so they weren't asking about it. Eventually though, they ran out of questions and he'd let them run off to go play again, a soft smile of his face as he leaned against the headboard, tired but not in an entirely bad way. He'd missed them more than he'd known.
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Mari sat with her mother, trying to shake the whole thing off. Of course, she didn't tell the woman more than she needed to know, but it didn't sit right with her. Of course it didn't. In what world would any of this sit right with anyone. The man she loved most... the man she loved more than anyone she'd ever met anyone else had been used in such a horrific way, and he'd been helpless. She couldn't imagine how he felt, especially since he'd been passed out. It was all awful, really. She perked up a little when she saw the kids with their dad, and shortly after running off to go play or do something or other that was sure to cause trouble. They didn't seem too concerned, and she could only be grateful for that. She felt a slight smile cross her face as her mother stood to go after them, just to keep an eye. When she'd left, she found herself glancing over to Sage, who did look more up beat. She'd have to make sure he saw the children as much as she could. "You should probably get some rest, hm?" She asked gently.
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Once the kids had run off, and Edith had followed them, though not before reaching to press a motherly kiss to sages head, he sort of relaxed and against the headboard, feeling a bit more at ease with....well, everything, he supposed. He glanced over at Mari as she spoke, humming softly in agreement before moving to slide down under the covers. It was fairly awkward, with the bandages and wounds and whatnot, but he managed. Luckily, Mari was the caring type and helped organize the blankets around him, since all his energy was gone by then. As he was drifting off though, he sort of reached for her, catching a bit of her skirt between his fingers right before his eyes fluttered closed. He hadn't had a chance to say anything...not that he'd know what to say. But he was passing out, and he was vulnerable, and even though he was in a completely safe place, he wanted her to stay there. He just felt ..safer. better. No one could do anything. He knew no one would, not here, but reason wasn't really working out for him very well at the moment.
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Mari helped him settle down quietly, her eyes soft as he struggled into a comfortable position. She didn't envy him one bit. She couldn't think how hard it must be for him. The last few weeks had been... hard, on all of them. The kids were still nervous to sleep along, their house was still a mess and now Sage was here. It wasn't his fualt at all but... it was a lot. She wished she could have done more to help him. She made sure he was settled, and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead before standing up to leave... maybe to see the kids or her brothers, but when she felt his hand on her skirt she stood still in her tracks. She turned just to watch him for a few seconds, but soon settled down on the chair next to him, taking his hand carefully off her skirt and lacing her fingers through his. She'd stay if that was what he needed. She just needed him to be... well, okay she supposed. Whatever he needed. She sort of shifted closer, using her free hand to rest over his side, hoping it'd ground him to some extent, and her head resting on the bed. She'd be here as long as he needed.
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