Horse Eden : Hudie x NightClan

January 28, 2025 05:12 PM

Posts: 3255
#1288021
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Jora’s heart swelled at Sage’s words. She hadn’t expected to feel so emotional over a simple name, but seeing how tender he was with their daughter made everything feel deeper than she could have imagined. The smile on his face, the warmth in his eyes, the promise of the future—it all hit her like a wave.

She reached out, her hand brushing his arm lightly, a soft, unspoken gratitude passing between them. “She’s lucky to have you,” Jora said quietly, her voice thick with emotion. She couldn’t help but think of the life they’d both lived before, and how different everything was now. This—this moment, this family, this love—was everything she had never dared to dream of.

"I’ll teach her everything I know too," she added, the weight of her own promise settling in. "We’ll teach her to be strong, to fight for what’s hers. But we’ll also teach her love... because without that, everything else means nothing."

She glanced down at their daughter, tiny and peaceful in Sage's hands. "Together," she whispered, almost to herself. "We’ll give her the best of us both." And for the first time in a long while, Jora allowed herself to believe that, despite everything, they would be okay.

January 28, 2025 09:36 PM

Posts: 16422
#1288130
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Sage glanced over at jora as she spoke, offering her a smile and a nod. "I'm lucky to have her too," he murmured softly. "And I'm definitely lucky to have you too," he noted, just nestling against her side comfortably again. He did like his creature comforts, he supposed.... especially when it was Jora. But it was like he could still their hands, reaching and grabbing at him, always touching him, never leaving, never stopping. When he was touching Jora, even if it was just a light brush of their shoulders, that ebbed away. He didn't feel so....gross. Well...not physically. Physically he probably needed a heavy shower. But they'd get there.

"We'll make sure she never had to know what it's like to be alone," he noted simply. "She'll have a family she can be proud of. One we can all be proud of," he added, gaze returning to the small bundle they had with them. Though, after another few minutes had passed, he wrinkled his nose slightly. "While she's asleep, do you think you could help me to the bathroom," he sighed. He would just try to go on his own....but he still wasn't too sure he'd make it, or if he had been injured. The meds were still strong in him. Besides....he was still nervous about being alone. Too much had happened for that to be comfortable.

January 29, 2025 07:54 AM

Posts: 3255
#1288277
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Jora glanced down at Sage, feeling the weight of his words settle between them. There was a tenderness in his voice that made her heart soften, something raw and honest about the way he spoke, the way he let his guard down with her. She could see how much he carried, how much he tried to mask with humor or quiet, but it was in moments like this—when the silence grew thick with truth—that it was clear. He needed her, just as much as she needed him.

Her fingers brushed against his lightly, an unspoken promise of support. She didn't mind being his anchor, in fact, it made her feel grounded, like maybe she was exactly where she was supposed to be. "You don't have to ask," she murmured, her tone low and steady, "I'm here. For you. Always."

The thought of that little bundle they carried with them tugged at her heart, a reminder of everything they were building, everything they were trying to protect. The world had been cruel to them, but this tiny piece of light between them? She wouldn't let anything touch it. Not if she could help it.

As he asked for help getting to the bathroom, she met his eyes, and her chest tightened at the vulnerability in his gaze. "Of course," she said gently, placing a hand on his arm to steady him. "We'll take it slow. I’ve got you."

It wasn’t just about the bathroom. It was about keeping him from feeling like he was alone in that moment. She wasn’t about to leave him, not now, not after everything they’d been through. She’d help him, even in the smallest ways. "We’ll get through this together, Sage."

January 29, 2025 08:14 AM

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#1288280
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Sage nodded softly when she mentioned he didn't need to ask, offering her a smile smile as he handed the baby off to her so she could go settle her down and then come back for him. When she did, he moved to slowly shift himself up and out of the bed. Admittedly, it was harder than he'd expected, and he definitely had to steady himself on her once he was on his feet for a few moments before nodding and attempting to let them shuffle forward.

It took them a minute.. Which was sort of annoying, he was hoping he'd be alright enough to walk on his own at least... But once they were there he just say down on the floor. Luckily, his seemed to understand he needed a second to breathe, and moved to turn the water on, filling the tub up so after around five minutes he could just get undressed and slide into the warm water, not needing to worry about standing for too long.

That's exactly what he did, too. It was a bit of undressing in front of her, but only for a moment. This was Jora.... He didn't need to be shy about it with her. She understood. She helped him into the tub, then, and he just sunk into the warm water, letting out a grateful sigh. He stayed there, tired, not really finding the energy to actually wash himself, just enjoying the peace of the moment. The reminder that thing were going back to normal. They'd be ok.

Edited at January 29, 2025 08:15 AM by NightClan

January 29, 2025 10:53 AM

Posts: 3255
#1288303
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Jora watched Sage move carefully, a slight frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. It wasn’t easy for him, seeing how much effort it took just to sit up, to move, to get to his feet. The moment he steadied himself on her, she could feel how much of his weight he leaned into her, and she knew he hated it. But there was no need to mention it. She wasn’t going anywhere. She just stayed close, helping where she could, guiding him with quiet patience as they made their way.

When they reached the bathroom, she saw how relieved he was to finally sit, to stop fighting against his body, and she gave him the space he needed. She moved to turn the water on, glancing over her shoulder at him. It felt a little surreal, like all the chaos that had been swirling around them was starting to settle, just a little. Slowly but surely.

Sage didn’t need to say much. She knew him, knew what was on his mind even when he didn’t speak it. She helped him undress, making sure he wasn’t too self-conscious or exhausted to feel it. There was no shame here, not with her, and he knew it. As he sank into the tub, a quiet breath escaped him, the tension finally leaving his shoulders.

She stood back for a moment, just watching him, the exhaustion lining his face, but there was peace in it now. Things were still raw, still healing, but they were moving forward. They were going to be okay.

Jora sank to the floor beside the tub, pulling her knees up to her chest. She didn’t need to do anything else right now. He’d rest. And when he was ready, they’d figure out what came next. But for now? For now, they could just be.

Jora watched Sage sink deeper into the tub, the warmth of the water clearly giving him some relief. She could see the exhaustion in his eyes, but there was a soft kind of peace there too. She let him settle for a moment before speaking, her voice quieter than usual, knowing he'd probably be too tired to even think about doing much more than relaxing.

"Hey... I can scrub your back for you if you want," she offered gently, her tone low, without pressure. "You’ve been through a lot today. You don’t need to worry about the little stuff. I can help."

It wasn’t about just doing something for him—it was about making things easier, giving him a moment of quiet comfort. She leaned against the tub slightly, meeting his gaze with a soft, unspoken understanding. She was there, always there, no matter what he needed.

January 29, 2025 11:45 AM

Posts: 16422
#1288309
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Sage had collapsed into the tub, letting his eyes closed as the warm water soothed the hurt he hadn't even known he'd felt. The tension was leaving his body a little bit though...he hadn't realized how tense he'd been, but as he lay there he could feel it unraveling, especially in his neck and shoulders. It was all just....nice.

Jora had sat down, next to him, which he appreciated. She hadn't dropped him in the tub and left, wasn't trying to already get him to scrub up or anything. She was just there, letting him relax for a moment. When she did mentioned she could help him wash, he opened his eyes to glance over at her, pondering it for a moment before he gave in and nodded softly.

He moved to sit up with a grunt, reaching for the washcloth and soap that was there and handing them to her, shifting so she could reach him. He moved to tug his hair over his shoulder too, so she wouldn't have to deal with all of that being in the way. He'd have to wash that too...but for now, he would have to take small steps, and clearly Jora would be doing a decent bit of the work. His body had apparently decided it wasn't going to do some of it. Or most of it. He didn't like it, but that's just how it was working out. Just getting here had exhausted him. But Jora was here, and she wanted to help...and for that he was grateful.

January 29, 2025 01:54 PM

Posts: 3255
#1288345
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Jora watched as Sage’s movements slowed, his body still carrying the weight of more than just physical exhaustion. She knew that he didn't always let people in—didn’t always let people help—but today, he was allowing her in, even if just for this moment. He handed her the washcloth, and she gently took it, her fingers brushing his, just for a second.

She noticed how he shifted, how he pulled his hair over his shoulder, a quiet sign of trust that didn’t go unnoticed. It wasn’t just about helping him wash. It was about offering comfort without forcing it, about letting him take the lead when he needed to, while still being there.

She could see the struggle in his eyes, that tension between wanting to keep control and needing to surrender for just a little while. He wasn’t used to this, she could tell. But that’s what made it feel...real. Not forced, not rushed.

"Alright," she said softly, her voice steady as she dipped the washcloth into the water, "I’ll take care of the hard part. You just relax." The words were simple, but there was an understanding in them, an unspoken promise to be there for him, without pushing too much.

Her hands moved with care, starting on his shoulders where she could feel the tightness of muscles, working with slow, gentle strokes. He’d let her do this for him, and she wasn’t going to take that lightly.

January 29, 2025 02:23 PM

Posts: 16422
#1288351
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Sage offered Jora a soft smile when she took the washcloth from him, appreciating how calm she was about it. Everything she did was just...calm. Quiet. She wasn't pressing him to do anything, and she wasn't moving fast or hurrying through this like he was just an annoyance. No, she truly wanted to help, to carry what part of the burdens she could. Somehow it all made him feel like he wasn't such a failure in terms of all this.

He hummed softly when she spoke up, a quiet agreement. Willing to let her take control and do the work for him for a few minutes. Besides....once she started working on him, it did feel nice. He sort of moved to just rest his head on his knees, letting his arms wrap around them and his forehead fall lightly on his arms with a soft breath. It wasn't quite a massage or anything... but it felt somewhat similar, he thought. Either way, it felt nice, so he certainly wasn't going to complain about her helping him out.

January 29, 2025 07:02 PM

Posts: 3255
#1288435
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Jora could feel the weight of his exhaustion in the way his body relaxed under her touch. It wasn’t often that Sage let himself be taken care of like this, and she noticed it—how he let go of the tension, even if only for a few moments. The way his body curled slightly, head resting on his knees, arms wrapped around himself, it made her want to stay in that moment a little longer. She wasn’t doing much—just a gentle swipe of the cloth along his skin—but somehow, it felt like something more. A simple act, but one that spoke louder than words.

She let the silence stretch between them, not needing to fill it with chatter. She could tell he appreciated the calm. It wasn’t about fixing anything or rushing through the moment. It was just... this. Being here. Quiet. Present.

Her fingers moved over his skin with purpose, but gentle. "You don’t have to say anything," she murmured, her voice low, just a hint of a smile in her words. "I’m not going anywhere." She meant it, of course. No matter how many times life tested them, she’d stay. Even in the quiet, even when it felt like there wasn’t much to hold on to. She’d always stay.

January 29, 2025 07:12 PM